Slough and Steady
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Course overview
Slough and Steady takes place on the Perry Lake trail system near Apple Valley in Ozawkie, KS. The event offers multiple distance options and a 50K loop that includes about 3,300 feet of elevation gain. The trail is divided into five sections and is marked with blue paint on trees and posts; reflective blue arrows appear occasionally and double blue marks indicate a distinct right or left turn.
Distances
- 125 Mile
- 100K
- 50K
- 25K
The first section leaves the start/finish at Apple Valley, heads northerly through Longview Park, skirts Lake Perry, and includes several high bluffs with lake views. There is an unmanned water drop about 4.7 miles into this section; roughly 3.5 miles beyond that is the Old Military Trail trailhead and the first fully stocked manned aid station. This aid station is the turnaround for the 25K; 25K runners check in there and retrace the route to Apple Valley. Bald eagles may be visible in this area.
Section two runs about 3.5 miles northeast along Little Slough Creek, crosses Ferguson Road, and uses a short gravel stretch on 94th street before returning to the woods and ending at Kiowa Road. Section three provides about 3.6 miles of runnable gravel on Kiowa and 82nd street, with a manned aid station at the old Lowry school building 1.7 miles down Kiowa. The short stretch on 82nd can be muddy.
The fourth section is roughly 4.7 miles of remote trail, timber, drainage areas, and field crossings, then crosses Ferguson Road to a manned aid station at the Slough Creek boat ramp and continues about 4.6 miles to the Slough Creek campground aid station. The final section runs roughly 6 miles north from the campground back to the start/finish, with mostly gentle slopes, fields, woodlands, lake views, and a creek crossing near Apple Valley that may involve wet feet depending on conditions.
The 25K course consists of running to the Old Military Trail trailhead at about 7.5 miles and returning to the start/finish. There is a water only aid stop at about 4 miles outbound and about 3.5 miles inbound. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
