Tarc to Hale and Back
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TARC To Hale and Back : March 21, 2026, Hale Reservation (Westwood, MA)
The Trail Animals Running Club event offers two distance options:
- 6 hour
- 3.5 mile
The event is held at Hale Education / Powissett Lodge in Hale Reservation, Westwood, Massachusetts. The course is an approximate 3.5 mile loop that starts and finishes at Powissett Lodge and combines single-track and double-track (fire road) trails. Much of the route is wooded and includes shoreline running for a couple of miles with small beaches, a few modest hills, roots and rocks described as “toe catchers,” several small stream crossings, two crossings of Carby Street, boardwalks and wood bridges that can be slippery when wet. The course will be marked with directional arrows, flagging, signs, and pink ribbon confidence markers; if a marker has not been seen recently, participants are advised to backtrack to the last marker. Minor year-to-year reroutes are possible due to flooding, snow, or trail changes.
Logistics, services, and policies
There is a single aid station at the start/finish offering water, an electrolyte drink, PB&J and quesadillas/grilled cheese, plus participant-contributed snacks. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options will be available but cross-contamination cannot be guaranteed. The event is cupless; participants should bring their own cup or bottle. Parking may require walking up to 0.75 miles from the car; an alternative large lot at Hale Summer Club (opposite 576 Dover Road) is commonly used and is about a 2/3 to 3/4 mile walk to the lodge. Pacers are not allowed; crew access is limited to the start/finish aid station. The event maintains a no-refund policy and no transfers, with a stated pregnancy deferral option of up to two years and potential emergency exceptions. Adaptive athletes are welcome; tethers, prosthetics, crutches, braces, or poles may be used with Race Director approval. A land acknowledgement notes the event takes place on land originally home to the Wôpanâak (Wampanoag) people. Volunteers support bib pickup, course directing, aid stations, course sweeping, start/finish operations, and parking guidance. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.