2023 Race Beanie

by | Mar 1, 2023 | Shirts & Swag, Uncategorized

Unveiled – the 2023 Afton Trail Run Beanie!  All runners and volunteers will receive this awesome beanie. We purchased extras of these so if friends, family, crew or pacers would like one, they may purchase one on race weekend.  If you want to add a shirt to your...

Setting Expectations for 2023

by | Nov 9, 2022 | Race Updates, Uncategorized

In November of 2021, after hosting a season of Covid-modified races, I was updating our race website(s) for what we hoped would be (and thankfully was) a mostly “normal” 2022. While doing so, I decided to include a preface to our Participant Guide(s) titled “Setting...

Afton 2022 Recap

by | Jul 6, 2022 | Race Recaps, Uncategorized

Afton. Family. Love. – Photo Credit Tone Coughlin   Founded in 1994, the Afton Trail Run is a Twin Cities ‘heart of Summer’ trail and ultrarunning tradition. This year we shared the day with 879 registered runners from 3 countries, 27 states and...

2022 Afton Trail Run Runner Welcome

by | Jun 27, 2022 | Race Updates, Uncategorized

Greetings Runners! We are less than a week out from the 28th Annual Afton Trail Run. 130+ volunteers are coming together to put on this year’s race. We are thrilled to be hosting 879 runners from 3 countries, 27 states and 194 Minnesota cities!. This email is long,...

2022 Race Hat

by | Apr 28, 2022 | Shirts & Swag, Uncategorized

Unveiled – the 2022 Afton Trail Run Hat!  We are switching it up a little this year, taking a break from t-shirts. All runners and volunteers will receive this awesome hat. We purchased extras of these so if friends, family, crew or pacers would like one, they may...

Remembering Brian Landstrom

by | Jan 10, 2022 | Uncategorized

Brian crossing the Split Rock River during the 2017 Superior 100 Mile Trail Race – Photo Credit Cole Peyton   Brian Landstrom passed away peacefully and with dignity at home on Christmas Day 2021, he was 70 years old. While Brian led a vibrant life outside...

Afton 2021 Recap

by | Jul 7, 2021 | Race Recaps, Uncategorized

Son and Father-In-Law 50K Finish, Roy and Les – Photo Credit Cheri Storkamp   AFTON, where the magic keeps on happening. I cannot tell you how many amazing conversations and interactions I had this past weekend. I hope you had the same opportunity to...

Afton Trail Run
50KM & 25KM Trail Races
Afton State Park – Hastings, Minnesota
Saturday July 4, 2020
• 50KM 6:30AM
• 25KM 7:30AM

Registration:
Opens Wedneday January 1, 2020 at 12:01AM CST
Closes Friday June 26, 2020 at 11:59PM CST
*Or once the field limit has been met
Complete Registration Details HERE

Directions to Race Start:
Afton State Park
6959 Peller Avenue South
Hastings, MN 55033
Hastings, Minnesota
Google Maps Directions HERE
Approx 25 minutes East of St. Paul, MN and 40 minutes East of Minneapolis, MN

Terrain / Course Description:
The Afton Trail Run consists of a hilly 25K loop (two loops for the 50K), winding through Afton State Park’s trail system. The race is held 100% off road, primarily on very runnable / not very technical single double and single track. There are 7 long climbs per loop, rising from the river valley and down again with a good mix of rolling and flat terrain between the hills.  Be sure to see maps, elevation charts and stats provided on this website HERE.

50KM:
2 x 15.5 mile loops =  31 miles
Elevation Gain 4,670 FT
Elevation Loss 4,670 FT
NET Elevation Change 9,340 FT
11 Aid Stations
9 hour time limit
Complete 50KM Info HERE

25KM:
1 x 15.5 mile loop = 15.5 miles
Elevation Gain 2,335 FT
Elevation Loss 2,335 FT
NET Elevation Change 4,670 FT
5 Aid Stations
8 hour time limit
Complete 25KM Info HERE

More About the Race / Area:
The Afton Trail Run is one of the most challenging and beautiful trail races around.  The race was established in 1994 and is now one of the oldest, largest and most competitive trail races in the country and routinely draws runners from all 50 states and beyond.  The race takes place entirely within the borders of Afton State Park.  Afton State Park lies on a glacial moraine, scribed with deep ravines running down to the St. Croix River.  The 169 mile St. Croix River was one of the original eight United States rivers to have significant portions placed under protection by the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968.  Within the park sandstone outcrops have been exposed in some of the ravines. The vertical drop from the blufftop to the water is 300 feet.  A few patches of remnant prairie survived the decades of farming that took place on the blufftop. Today the former fields are being restored to prairie and oak savanna. The ravines leading down to the riverbank are thickly wooded with oak, aspen, birch, and cherry.