Elk-Kings Trail Races

The Return of the Elk-Kings Races We semi-retired this Tillamook forest race after 2023, to make room in our schedule for the Oregon 200, and boy did we hear from runners that they wanted this one brought back. So in 2026, the Elk-Kings in back – and bigger and better than before. These races are held in the Tillamook Forest, in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, and were the first trail races in the area, starting 13 years ago. This very lush rainforest is full of giant ferns, towering trees, rocky mountains, and challenging single-track alongside the Wilson River. Fall in the Tillamook is fantastic with lots of colors popping. The 25K route is tech-ni-cal. You’ll be using your hands to help you scramble up the rocky path to the summit of Elk mountain. But you aren’t done climbing yet, because you get to go on to the top of Kings mountain too. Then your descent begins and we’re talking quad-busting. You’ll wrap it up by running on the Wilson River Trail to the finish line. We do not recommend this course for those afraid of exposure. The 50K this year will cover the Wilson River trail from one end to the other. You’ll start at the western end at Keening Creek campground and run the trail east all the way to the Elk Creek campground. There you turn back and run the way you came, peeling off to finish at the Smith Homestead. The terrain is mixed with some very smooth dirt ribbon and some rockier sections like you’d expected running beside a river. It’s got 6,000′ of gain and loss, so you’ll be going up and down throughout but you do not go up Elk or Kings mountains. The 11-miler is a brand new course and starts with the 25K race at Elk Creek and instead of going up Elk Mountain with those racers, you’ll stay on the Wilson River trail the entire time. This is a point-to-point course with 2100′ of gain and 2400′ of loss. It’s the perfect route for those who don’t want the climbing and exposure of the 25K, aren’t up for an ultra, but still want to frolick in the forest.