Trail Run At Indian Lake
- Date Sat 4th October 2025
- Time 9:00AM CDT
- Location Cross Plains, Wisconsin
- Price $22.20
- Races 2 races
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Event summary
Get ready for an exhilarating outdoor adventure at the Trail Run At Indian Lake on Saturday, October 4th, 2025! Set in the stunning landscapes of Cross Plains, Dane County, this event features two exciting race distances: a 5.8 km short course and a challenging 10.5 km long course. Participants will embark on a journey through the picturesque wetlands and rolling hills that define the area, with parts of the route intertwining with the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail.
This year, the event embraces sustainability with a cup-free policy to minimize waste, encouraging runners to bring their own hydration solutions. After the race, join the community for a vibrant after-party featuring the Currach Irish Trio, delicious food, beverages, and awards celebrations. All proceeds support the Friends of Indian Lake in their mission to preserve and enhance this beautiful park. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate fall, nature, and trail running!
This year, the event embraces sustainability with a cup-free policy to minimize waste, encouraging runners to bring their own hydration solutions. After the race, join the community for a vibrant after-party featuring the Currach Irish Trio, delicious food, beverages, and awards celebrations. All proceeds support the Friends of Indian Lake in their mission to preserve and enhance this beautiful park. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate fall, nature, and trail running!
Organiser's Description
Join us on Oct 4th for the Trail Run At Indian Lake!
Important updates for this year:
SWAG IS OPT-IN: To keep entry fees lower and to reduce waste, SWAG will be an add-on purchase. We will be offering technical run gloves from Boco Gear for an additional $15.
RACE ROUTES - SHORT (5.8KM) & LONG (10.5KM)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Starting in a beautifully restored sedge meadow in the wetlands surrounding Indian Lake - a kettle lake created in the retreat of the last glaciers, you'll soon trade the prairie path for trees and dirt. And hills. Indian Lake County Park marks the extent of the last glaciation, meaning you can expect the steeper slopes associated with the Driftless Region, and we make full use of these slopes for the run!
Part of the route joins the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail (which traverses the entire glacial extent across Wisconsin).
As you trek through the forested middle of the course, reflect that Dane County Parks will be purchasing 300 acres south of the current boundary and start dreaming of more hills!
As you work towards the end of the race, take a moment to appreciate the active oak savanna restoration that is underway. Oak savanna used to dominate the landscape here, but is now incredibly rare. Through the work of county staff and Friends of Indian Lake volunteers, restoration of 170-acres of oak savanna is in progress!
THE T.R.A.I.L. IS CUP-FREE!
Nothing kills the vibe of running through the forest like coming up on an aid station littered with discarded single-use cups. Sure, our volunteers would clean up afterwards, but in an effort to reduce our impact on the natural areas we love, we are going cup-free!
There will not be paper cups at aid stations or at the start/finish. If you expect needing hydration on-course, you are responsible for bringing your own cup/bottle/bladder. We will have water dispensers at aid stations to top-off.
Going cup-free is a significant step to bringing our event closer to zero-waste and being better stewards of our public lands.
Check out this resource for why and how to go cup-free: https://nuunlife.com/blogs/news/byoc-ace-your-next-cupless-race
AFTER PARTY
Our celebration of Fall, trails, and Indian Lake doesn't end at the finish line! The Currach Irish Trio will once again be headlining while we enjoy food, beverage, and awards.
SCHEDULE (subject to minor change)
Race Week: TBD- 5:30-7:00 PM - Early packet pick-up at Movin' Shoes (https://g.page/movinshoes?share) [https://g.page/movinshoes?share%29]
Saturday, Oct 4th
- 7:30 AM - Race HQ is open for packet pick-up
- 8:30 AM - Free Kids Run
- 9:00 AM - LONG & SHORT race start
~ 10:00 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for SHORT course
~ 10:30 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for LONG course
Join the Friends of Indian Lake for a celebration of Fall, trail running, community, and public lands! All proceeds support the Friends work with Dane County Parks to preserve and enhance Indian Lake County Park.
Important updates for this year:
SWAG IS OPT-IN: To keep entry fees lower and to reduce waste, SWAG will be an add-on purchase. We will be offering technical run gloves from Boco Gear for an additional $15.
RACE ROUTES - SHORT (5.8KM) & LONG (10.5KM)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Starting in a beautifully restored sedge meadow in the wetlands surrounding Indian Lake - a kettle lake created in the retreat of the last glaciers, you'll soon trade the prairie path for trees and dirt. And hills. Indian Lake County Park marks the extent of the last glaciation, meaning you can expect the steeper slopes associated with the Driftless Region, and we make full use of these slopes for the run!
Part of the route joins the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail (which traverses the entire glacial extent across Wisconsin).
As you trek through the forested middle of the course, reflect that Dane County Parks will be purchasing 300 acres south of the current boundary and start dreaming of more hills!
As you work towards the end of the race, take a moment to appreciate the active oak savanna restoration that is underway. Oak savanna used to dominate the landscape here, but is now incredibly rare. Through the work of county staff and Friends of Indian Lake volunteers, restoration of 170-acres of oak savanna is in progress!
THE T.R.A.I.L. IS CUP-FREE!
Nothing kills the vibe of running through the forest like coming up on an aid station littered with discarded single-use cups. Sure, our volunteers would clean up afterwards, but in an effort to reduce our impact on the natural areas we love, we are going cup-free!
There will not be paper cups at aid stations or at the start/finish. If you expect needing hydration on-course, you are responsible for bringing your own cup/bottle/bladder. We will have water dispensers at aid stations to top-off.
Going cup-free is a significant step to bringing our event closer to zero-waste and being better stewards of our public lands.
Check out this resource for why and how to go cup-free: https://nuunlife.com/blogs/news/byoc-ace-your-next-cupless-race
AFTER PARTY
Our celebration of Fall, trails, and Indian Lake doesn't end at the finish line! The Currach Irish Trio will once again be headlining while we enjoy food, beverage, and awards.
SCHEDULE (subject to minor change)
Race Week: TBD- 5:30-7:00 PM - Early packet pick-up at Movin' Shoes (https://g.page/movinshoes?share) [https://g.page/movinshoes?share%29]
Saturday, Oct 4th
- 7:30 AM - Race HQ is open for packet pick-up
- 8:30 AM - Free Kids Run
- 9:00 AM - LONG & SHORT race start
~ 10:00 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for SHORT course
~ 10:30 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for LONG course
Join the Friends of Indian Lake for a celebration of Fall, trail running, community, and public lands! All proceeds support the Friends work with Dane County Parks to preserve and enhance Indian Lake County Park.
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