Here are some of the best turkey trots and Thanksgiving week runs to consider this year.
Every Thanksgiving morning, before the turkey goes in the oven and the football games start, hundreds of thousands of Americans lace up their shoes and head out for a turkey trot. Nearly every city and small town hosts one, and together they make Thanksgiving the busiest day of the year for running in the U.S.
Turkey trots are fun, low-key, feel-good gatherings with a festive community vibe, where costumes outnumber carbon-plated racing shoes and the finish line is as much a social scene as a race. They’re also one of the few events where everyone can join in. It’s a chance to work up an appetite, earn that extra slice of pie and start the holiday by doing something healthy together.
Those are all great reasons to find a turkey trot on the trails. There are only a handful of turkey trots held on trails across the U.S., but there are a few other Thanksgiving-themed runs on the trails.
Here are some of the best Thanksgiving week events to consider this year.
Less Turkey, More Trot
Nov. 21-29, Olympia, WA
33K, 21K, 9K
Less Turkey, More Trot is a Thanksgiving-themed virtual trail-running event organized by Oly Trail Runners in Olympia, Washington, taking place November 21–29, 2026. Runners and hikers can choose from 9K, 21K, or 33K routes through the scenic Capitol Forest, with all courses starting and finishing at the Mima Falls Trailhead. Participants can complete their chosen distance anytime during the nine-day event, making it a flexible way to enjoy the Pacific Northwest’s forest trails over the holiday period. The event also supports a great cause, with proceeds benefiting the Thurston County Food Bank.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
The Stuffed Turkey Endurance Races
Nov. 21, Granger, Iowa
100 Miler, 50 Miler, 50K, 10 Miler
The Stuffed Turkey Endurance Races is a Thanksgiving-season ultrarunning event held at Jester Park in Granger, Iowa, offering 10-mile, 50K, 50-mile, and 100-mile distances. The mostly wooded, 10-mile loop course features rolling hills, winding trails, and flatter, runnable sections, with approximately 455 feet of elevation gain per loop. Runners benefit from well-stocked aid stations, generous cutoff times, and indoor facilities at the Jester Park Equestrian Center for warming up and recovering between laps. With its welcoming atmosphere and challenging endurance distances, it’s a great late-season test for both experienced ultrarunners and those looking to tackle their first ultra.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Meandering Turkey
Nov. 22, Cape Girardeau, MO
5.5 miles
The Meandering Turkey is a popular Thanksgiving-season trail race held at Klaus Park in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The approximately 5.5-mile course winds through wooded singletrack featuring hilly terrain, twisting paths, exposed roots, and plenty of natural challenges. Organized by Missouri Running Company, the event offers a festive atmosphere with awards, participant swag, post-race food and beverages, and a free kids’ fun run. With its technical footing and rolling terrain, it’s a fun way for runners to celebrate the season and enjoy a spirited off-road adventure.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
WP Elite Turkey Trot and Ruck
Nov. 26, Woodland Park CO
10K, 5K
Start Thanksgiving at 8,500 feet with the WP Elite Turkey Trot, a high-altitude holiday 5K and 10K at 155 Panther Way in Woodland Park, west of Colorado Springs. All proceeds go to WP Elite, a local nonprofit track club that helps runners 18 and under chase their goals in running and beyond. Strollers and leashed dogs are welcome on the 5K. Every 5K finisher gets a medal, the first 100 registrants get a WP Elite beanie, and the top man and woman in the 5K each take home a Butterball turkey.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Batavia Turkey Trot
Nov. 26, Batavia, NY
5K
The Batavia Turkey Trot is a friendly 5K road race on Thanksgiving morning in western New York, and 100 percent of its proceeds go to Crossroads House, a local home that provides end-of-life comfort care. The race starts at 8 a.m. from 124 Cedar Street. It’s costume-friendly, welcomes “all turkeys, big and small,” and families with strollers are encouraged to come. Runners and walkers warm up afterward with hot drinks, snacks and plenty of post-race cheer.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Forest Lake Rotary Turkey Trot
Nov. 26, Forest Lake, MN
5K, 1-mile Fun Run
The Rotary Club of Forest Lake holds its ninth annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, with 5K and 1-mile fun runs on the Hardwood Creek Trail behind the Forest Lake City Center. Part of the proceeds helps provide food for families in the Forest Lake community, and walkers, strollers and leashed dogs are all welcome. Every participant gets a Turkey Trot stocking cap.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
LA Turkey Trail
Nov. 26, Los Angeles
13.1 miles, 10K, 5K
For a more rugged Thanksgiving tradition, SoCalTrail’s LA Turkey Trail starts at the Top of Reseda trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains and runs on fire roads and singletrack, with views of Santa Monica Bay and the San Fernando Valley. Runners can bring canned food for the West Valley Food Bank, and the post-race party includes a taco breakfast, a beer garden for runners 21 and over, and a live DJ. The fastest man and woman in the half marathon each win $500.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Castleton Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk
Nov. 26, Castleton, VT
5K
The Castleton Turkey Trot is a small-town Thanksgiving morning 5K in central Vermont, organized by the Town of Castleton and the Friends of Castleton Parks and Recreation to raise money for recreation programs for all ages. The race starts at 8 a.m. on Main Street in the village, heads west, then follows the gravel D&H Rail Trail before looping back to town on an extremely flat course. It’s ideal for runners, walkers and families, and larger-wheeled strollers can handle the rail trail. Awards go to the top finishers in each category.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Jackson 5k Turkey Trot & Kids Fun Run
Nov. 26, Jackson, NH
5K
Swap pavement for trails at this Thanksgiving morning 5K in the White Mountains, put on by White Mountain Ski Co. The course winds through the hills of the Jackson cross-country ski trails and the Eagle Mountain House golf course. Proceeds benefit Jackson Grammar School and the Girls on the Run youth program. Awards go to the top three men and women and the top masters runners, and organizers encourage everyone to bring snacks to share at the finish.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Toonerville Trail Turkey Trot
Nov 26, Springfield, VT
5K
The Toonerville Trail Turkey Trot is a festive, mostly flat 5K out-and-back along the Black River, starting at the Toonerville Trail trailhead on Clinton Street. Proceeds benefit the Springfield Food Bank, the Weathersfield Food Shelf and the Springfield High School cross country team, and every item donated to the food drive earns a raffle entry for a handmade wreath from the Weathersfield Garden Club. Finishers get Turkey Trot socks and cider doughnuts, and there are awards for the top overall man and woman, the age-group winners and the best costume. Strollers are welcome, and well-behaved dogs on short leashes can join on the short road section.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
F.I.T. Turkey Trot
Nov. 28, Cumberland, RI
5K, 5-mile, 4-hour, Kids 1-mile
For anyone who’d rather work off Thanksgiving dinner a couple of days later, the F.I.T. Turkey Trot Trail Race offers a menu of trail options. The race is chip-timed with live results, and it’s part of Ocean State Trail’s TrailFecta series, where runners who finish all three races earn a three-piece connecting medal. Entry is $15 to $60, and registration is open through Nov. 27.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Tooele Turkey Trail Trot ‘Til You Drop
Nov. 28, Tooele, Utah
10 Hours
Instead of a casual Thanksgiving 5K, Tooele Trail Racing offers a post-holiday test of grit: an elimination-style trail race in the Oquirrh Mountains, starting at the Settlement Canyon toll booth. Each 5.5-mile lap climbs about 1,200 feet on the Left Hand Fork Trail, through steep wooded singletrack, a meadow and creekside stretches with big views.
Laps start every 90 minutes from 8 a.m. and alternate direction, and under the “Last One’s a Rotten Egg” rule, the slowest finisher of each lap is cut, along with anyone who doesn’t finish in under 90 minutes. After up to seven laps (more than 38 miles), anyone still standing races the last lap for the win. Hot food and drinks are served at the start/finish, and the top three men and women receive awards.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
Turkey Burn Ultra
Nov. 28, Clermont, FL
50K, 25K
The Turkey Burn Ultra is a Thanksgiving weekend trail-running adventure at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Florida, offering 25K and 50K distances through a surprisingly diverse landscape for the Sunshine State. The course blends wooded singletrack, sandy hills, open grassy sections, and shell-rock gravel roads, with scenic views of lakes, creeks, and surrounding natural wilderness. With approximately 700 feet of elevation gain for the 50K, four well-stocked aid stations, generous time cutoffs, and a welcoming atmosphere, it’s a great opportunity for runners to enjoy a relaxed yet rewarding ultra experience while working off their holiday feast.
Registration and information: UltraSignup
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