The Great Olympic Adventure Trail Run (GOAT Run) is a one-way trail 50K, marathon and half marathon that traverses Kelly Ridge between the Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State.
The 26.2-mile course starts near the Elwha River. The route follows the entire length of the Olympic Adventure Trail, 21+ miles of single-track trail and 4 miles of forest road. The final ¾ mile of the race is on a paved road, finishing with a bang as runners enter Olympic National Park at the deep, glacially carved Lake Crescent.
Famous for its turquoise blue waters of exceptional clarity, the lake is the perfect place to end the race. The finish line is at Log Cabin Resort on the lake, and runners will be greeted by stunning lake and mountain views, food, and fun. There are rooms, cabins, and campsites at the resort (how great would it be to have your room right at the finish line?), as well as public showers, restrooms, beach, restaurant and beer!
The course reaches a maximum elevation of 1,619 feet, with a cumulative elevation gain of 3,519 feet over the 26-mile rolling course. The first mile and the last mile are… uh… really hard. The hills in the middle grind on and on. The last logging road stretch? Where it looks flat on the elevation profile? Nope. Misleading. That’s gonna hurt too. Challenging? Absolutely! This is a difficult course. But it’s worth it! The trail is impeccably constructed and maintained, and goes through a variety of forest ages. Highlights include a view up the Elwha Valley from the “living room” at mile 3.5, stunning water views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca over to Vancouver Island in Canada, and an incredible log bridge over Whiskey Creek near the town of Joyce. And of course Lake Crescent, the biggest highlight of them all.
The 50K GOAT Run course follows the same route as the full marathon, with an out-and-back added near the end, along the shores of Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. The addition will follow the Spruce Railroad Trail west for 2.5 miles, through a restored historic railroad tunnel, before turning back with a side trip to the gorgeous Devil’s Punchbowl.
The total distance for the half marathon is over an official Half, it is about 14 miles. That route follows the Olympic Adventure Trail for 8+ miles of single-track trail and 4+ miles of forest road. The final ¾ mile of the race is on a paved road, finishing with a bang as runners enter Olympic National Park at the deep, glacially carved Lake Crescent.
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