Norfolk Land Trust Haystack Mountain Challenge

Run the scenic trails of Norfolk during the annual Haystack Mountain Challenge trail races this October. Sponsored by the Norfolk Land Trust, the grueling half-marathon race, which includes two runs up Haystack Mountain, starts at 9:30 am. The 10K kicks off at 10:45 am and includes a summit of Haystack. The 5K, at 11 a.m, features a traverse through Barbour Woods. All races start at the Barbour Woods trailhead in Norfolk. 

The Norfolk Land Trust (“NLT”), an all volunteer organization, was created in 1982 to encourage the preservation of natural heritage and open space in Norfolk, Connecticut. Our resources include pristine water courses, beautiful wetlands, meadows and woodlands, and the plants and animals whose habitat it is.

The classic 5K is a challenging and scenic race through picturesque Barbour Woods. The course is a mixture of single and double track. Climb up Beech Hill for a view of Haystack Mountain, run on carriage roads beside historic Killarney Bridge, descend down the dry dam to a flat stretch of railroad bed, ascend through woodlands and finally along a gladed wetland, known as the Swamp Trail to the finish.

Want to go a little longer? Try adding a challenging loop over Haystack Mountain. The H10K course begins on the same route as the 5K, but jumps off of the Sunset Trail onto the South Dam, crosses Route 272N and ascends through a grassy meadow onto an intense single track to summit at Norfolk’s iconic Haystack Mountain Tower. Descend down the mountainside on a carriage path to meet up with a single track winding along the mountainside bringing you back to the park’s main entrance where you will cross over the South Dam and finish up the 5k course.

The Haystack Challenge is an exciting and grueling half marathon. With 2000+ feet of elevation gain this course is built around the 10k route with the addition of some lesser-known trails adjacent to Barbour Woods and Haystack Mountain; including special access to private paths only allowed during the event.

The course includes a run along scenic ascent and a descent down a winding single track back to the start. From there you follow the 10k course to Haystack and break off onto public and private trails. Two trips up and down Haystack link you back into the 10k course to the finish. No map is provided for the privacy of property owners.

There is a cutoff (2hr 8min ~ 16min pace) at approximately 8 miles on the first ascent up Haystack. If you get to the volunteer in over that time you will be asked to take a route to the finish that forgoes the two summits up the mountain or there will be the opportunity for a ride back to the start.