Run with the Burros Inyokern, CA   Apr 12, 2025

Run With The Burros is a race on the former Man vs Horse course in Indian Wells Canyon each April.

The Good – a 10 mile introductory hike or run
The Bad – a 17.5 mile run
The Ugly – Both of the above for a serious trail marathon or long course pack burro race
…with or without burros, preferably with a pack.

Any profits go to our friends at the FOREVER HOME DONKEY RESCUE AND SANCTUARY.

ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR BURROS ARE TO BE MADE SEPARATELY FROM ULTRASIGNUP Burros trained to run are in high demand and owners will be very selective choosing runners for their animals. This is a skilled challenge that requires understanding and building a trusting relationship with the animals. If you plan to rent one, please plan to visit the owners, practice, and learn about their burros several months in advance of the race. FEAR NOT! If you enter, but are unable to arrange a burro, you can always run solo and learn for next time.

Burros were brought to the Indian Wells Valley as beasts of burden and faithful companions by early prospectors. Descended from Mediterranean stock brought from Mexico, these sturdy animals are well suited to the climate and terrain. They worked hard hauling daily water and supplies to mining camps, and even worked underground. After the mining booms and frenzy died, burros were out of a job. Obsolete, many were turned loose to roam the desert.

Old timers will tell stories of burros competing with cattle in the canyons of this race course. They also wandered onto the runways at the local Navy base. Eventually, they were all rounded up and removed by the BLM except in mountains to the east. The cattle were gone by the early 2000’s, but the legacy remains.

Join where the Sierra Nevada meets the Mojave Desert as the mining and burro heritage is brought back and honored by “Running with the Burros”….

The Concept: individual runners and runners with burros are invited to compete on a challenging course in the canyons of the southern Sierra Nevada.

Let’s get one thing straight right away. Burro is the Spanish word for donkey, which is the same as an ass. All three words have identical meaning. The jokes write themselves, but ass is a completely proper word not to be avoided.

Burro races are a long tradition in the mining community. Locally, Randsburg, Lone Pine, Death Valley, and Beatty have had burro races as far back as 1897. There were even 2.5 day 42 mile races from Apple Valley to Big Bear. Pack burro racing in the current format has been a tradition since 1949 where runners on foot race long distances with a pack burro as a team (one burro with each runner), guiding them with only a halter, lead rope, voice, and their bond as a team.

Not everyone can own or borrow burro, so this run allows anyone to compete. Run, hike, crawl, with or without a burro. This event offers an introductory experience and we hope it is just one of many new pack burro races in California.

There are 3 distances, a 26.2 mile trail marathon, a 17.5 mile, and an introductory 10 mile distance. Distances are approximate, as it is the terrain that really matters. All are open to burro/runner teams, or runners without burros competing in separate categories on the same course. There is a slightly staggered start with burros starting first.

There are 2 course segments, a 10 mile loop and a 17.5 mile loop. The short distances run only the one loop, the marathon distance runs both.