Winter Trail Series: Carkeek Cooler 5k | 10k

The Winter Trail Series celebrates Seattle and the Eastside’s local parks with trail runs that will keep your winter fitness warm. All events have a choice of at least two distances, with shorter course lengths ranging from 4-8 kilometers (2.5-5 miles), and longer course lengths ranging from 10-21 kilometers (6-13 miles). So rally your running pals and put these motivating events on your calendar!

One perk of the Pacific Northwest’s winter drizzle is that places like Carkeek Park are lush and green, brightening up even the grayest of days. Plus, our bountiful water gives us stunning views, such as the sight of the Olympic Mountains across the water from Carkeek’s beach. Most importantly for trail runners, Carkeek is also home to six miles of fun, roller-coaster trails that traverse the forest! The trails range from wide and rolling, to narrow and steep. But if ever you’re feeling like the climb is tough, remember that you get to fly back down!

Course Description
The course starts and finishes in the Lower Meadow next to Piper’s Creek. The route is mostly in the forest (85%) and has a mix of fast, wide trail (64%) and narrower rolling trail (36%), with some flatter sections and some moderate to steep sections.

The 5k course goes the length of the wide, Piper’s Creek Trail, climbing first gently, then more steeply to the head of the valley before turning around and going over half the distance back. The route then turns left up the South Ridge Trail, which climbs steeply then becomes a rolling traverse through some of the older forest in the park. Upon reaching the Clay Pit Trail, the course turns right down the hill, then descends to the meadow on the Hillside Trail and goes a few hundred meters to the finish.

The 10k course is two loops of the 5k course.

Climb
5K (3.1 miles), with 480 feet of elevation gain*
10K (6.2 miles), with 960 feet of elevation gain*

*Distances were measured using a measuring wheel, and climb was measured using a detailed contour map. The distance is most likely within 1% of actual, and the climb within 10%.

Aid station
The aid station will be stationed at the start/finish, which is the halfway point for 10k runners.

The aid station offers water, electrolyte drink, and some carbohydrate-rich or salty foods, such as cookies, pieces of energy bar, gels, chews, chips, bagel, fruity candy, fig bars, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and/or bananas.

Schedule
8:30am – Check-in and day-of-event registration opens
9:20am – Race briefing
9:30am – Start
12:00pm – Course closes

Directions & Parking
Drive past the upper meadow area that includes the restroom building, play area, and picnic shelter, and proceed down the hill to the meadow in the valley bottom.