Trail runners and hikers UNITE for the 3rd annual Mt. Tom Trail Race & Hike on Saturday, October 21! This fun event offers an exciting way to help conserve the land you love, and this year there are three new ways for you to participate!

As in past years, Beast Coast Trail Running presents the trail running race, which follows a rugged route along trails throughout the Mt. Tom State Reservation, straddling Easthampton and Holyoke. It includes three options: a 25K route, a relay team option, and an Ultra 50K for you hard-core runners! All race routes start and finish at Millside Park in Easthampton, next to New City Brewery, which will provide post-event refreshments, food, and festivities, including a free pint of local beer in a commemorative pint glass. Prizes for the top runners will include gift certificates to Marathon Sports, and more. The  long course (50k) has an 8-hour time limit, and the short course has a 6-hour time limit to be completed.

CLICK BUTTON BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TRAIL RACE & REGISTER AS A RUNNER!

>>> NEW THIS YEAR! <<< Register as a hiker or walker to join us for one of three group hikes and activities of various distances and difficulties, all beginning at Mt. Tom State Park pavilion near Stone Visitors Center. After these group hikes and activities, head over to Millside Park to join the trail runners for a celebratory lunch and beer! The three new options include:

1. Guided Hike to the Eyrie House Ruins: The Eyrie House Ruins are located at the summit of Mount Nonotuck, the most northerly peak on the Mt. Tom range.  Join us for an exploration of the site where the former destination summit house with spectacular views was perched before it burned to the ground in a 1901 fire. DIFFICULTY/DISTANCE: Moderate; 4-mile round-trip. 9:00-11:30 AM.  

>>> REGISTER FOR EYRIE HOUSE HIKE HERE

2. Guided Hike to Goat Peak: Goat Peak hosts a lookout tower that provides a spectacular 360-degree view of the Valley, including the Mount Holyoke Range across the Connecticut River. Join us for a short but rewarding workout on the New England Trail for the the best view on the Mt. Tom Range. DIFFICULTY/DISTANCE: Moderate; 2-mile round-trip.  10:00-11:30 AM   >>> REGISTER FOR THE GOAT PEAK HIKE HERE

3. Family-Friendly Nature Walk & Scavenger Hunt: Join us for this leisurely, fun, and educational way to enjoy the wonders of the natural world. This guided family-friendly walk and scavenger hunt offers children (and adults!) a list of 12 nature-related items to search for on a short loop trail. DIFFICULTY/DISTANCE: Easy, 1/2 mile. 10:30-11:30 AM  
>>> REGISTER HERE FOR THE SCAVENGER HUNT

Your Registration Will Help Conserve & Care for the Lands You Love!

The Mount Tom Range is an iconic part of the landscape in the Valley. Multiple peaks, rocky cliffs, scenic vistas, and miles of trails provide opportunities for everything from rugged hikes to hawk watching to family picnics to trail running. The area’s unique geology also provides critical habitat for wildlife and rare plant communities. Proceeds from the event will support Kestrel Land Trust’s Mount Tom Fund, dedicated to enhancing public access on the Mount Tom Range, which supported the creation of the Mt. Tom North Trailhead Park in Easthampton as well as Kestrel’s partnership with the City of Holyoke to restore nearby Anniversary Hill Park, which shares Mt. Tom’s geological features.

JOIN THE FUN AS A VOLUNTEER!

If trail running isn’t your thing, but you want to make an impact, please join us as a volunteer the day of the event! There are lots of ways to help out for all abilities: no experience necessary! Check out the roles and register here.

Beast Coast Trail Running is the work of Amy Rusiecki, Leah Jacobson-Hardy and Kristin Loiko, an experienced team who has coordinated dozens of hugely popular races in New England, including the Vermont 100 Endurance Race and the Seven Sisters Trail Race on the Mount Holyoke Range.