cape mountain 25K
June 1, 2025
25K
The 25K offers a gorgeous, challenging single loop-style course on 90% dirt singletrack and 10% dirt doubletrack over 15.6 miles and 3000’ of elevation gain and loss. The course features miles of stunning old growth coastal rainforest, some enchanting creeks crossings and epic panoramic coastline views. This is truly a hidden gem trail network with high quality flowing trails that get surprisingly low use. You’ll definitely add these trails to your future coast adventures after running here!
Race Day Schedule
SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2025
Bib Pickup & Check-In: 7:00AM-7:50AM
Start Time: 8:00AM
Cutoff on Course: 12:15PM at Dry Lake Aid Station #2 (mile 13.1)
Finish Line Cut-Off: 1:00PM (5 hours)
Course Map
Course Surfaces
The course surfaces are surprisingly fast and flowing on dirt singletrack and a few intermittent dirt doubletrack sections. Most of the course mileage is very runnable and smooth dirt trail. There are numerous areas with shallow tree roots and rocks to negotiate, but they are not predominant or extensive along the course. Since these trails were originally purpose-built as equestrian trails, they drain very well, they flow nicely and the climbs and descents are neither terribly steep or technical.
Aid Stations
The aid stations are staffed with enthusiastic volunteers offering tasty fuel: Gnarly Nutrition energy drink, water, soda, Spring Energy gels, Skout bars, bananas, oranges, chips, PB&J sandwiches, and more. All Daybreak races are cupless, so be sure to bring your own cup for liquid at aid stations.
| Aid Station | Total Distance (mi) | Segment (mi) | Restroom | Crew | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start - Horse Ck Campground | 0 | 7.0 | Yes | Yes | -- |
| #1 - Dry Lake Trailhead | 7.0 | 6.1 | Yes | Yes | -- |
| #2 - Dry Lake Trailhead (2) | 13.1 | 2.5 | Yes | Yes | 12:15PM |
| Finish - Horse Ck Campground | 15.6 | -- | Yes | Yes | 1:00PM |
Crew
Crew are welcome to support their runner(s) at Dry Lake Aid Station and the Start/Finish area. Parking is limited, please carpool when feasible.
CREW DIRECTIONS from the Start/Finish at Horse Creek Campground:
Dry Lake Aid Station (8 minute drive, 2.4 miles): https://goo.gl/maps/aUCiD6d18kAgzd4b8
Drop Bags
No drop bags available for the 25K race but crew can support their runners with specific aid.
Course Detail By Section:
Start to Aid Station 1 (Dry Lake Trailhead): Runners depart the start at Horse Creek Campground on the gravel campground road before quickly narrowing onto forested singletrack for half a mile, then continue northerly on an old doubletrack called Horseshoe Lane for another half a mile before merging onto the fantastic Scurvy Ridge Trail and begin looping back south for a rolling 1.5 miles. Scurvy Ridge Trail meets a trail junction with Berry Creek Trail, where runners make a right hand turn and begin a thrilling 800’ switchbacking descent over the next 1.7 miles to the bottom of the Berry Creek canyon. Runners ford the main fork of Berry Creek, which is a 10 foot wide, 4-6” deep crossing on foot, as there is no bridge. After the creek crossing, the trail begins gently climbing to a four way trail junction and runners make a hard left turn and begin climbing up a runnable 700’ climb up the forested Wapati Trail on a broad ridge over 2.2 miles. At the top of this climb is a four-way junction where runners continue straight for a .25 mile descent into Dry Lake Trailhead for Aid Station #1. Drop bag, crew and restroom accessible.
The grassy ridges on Nelson Ridge Trail, called “Tsahawtita” by the Siuslaw tribe have been stewarded for thousands of years. The Siuslaw practiced seasonal burning to maintain the meadows from the encroaching forest, which in turn helped the them hunt deer and elk.
Aid Station 1 (Dry Lake Trailhead) to Aid Station 2 (Dry Lake Trailhead): Leaving Dry Lake Aid Station, runners make a hard right up an old doubletrack road bed that has regrown into a verdant lawn-like state through gorgeous south-facing forest as it climbs for half a mile to the Cape Mountain summit meadow. Once in the meadow, the only out-n-back section is a short 200 yard trail up to an interpretive site that tells the history of forest fires and the site of a former US Forest Service lookout tower when the mountain was bald. Descending the mountain summit, runners stay right on rolling singletrack, re-entering the forest for another mile on a rolling descent, with the near constant roar of the ocean below. The course makes a hard right onto another old road bed called Berry Lane and makes a fast descent of a few hundred feet over half a mile and another hard right turn onto the Wapiti Trail for a fast mile descent. Near the bottom of the descent, stay left again at the four way junction, now on Nelson Ridge Trail. The course makes a short descent to the south fork crossing of Berry Creek, a slightly smaller crossing than the earlier crossing of the main fork. The course begins a long gentle incline for .75 of a mile rising higher and higher above the rushing creek through deep cedar forest, before gaining the top of the ridge. One of the more glorious sections of the entire course begins here, where the Nelson Ridge Trail opens up into expansive elk meadows overlooking the ocean, the Siuslaw River Valley, Florence and the dunes. Leaving the grassy meadows, the course reenters the forest for 2 miles of rolling trail, offering intermittent southerly viewpoints of the Siuslaw Valley, its many lakes, sand dunes and Coast Range foothills. Runners pass by the small Dry Lake, a seasonal pond that dries up at the end of every summer and refills in fall and winter, then reach Dry Lake Trailhead for Aid Station #2. Drop bag, crew and restroom accessible.
Aid Station 2 (Dry Lake Trailhead) to Aid Station 3 (Horse Creek Campground): Leaving Dry Lake Aid Station, runners head north on Princess Tasha Trail for a gradual .25 miles ascent back to a 4 way trail junction then veer right onto the broad rolling forested ridgeline trail of Scurvy Ridge. A half mile from the finish is an incredible replica of a historic ‘hitsi’— shelters built by the Siuslaw people during their traditional elk and deer hunting season on the mountain. After passing the hitsi, runners arrive back at Horse Creek Campground for the race finish, complete with hugs, high fives and awards, as well as post race food and campfire vibes with friends and family!
Cancellations
See the Daybreak Racing Cancellation Policy.
This event is granted by a Special Use Permit through the Siuslaw National Forest, U.S. Forest Service. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. The USDA are equal opportunity providers and employers.