Emerald City Trail Series

Big Timber Running Club is excited to host the 4th year of the Emerald City Trail Series! This is a 5-week trail race series held at Mt Pisgah near Eugene, Oregon.

All races will start at the #38 trailhead near the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse arena at the North end of Buford Park. Parking will be on Buford Park Road, just beyond the North Trailhead Parking Lot gate. Runners must have a $5 parking permit using the Passport Parking app and zone 97306 for each race. An annual Lane County Parks Permit will also work. Donate at least $50 to Friends of Buford Park and Mt. Pisgah membership, get a Lane County Parking Permit good at all parks, and park trail maps.

This a fun trail race series held in Howard Buford Recreational Area and Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene. This set of five trail races between 3-8 miles takes place on the evenings of May 29, June 5, June 12, June 19 and June 26. Buford Park and Mt Pisgah is a wonderful place to have a trail series because of its wide variety of trails and scenery.  Mt. Pisgah’s 1531′ summit is in the middle of the largest of Lane County’s 73 parks. It offers views of the Cascade Mountains, Spencer Butte, the Middle and Coast Forks of the Willamette River, Eugene, Springfield, Creswell, Jasper, Pleasant Hill and Goshen.

We’ll meet for a party after the last race on June 26. Awards will be given out as well as raffle prizes from our sponsors.

Race distances
#1 – May 29, 2025, 6:30pm – 4.7 miles
#2 – June 5, 2025, 6:30pm – 3.7 miles
#3 – June 12, 2025, 6:30pm – 8 miles
#4 – June 19, 2025, 6:30pm – 3.4 miles
#5 – June 26, 2025, 6:30pm – 3 miles

Standard registration (starts March 1)
Series – $100
$25/individual race.

Race day registration is available at $30 per race, so sign up in advance to save some cash!

Race Day Details
No parking at North or West Trailhead. All participants will park on the road past the North Trailhead parking lot. Follow the road to the Horse Arena for parking (opposite end of the park from the arboretum). A parking permit is required.

Check-in at near the start of #38 trailhead from 5:30 – 6:15 pm. Race starts at 6:30. Water will be available to fill a water bottle before and after the race (remember this is a cupless race). Restrooms will be open by the race start.

Courses will be marked with yellow cones and small flags. Trails will be open to the public. Those not respecting park visitors and/or not following trail running etiquette will be disqualified.

Race Descriptions

May 29 – 4.7 miles

*NEW COURSE 2025*

The new route is 4.7 miles with 1300′ ascent, going up trail 3, 7, back to 3, with a steep climb to the summit, then down 1, 4, and finally back down 3. Runners reach views of Eugene and the Coastal Mountains, a rocky terrain climb through an open prairie and a descent past Swing Hill to the finish.

June 5- 3.7 miles

Race #2 is 3.7 miles. This out-and-back uses the North Bottomlands (#8) and North Quarry (#5) trails along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River. This flat and fast course is perfect for track and cross-country athletes to show their speed. This is also a nice shake-out run for those participating in the McKenzie River Trail Run 50K the following Saturday.

June 12 – 8 miles

This year the long race will be the third race in the series. The course is 8 miles long with 2000′ ascent using trails 3, 7, 1, 6, 2, 4, and back to 3. The longest and maybe the most challenging race of the series. This route is the only one that reaches the true summit of Mt. Pisgah. Look for Diamond Peak and Mt. Bachelor above the cascade foothills. Once at the top, runners will descend down a gravel trail toward the East Trailhead with scenic shots of Goshen and Pleasant Hill. This route uses all 2.8 miles of the short but steep grades of the shaded North Boundary Trail.

June 19 – 3.4 miles

*NEW COURSE 2025*

This year we’ve added a second race that utilizes the riverbank trail. The race will start similar to week 2, along the bottomlands trail and then along the river. Once you get to the parking lot there will be a short climb over trail 17 to swing hill, followed by a fast finish down trail 3.

June 26 – 3 miles

For the final race of the series, you’ll run 3 miles with 750′ ascent using trails 3, 7, 17, 1, and back to 3. This one may be short, but it’s a tough one. Race #5 starts like the first race but turns on the Summit Trail from the arboretum for a half-mile climb with over 400′ of vert. After the final run, celebrate the race series at the Emerald City Trail Series party.

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