Beautiful trail run! I very much enjoyed this race. Unlike a lot of 10Ks, this one did not just run the 5K course twice. The 10K had its own course winding around McCloud Nature Park with beautiful views at every turn. Just after mile 2, three deer ran across the trail right in front of us. Very cool!

There was plenty of convenient parking inside the park near the Nature Center, and coffee, cider and donuts were available at packet pickup race morning. The race entry fee was only $20. That didn't include t-shirts, although there were some for sale. There were no finisher's medals, either. But the first 300 registrants did receive a very nice winter stocking cap: green, black & white striped with the race logo. I know mine will get a lot of use this winter!

There were no aid stations on the course. Just water, coffee, cider and donuts at the start/finish. That's not unusual for a small trail race, though, so I brought my own. The trails were fairly easy for the most part, but there were two challenging hills. There was a stroller shortcut you could use if you couldn't or didn't want to do the hills, since this was a family-friendly event.

Race management did a really good job. They didn't find out about a road closure requiring a detour to the park until the night before. They sent out emails, but they also delayed the start to give people extra time to get there, and they kept everyone informed by frequent announcements about when they would be getting started.

The biggest draw for this race would have to be the scenery! It really is a beautiful park, and having this in mid-October pretty much ensures you are going to see the leaves at their peak. I would definitely do this race again & recommend it to friends, especially if the price stays so low: it's definitely worth it!