North Shore Trail Series
The North Shore Trail Series features seven of the region's top trail races spread across seven months. Over the course of the series participants will experience gentle carriage roads, rocky single track, ocean vistas, and the best of what Massachusetts' North Shore trails have to offer.
Calendar of Events
May 11, 2024: Spring for the Trails Half Marathon
May 18, 2024: Dogtown 5 Mile Trail Race
August 24, 2024: Vineyard Hill Trail Race (5K or 10K)
September 21, 2024: Run for the Trails (5 Mile or 10 Mile)
October 20, 2024: Ravenswood Trail Race 4 Miler
November 2, 2024: TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival (Marathon or Half Marathon)
November 30, 2024: Thanks for the Trails 5K
Please note that some of these events will sell out. Be sure to register early to ensure your entry. With some of the events listed, participants can choose between two of the distances offered. The distances listed above are the only ones that will count toward the series scoring.
Series Rules & Scoring
Participants in the series are counted if they complete at least five of the seven events. Three events in the series allow participants to choose between two of the distances offered. Participants in both distances will be scored and given points for their completion of these events.
Participants in the series score points based on their time as a percentage of the winner's overall time, making every second count! The winner gets the maximum number of points and everyone else gets a percentage of the maximum. The maximum number of points is 100. The gender divisions of male, female, and nonbinary will all be scored separately and be based off of the winning time within that division. Participants should make sure to register for each race using the same first and last name in order for their results to be tallied.
The series standings will be updated after the results of each event are finalized and can be viewed here (link to spreadsheet will be provided soon).
Please reach out with with any corrections to the series standings.
Completion, Overall, & Age Group Awards
Everyone who completes the series (completing at least five of the seven events) will also receive their very own coveted apparel piece (to be determined). All apparel items must be picked up at the North Shore Trail Series award ceremony in December. The award ceremony will take place at New England Running Company in Beverly during the month of December (date is to be determined). Participants must submit their apparel size via the Google Form that will be posted on this page following the Run for the Trails event in September. It is the responsibility of participants in the series to fill out this form if they wish to pick up their apparel item at the award ceremony.
The North Shore Trail Series will also award the top three overall in the gender divisions male, female, and nonbinary, as well as the winners of each age group (as shown below). Please note the age groups for the North Shore Trail Series awards may differ from the age groups offered at each individual event. The participant's age group for the series awards is determined by the age they will be on the final event in the series, the Thanks for the Trails 5K in November (regardless of whether or not they participate in that event).
Age Groups
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0 to 19
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20 to 29
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30 to 39
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40 to 49
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50 to 59
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60 to 69
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70 to 79
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80 to 89
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90 to 99
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100+
The North Shore Trail Series has existed since 2010. The goal from the beginning has been to showcase the region's best trails and support the stewards who care for them.
Spring for the Trails Half Marathon: The Spring for the Trails Half Marathon takes place on the winding double and singletrack trails of Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The race is directed by the Essex County Trail Association and supports their work in protecting and preserving hundreds of miles of trails in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury. The course map is available to view here.
Dogtown 5 Mile Trail Race: The Dogtown 5 Mile Trail Race takes place in Rockport and Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the course travels through many historic and popular sections of Dogtown, including the Squam Path, New England Forestry Foundation's Norton Memorial Forest, Whale's Jaw, the Luce Trail, Briar Swamp, and the Rockport Town Forest. The race is directed by the Cape Ann Trail Stewards and supports their work in creating and supporting access to trails on Cape Ann. The course map is available to view here.
Vineyard Hill Trail Race (5K or 10K): The Vineyard Hill Trail Race takes runners over Vineyard Hill, through sections of Bradley Palmer State Park, along the Bay Circuit Trail, and across Greenbelt's scenic Shaw Field. The event starts and finishes on the town line of Hamilton and Topsfield, Massachusetts. The proceeds of the event support Greenbelt: Essex County's Land Trust, and their work to conserve the wildlife habitat, scenic landscapes, and farmland throughout the region. The course map is available to view here.
Run for the Trails (5 Mile or 10 Mile): Run for the Trails takes place on the trails of the Harvard Forest, Appleton Farms, and the Pingree Forest, starting and finishing in Hamilton, Massachusetts. The race is directed by the Essex County Trail Association and supports their work in protecting and preserving hundreds of miles of trails in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury. The course map is available to view here.
Ravenswood Trail Race 4 Miler: The Ravenswood Trail Race takes place on the trails of Ravenswood Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This classic fall race winds through challenging singletrack and carriage roads, giving participants ample opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous fall foliage. The proceeds of the event go to The Trustees of Reservations. The course map is available to view here.
TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival (Marathon or Half Marathon): The TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival takes place on the winding double and singletrack trails of Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Massachusetts. It has been hosted annually since 2001, and is most recently being directed by the Trail Animals Running Club. The proceeds of the event go to the Appalachian Mountain Club, Department of Recreation and Conservation, Essex County Trail Association, and Greenbelt: Essex County's Land Trust, four organizations who are helping steward the trails at Willowdale State Forest and surrounding trail networks in the region. The course map is available to view here.
Thanks for the Trails 5K: The Thanks for the Trails 5K takes place on the trails of Patton Park in Hamilton, Massachusetts. The race is directed by the Essex County Trail Association and supports their work in protecting and preserving hundreds of miles of trails in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury. The course map is available to view here.