TARC Yeti Trail Trot
Join us for the 2026 Trail Animals Running Club Yeti Trail Trot at Bradley Palmer State Park! Participants can join for one to five loops of the 10K course! The cost is free and the memories are priceless! You can read all the exciting details below!
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Saturday, January 3, in Hamilton, Massachusetts
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Please note that The TARC Yeti Trail Trot is not an official race, and is more of the "fun run" variety, and times are only "loosely" recorded for participants who complete either the marathon or 50K distance.
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History of the Event:​
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2026 marks the first year of TARC hosting this annual tradition at Bradley Palmer State Park, previously hosted every January by the Gil's Athletic Club. GAC 50K race director Roger Martell has passed on the torch to TARC, and with the Yeti's input, the event will now go by the name of the TARC Yeti Trail Trot. First held in 1998, on the trails of Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and now at Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton and Topsfield, Massachusetts, this event has welcomed thousands of participants across its history to celebrate the new year and share some friendly miles out in the woods. We hope you'll join us this January!
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Course Details:
Start/Finish Location: Bradley Palmer State Park Road, Hamilton (& Topsfield), Massachusetts, 01938
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The TARC Yeti Trail Trot course is a mix of double track, single track, and some pavement, in Bradley Palmer State Park, with some technicality, but mostly smooth conditions throughout. The course features some rolling terrain, and with the event held in January, snow and ice might blanket the trail.
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The 10K course can be done one to five times, for 10K to 50K distance options, and one cone will be set out for the "marathon turnaround" for participants wanting to do four laps (and some extra) for the marathon distance.​
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​​​Course Markings: The course will be well marked with flagging all along the trails so that participants can easily stay on route (as long as they are paying attention!). Participants should be sure to review both the course map and the course description beforehand to understand the general layout of the course. We recommend participants also download the GPX file and load it onto their GPS watches if they have one for additional reassurance. If you go off course on race day, you must backtrack, as opposed to making up your own version of the course. Review of GPS files will be done if it is believed the course was not followed by any given participant. Participants found to have not done the course as marked may be unable to get an official finish time. Please let the volunteers know at the aid stations if there are any navigation issues and we will work with you and others to sort them out.
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Cutoff Times: Participants must start their final 10K loop for the 50K distance by 1:00 pm to continue on the course. The course closes for all participants at 3:00 pm (7 hours from the start of the event). Please respect the cutoff times enforced by our volunteers. We will do everything we can to help you reach the distance you're aiming for within the allotted time. The cutoffs are in place for both participant safety as well as the time commitment of volunteers and DCR park staff.
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Aid Station: The 10K course has one aid station at the start/finish of the loop. This aid station will be stocked with whatever assorted food and drinks participants bring as donations the morning of the event. Please note this is a cupless event and you will need to bring your own hydration system (bottle/cup/vest/etc.). The aid station will not have any disposable cups, bowls, or utensils for participants. This is in an effort to reduce waste at the event. That includes no cups for soup or soda. Please be prepared for this. Run with fluids if you think you will need more than one aid station every loop.​
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Leave No Trace: The TARC Yeti Trail Trot has a Leave No Trace policy. Please adhere to the Leave No Trace principles during the duration of the event (and we hope whenever you are out in nature).
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Food & Drink Donations:
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We invite everyone to bring food and drink donations for the aid stations. Please drop off any aid station food and drink donations at the tables by the start/finish. Any extra food and drink donations will be brought to the food pantry after the event (as long as the items are nonperishable).
We will be collecting general donations for the food pantry in addition to what is being collected by the aid stations. The food pantry accepts canned and dry items, and pretty much anything that is nonperishable (no items that need refrigeration, are expired, or are damaged).
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Land Acknowledgement:
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The TARC Yeti Trail Trot is held on land that was originally home of the Agawam ("beyond the marsh") and Pawtucket ("great falls") people, the original stewards of this territory. We encourage our participants to educate themselves on the history of the land we will be running on as well as the history of the land where you train and call home. Running on Native lands gives us all the opportunity to connect with and reflect on the history of the land and the communities who have lived here for centuries.
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Schedule:
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Saturday, January 3, 2026 | Race Day
7:00 a.m. | Parking Opens
7:50 a.m. | Event Briefing
8:00 a.m. | Start (& Yeti Howl!)
3:00 p.m. | Course Closes for All Participants​
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Cost & How To Register:
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We keep the cost of all TARC events low to try and make our events as accessible as we can. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the incredible trails and community at our events.
The TARC Yeti Trail Trot is free to participate in. All participants are still required to register in advance of the event via the link at the top of this page.
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Trail Animals Running Club events have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to give back to the local trails and community. Participants are given the opportunity to donate to TARC when they register. Please consider donating to support the club's work and to cover the costs associated with hosting this event. Volunteering your time is also another incredibly helpful way to support the club and the continuation of these events.
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USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running Youth Initiative:
To raise awareness of trail races among young runners and increase participation, the American Trail Running Association has partnered with the USATF MUT Youth Initiative to create a “Youth Trail” certified program for race directors. TARC is proud to be one of the early adopters of their program.
Trail Sisters Approved Event:
The TARC Yeti Trail Trot is proud to be Trail Sisters Approved! The commitment includes, when applicable, equal podium spots, equal prize money & awards, women’s specific swag & apparel, menstrual products at aid station porta potties, and equal opportunity/space for women on the starting line. You can learn more about the standards and their awesome organization here.
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Pride on Foot Partner:
Pride on Foot works with run groups, race directors, and fitness organizations who want to understand how to be more accepting and inclusive of Transgender, Genderqueer Intersex, Gender non conforming, and Non binary people. Through education and policy changes they create affirming, inviting, and safe spaces where everyone can be free to workout while living an authentic life.
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Adaptive Athletes:
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We welcome the participation of adaptive athletes at our event!
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Adaptive athletes must be able to run the course.
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Tethers and guides may be used for athletes with a visual impairment.
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Leg prosthetics may be used for amputees.
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Crutches, braces, or poles may be used if indicated/necessary, with approval from the Race Director.
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Please reach out with any questions or to let us know how we can best support you and your race day needs.
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Guides for adaptive athletes can register as participants if they want their own time/result.​
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Volunteer Opportunities:
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We need volunteers to help make this special day happen and to give our participants the experience they deserve! Volunteers are what make TARC events so fun and also run so smoothly. No experience is required, and it can be your first time attending one of our events! If you are bringing along family or friends to spectate, we encourage them to also get involved by volunteering. Even if you can't make it on the day of the event, there are still opportunities to get involved. If you need service requirements for other events, we can also sign off on your hours! If we get enough folks, too, it's never a problem for our volunteers to become "course marshals" and get some running in on the trails. All we ask is you help fill up some water bottles and tell participants they look awesome.
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Please reach out if you or your organization are interested in volunteering. We welcome running clubs, hiking groups, sports teams, local businesses, and more to join us in January.
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View and register for the various shifts here.
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Participant Camaraderie:
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Whether you are leading the way or bringing up the rear of the pack, we are all out on the trails to have fun and move our bodies in nature. All of our participants are incredible for just getting to the starting line, and you all have impressive journeys for getting there. On the day of the event, we hope you will be everyone else's top cheerleader, cheering on and providing support for one another throughout the morning. The looped nature of the course allows for the opportunity to frequently see other participants, so be sure to spread the love and joy with your fellow trail animals. We also welcome and encourage you to bring chairs and stick around after your own run to cheer on other participants as they come through the finish.
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Parking & Travel:
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Parking is available right by the start/finish at Bradley Palmer State Park Road. Participants can enter the park using the address 40 Asbury Street, Topsfield, Massachusetts, 01983. Volunteers will be on site to help everyone park orderly and efficiently. Please be patient and arrive early to leave enough time to find parking.​​ Participants can post in the Trail Animals Running Club Facebook Group or on the TARC Yeti Trail Trot event page coordinating carpools. Friends and family coming as spectators are encouraged to travel with the participants they are supporting.
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Running in the Woods & Weather:
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Please prepare for all manner of weather, insects, critters, trail rash, etc! Historically, this race has fluctuated between moderately cold days and very chilly ones! In New England, we have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
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Community Resources:
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Looking for folks to run and train with? Here are some local groups:
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TARC Blue Hills & Great Brook Farm State Park Monthly Group Runs
Northeast Trail Crew Weekly Runs
Greater Framingham Running Club
Looking for trail shoes and gear? Here are some local stores we recommend:
Marathon Sports (multiple locations)
Heartbreak Hill Running Company (multiple locations)
Fleet Feet/JackRabbit (multiple locations)
The Run House (multiple locations)
Recreation Equipment Inc. (multiple locations)
New England Running Company & Trail (Beverly)
Charles River Running (Norwood)
Who We Are:
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The Trail Animals Running Club is a nonprofit running club rooted in the Boston area. We aim to act as community stewards by providing equitable access to trail running and promoting positive trail running culture. We welcome people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, ages, and abilities. Our event profits are donated to land conservations & trusts in support of our trail running passion. You can RSVP for emails about our runs here.
Trail Animals Running Club Apparel:
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You can purchase our fun club apparel here! We are working on offering additional apparel which will be added to this page!
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History of the TARC Yeti Trail Trot:
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Held in 1998
Held in 1999
Held in 2000
Held on Dec 29, 2001
Held on Dec 28, 2002
Held on Dec 27, 2003
Held on Jan 8, 2005
Held on Jan 7, 2006
Held on Jan 6, 2007
Held on Jan 5, 2008
Held on Jan 10, 2009
Held on Jan 07, 2009
Held on Jan 09, 2010
Held on Jan 08, 2011
Held on Jan 07, 2012
Held on Jan 05, 2013
Held on Jan 11, 2014
Held on Jan 03, 2015
Held on Jan 02, 2016
Held on Jan 07, 2017
Scheduled on Jan 06, 2018 (canceled)
Held of Jan 05, 2019
Held on Jan 04, 2020
Scheduled on Jan 02, 2021 (canceled)
Held on Jan 08, 2022
Held on Jan 07, 2023
Held on Jan 06, 2024
Held on Jan 04, 2025
Scheduled on Jan 03, 2026
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Historical Results:
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Starting in 2026, all results for the TARC Yeti Trail Trot can be found here.
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Course Records:
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50K Male Record: 03:23:00 | 2019 | Patrick Caron (21)
50K Female Record: 03:51:00 | 2024 | Lila Gaudrault (21)
50K Nonbinary Record: To be determined
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Reviews & Reports:
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Let us know if you have any reviews or reports of our event that you want to share with the community!
