Grasslands Trail Run Half Marathon

Saturday, March 16, 2024 • Decatur, TX • Course Map

With more than 20,000 acres of rural grasslands, the Caddo and Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands are the home of the Grasslands Trail Run, a 50-mile run, full marathon and half marathon that take runners through a place that’s as popular for its wildlife viewing as for hunting, fishing, mountain biking, camping and horseback riding.

The race is designed for those ready for real trail running conditions – which means that participants will need to be ready to run across streams, through muddy bogs, as well as sand and underbrush.

You’ll be in the Texas backcountry. While water and sports drinks will be provided at the aid stations along the course, there are no water sources or electricity available in the grasslands, so organizers add that you’ll need to bring water for your start and for your finish line refreshment.

The race follows an out-and-back loop course that starts and finishes at the TADRA Point Camping Area within the Grasslands park area, near the intersection of FS Road 900 and FS 904.

From there, the 50-mile participants will leave the starting line followed by those running the full and half marathons, and the course is divided into four loop sections marked by the colors Yellow, Blue, Red and White.

Runners in the half and full marathons start together with a short out and back before the course splits the two groups, with the half-marathoners continuing on the Yellow loop trail while those running the full split off onto the Blue loop.

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You may see riders on horseback. On the course, aid stations will be provided every two to four miles, and runners should keep in mind that the trails will remain open to the public on the day of the race, so they’ll need to give right of way to riders on horseback should they encounter any along the trails, and also remember to close any gates behind you that you need to run through along the route.

The terrain for the race consists of a mix of gravel, single-track trails and dirt trails with a mixture of rocks, tree roots and limbs, and both wet and sandy patches along the course.

There are a number of rolling hills out there, as well as a mixture of pine and oak grove forests and wide-open prairie grasslands, from which the park of course takes its name.

The Grasslands area itself is a place of serene natural beauty where the southeast begins to transition into the southwest, and home to wildlife ranging from coyotes, white-tailed deer and other small animals to bears, alligators and venomous snakes.

Photos courtesy John Lai Photography/Ryan Lange/Grasslands Trail Run

Race Weather & Climate

Located about 70 miles northwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the LBJ National Grasslands lie just up the road from Decatur, which tends to see March temperatures between 42°F and 67°F, while rainfall amounts average around 2.9 inches for the month.

  • March 16 average low temp: 42°F
  • March 16 average high temp: 68°F

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Grasslands Trail Run Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

see event website

Fees

see event website

Registration

Register for this event on UltraSignUp.com here.

Official Race Website

www.grasslandstrailrun.com

Comments

Ever run in the Grasslands Trail Run? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.

See more races in: March, Texas

1 comment… add one
  • Anita Waldrip January 21, 2019, 10:42 am

    Will you be needing sweep riders again this year

    Anita

    Reply

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