About This Event
The Desert RATS Trail Running Festival represents more than two decades of trail running tradition in southwestern Colorado's high desert landscape. This three-day celebration brings together runners of all levels for an experience that combines racing with genuine community spirit, set against the dramatic backdrop of red slickrock buttes and the Colorado River valley. The festival offers four distinct distances across three days, each showcasing different aspects of Fruita's distinctive terrain. Runners navigate flowy singletrack that winds along cliff edges overlooking the Colorado River, venture onto mesa tops, and traverse the expansive desert landscape that defines this corner of Colorado. The event serves as both a Western States qualifier and UTMB World Series event, adding competitive significance to its festival atmosphere. Beyond the racing, the weekend includes a basecamp festival party, free kids' race, and activities designed for the entire family. This approach reflects the event's core philosophy that trail running celebration extends beyond individual performance to encompass community gathering and shared appreciation for the remarkable desert environment that serves as the festival's natural stage.
Choose Your Distance
9K
The most accessible Desert RATS option, designed for trail running newcomers and families. This shorter route still delivers the stunning desert scenery that defines the event while keeping the technical demands manageable for runners of all experience levels.
21K
The single-loop 21K course threads through Fruita's signature high desert landscape, combining technical singletrack sections with faster mesa-top running. Runners navigate red rock formations and desert washes characteristic of western Colorado's canyon country, with terrain that demands technical attention on descents while offering stretches where rhythm comes easier. The route showcases the area's distinctive geology without repeating sections.
48K
The route explores the trail systems around Fruita, likely incorporating segments of the area's well-known networks including trails in the 18 Road area and potentially sections near the Colorado National Monument boundary. Runners should expect technical singletrack with rock gardens, exposed slickrock sections, and the characteristic red sand that gives these trails their distinctive character. The course traverses terrain typical of the high desert plateau, with vegetation transitioning between pinyon-juniper woodlands and more exposed ridgeline sections offering long views across the valley.
100K
The course utilizes Fruita's renowned trail network in a multi-loop configuration, combining technical singletrack with the area's characteristic desert terrain. Runners encounter rocky sections, exposed ridgelines, and the region's distinctive red rock geology throughout each circuit. The loop format provides regular access to aid stations and crew support while requiring the mental discipline to return to increasingly familiar ground as fatigue builds.