About This Race
The Muir Woods Trail Run presents a geographical puzzle that adds intrigue to this established trail racing series. While bearing the name of California's iconic redwood sanctuary, the race actually unfolds in the high-country terrain around Cloudcroft, New Mexico, at elevations reaching over 8,000 feet. This incongruity between name and location has become part of the event's character, drawing runners to experience the unexpected beauty of the Sacramento Mountains rather than the familiar coastal trails of Marin County. The race offers three distance options—30K, half marathon, and 10K—making it accessible to runners across the experience spectrum. The New Mexico mountain setting provides a distinctly different challenge from typical California trail races, with high-altitude running conditions and the dramatic landscape of the Lincoln National Forest. The event has maintained consistent popularity since 2011, suggesting organizers have found the right formula for showcasing this lesser-known trail running destination. Pricing follows a tiered structure with early registration incentives, reflecting the event's established position in the regional racing calendar. The mention of course reroutes and detailed elevation profiles indicates active course management and attention to runner safety and experience.
Course details remain limited in the available data, though references to elevation profiles and aid station distances suggest varied terrain across the Sacramento Mountain landscape. The high elevation of Cloudcroft, situated at approximately 8,600 feet, means runners should prepare for the physiological demands of altitude regardless of their chosen distance. The 2025 course reroute mentioned in the data indicates ongoing refinements to optimize the trail experience.
Practical Info
July weather in Cloudcroft typically features mild daytime temperatures due to elevation, with potential for afternoon thunderstorms common in the Southwest summer monsoon season.
ELP - El Paso International Airport
Cloudcroft offers limited mountain resort lodging options, with El Paso providing broader hotel availability approximately 90 minutes away.
Best For
Notable Features
Despite its name suggesting California's famous redwood forest, this race actually takes place in the high-elevation pine forests of New Mexico's Sacramento Mountains. The unique geographical misdirection has become part of the event's identity, offering runners an unexpected mountain trail experience in a region better known for desert landscapes than dense forest running.