Your favorite Trail runs in and around the Red

[Lateralus]

Heya, just wondering what your favorite trail runs are in the DBNF or nearby? Anything goes from flat to burly.

[mike_a_lafontaine]

Two that I like:

Starting at the last parking lot off of Tunnel Ridge Road, I take off down the Auxier Ridge Trail and continue towards Double Arches, continue past D.A. up the hill to the end then go off on the trail towards Star Gap Arch. I skip the trail that actually goes to Star Gap Arch (I really don't know what the name of this trail is) and continue around the huge horseshoe shaped amphitheatre. Once to the end, I head back towards the D.A. trail, but rather than going back to D.A., I take the southern trail into the valley and back up to Auxier Ridge.

The other one starts in the Martin Fork and follows that trail past Left Flank and then the huge ascent up to the Gray's Arch trail, around the Rough Trail, or some loop variation around that area, sometimes going all the way out to Pinch-em-tight, then back the way I came.

Both of those routes can be modified to be longer or shorter as my ambition waxes and wanes, and both have some serious inclines. The first is better for great fall views, the second a bit better when it's hotter than hell outside or if I want to do some serious mileage (30+) because it connects to more trails deeper in the Red.

[DHB]

Not much, but I like running through the rock garden near natural bridge.

I also like running down the trail from Midnight Surf/ Animal Crackers, to the valley floor.

[Lateralus]

mike_a_lafontaine,
thanks a lot! I wondered about the trail past left flank/Boone's cabin. I have been to the cabin but no further and never looked at a map to see how far that trail went. The first trail you mentioned sounds awesome as well. I will check out both for sure, how far is the loop you do on the first one?

[mike_a_lafontaine]

Not sure of the exact distances. The Auxier Ridge/Double Arches loop (which is basically combining forrest service trails 204 and 203) I think is about 5 miles...probably doubles if you add the horseshoe ridge trail to the west (not sure which trail number that is). I don't even have a clue on the other ones. Taking Martin's Fork (trail 221) up to Gray's Arch, you can connect to so many trails it is just nuts. The Trace (trail 100)is up there once you gain that ridge, and it takes you north or south through the Gorge, the Rough Trail (a continuation of 221) keeps going east through the Red all the way to Clifty, where you can pick up the Wildcat Trail and a whole new trail web. Just so many places to travel within those trails, you really can go until you drop. What I normally do is strap my gps to my backpack, then when I get home, download the data onto TOPO! and see where I've gone. At one point I had hoped to map every trail in the Red (because the outrageGIS maps aren't all-inclusive and use the NAD83 UTM frame instead of the NAD27, which USGS maps use). But my computer has never gone long enough without a bug for me to compile the entire thing.

[bcombs]

Hey, you and the Fray train should come up to Cincy and do this with me: http://stonesteps50k.com/

[mike_a_lafontaine]

I'll check with the Warden. If she lets me out that weekend, I'm there. I run a lot in that area when I'm at Children's for research. Big, painful hills. Nice.

[DHB]

Start training and get you some of this:

http://www.winddrinkers.org/BRR/BridgerRidge.html

http://vimeo.com/2859262

"Oh look, the bottom of her foot!"

[mike_a_lafontaine]

That looks awesome. Last year's overall winner did just under an 11 minute pace for 20 miles! Sounds more scramble than trail run. Usually on those more technical trail runs, the issue is the feet more than the endurance, and looking at some of those picts, I'm betting that is the case here. Probably better off with rugged hiking shoes or even boots than light-weight trail runners!

[DHB]

And did you see where if you run in Fivefingers, you automatically get a spot in the race the next year? I can see why no one's done it yet. Gravel isn't painless in fivefingers, and it looks like 90% of that race was gravel. Like, #57, driveway-type gravel.