Turn by Turn Course Description - The North Loop - 18.85 Miles
The 100 mile course will consist of four laps and the 50 mile race will be of two laps around a 25 mile Russell Forest Trail System course. Each lap will be made up of, a north loop that is 18.85 miles and the south loop which is 6.25 miles in length. The North Loop is divided into three sections. Section 1 is the Start at the Cabin Aid Station to Heaven Hill Aid Station (AS 1). The 2nd section is Heaven Hill back to Heaven Hill (AS2). Section 3 is Heaven Hill to The Cabin (AS3). The South Loop is the 4th section where runners will leave the Cabin for a 6.25 mile loop returning to the Cabin (AS4) and the end of the first 25.1 mile lap. Each section of the Russell Lands Trail Map of the course is color coded.
Please Note: In Late March, Sunrise is about 6:49 AM, Sunset is 6:54 PM. 50 Milers, if you will need more than 11 hours to finish, have a flashlight or headlamp available in your Heaven Hill dropbag. Bring a GOOD light source and be sure you have enough batteries to make it through the night. If you are new to "night running" you may want to consider both a headlamp and handheld light. Headlamps are great because they shine a light where you look. However, they also cause the terrain to appear "flat." With a headlamp you see no shadows so you can't tell if that root up ahead is 1/4 inch or 3 inches above the trail level. A waste light or handheld light really helps you run as fast at night as in daylight.
The course is mostly on single track trails and carriage paths with about 4.5 miles of gravel roads, most of which do not allow any automobile traffic. Each 25.2 mile lap has about 18.9 miles of single-track trails, 1.2 miles of double-track carriage paths, 4.7 miles of gravel roads (all but about 1/2 mile leading to the Adamson Road Trailhead do not allow cars) and 0.3 miles on a paved waking path leading to the Cabin Aid Station. There are NO sections on Paved Roads. The course does cross several paved "cabin" roads. These roads are all private and lead to lake cabins. Runners will likely never see a car on these cabin roads during the race.
There are numerous stream crossings all around the course and several trails follow creeks. If there has been little or no rain the week before the race, runners will be able to complete the race without getting their feet wet. It is easy to cross over every creek without getting into the water. If, however, there has been a lot of rain a day or two before the race, you will probably have to wade some creeks. If it rains heavily during the race, you will have wet feet. I suggest bringing extra shoes and socks.
You will see many references to the "Big Way Trail" in the course description. The race uses several sections of the trail. Big Way is a carriage path that runs the length of Russell Lands, about 6 miles. It starts at the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead at the north and ends at Wilson Trailhead to the south.
Please Note: In Late March, Sunrise is about 6:49 AM, Sunset is 6:54 PM. 50 Milers, if you will need more than 11 hours to finish, have a flashlight or headlamp available in your Heaven Hill dropbag. Bring a GOOD light source and be sure you have enough batteries to make it through the night. If you are new to "night running" you may want to consider both a headlamp and handheld light. Headlamps are great because they shine a light where you look. However, they also cause the terrain to appear "flat." With a headlamp you see no shadows so you can't tell if that root up ahead is 1/4 inch or 3 inches above the trail level. A waste light or handheld light really helps you run as fast at night as in daylight.
The course is mostly on single track trails and carriage paths with about 4.5 miles of gravel roads, most of which do not allow any automobile traffic. Each 25.2 mile lap has about 18.9 miles of single-track trails, 1.2 miles of double-track carriage paths, 4.7 miles of gravel roads (all but about 1/2 mile leading to the Adamson Road Trailhead do not allow cars) and 0.3 miles on a paved waking path leading to the Cabin Aid Station. There are NO sections on Paved Roads. The course does cross several paved "cabin" roads. These roads are all private and lead to lake cabins. Runners will likely never see a car on these cabin roads during the race.
There are numerous stream crossings all around the course and several trails follow creeks. If there has been little or no rain the week before the race, runners will be able to complete the race without getting their feet wet. It is easy to cross over every creek without getting into the water. If, however, there has been a lot of rain a day or two before the race, you will probably have to wade some creeks. If it rains heavily during the race, you will have wet feet. I suggest bringing extra shoes and socks.
You will see many references to the "Big Way Trail" in the course description. The race uses several sections of the trail. Big Way is a carriage path that runs the length of Russell Lands, about 6 miles. It starts at the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead at the north and ends at Wilson Trailhead to the south.
Section 1 - Start to Heaven Hill - Aid Station 1 - 8.2 miles: The run will start in The Cabin, located 220 yards south of Catherine's Market. This is also the location of Aid Station 3 and 4 and the finish for all races. As you leave the start runners will head north along the gravel road for 100 yards then turn left onto a paved path that loops into a wooded area below Catherine's Market. When you emerge from the woods, cross the paved road that leads to the SpringHouse Restaurant Parking Lot and continue straight ahead onto a gravel road. Go 40 yards and angle left at the "Y" and down the hill. Stay to the left on the gravel path. You will head up a hill and see the Stables 100 yards ahead. Turn left down a pathway along a pasture and go about 300 yards until the path connects into "Big Way" carriage path. Go left on Big Way for about 300 yards to where you will see a carriage bridge straight ahead and a footbridge and a picnic table on your left. Turn left off Big Way and cross the foot bridge over 100 Year Creek. You are now on the "Lake View Trail." Wrong Way signs will warn you not to continue down Big Way.
Stay on Lake View Trail for just over 1 mile to the intersection of the "2-Day Loop Trail." Turn left up the hill onto the "2-Day Trail." Runners will stay on the 2-Day Trail for about 2.5 miles. After crossing several Cabin Roads you descend a steep hill toward the lake and a creek. Watch for the "Dark Valley Loop Trail" Sign to your right. Turn right onto the Dark Valley trail for a 2.4 mile loop before returning to the 2-Day trail. Dark Valley climbs for about 1 1/4 mile to The Adamson Road Trailhead. At the trailhead, look for the signs and flags directing you across the back end of the trailhead and back onto the Dark Valley Trail. Follow Dark Valley back down the hill to the intersection with the 2-Day Trail. (If you reach the lake, you missed the turn. Go back)
NOTE: About 1/2 mile before reaching the Adamson Road Trailhead and about 1/2 after you start back down the other side of the Dark Valley Loop you will cross the "Big Way" carriage path. This intersection can be a little confusing. Look at the image below. As you approach Big Way, you will see the other side of Dark Valley about 75 ft. to your left. You will also see flagging. Continue straight ahead across Big Way. There will be signs directing you straight ahead on both sides. There will also be "Wrong Way" signs on Big Way between the trails. Just follow the ARROWS.
NOTE: About 1/2 mile before reaching the Adamson Road Trailhead and about 1/2 after you start back down the other side of the Dark Valley Loop you will cross the "Big Way" carriage path. This intersection can be a little confusing. Look at the image below. As you approach Big Way, you will see the other side of Dark Valley about 75 ft. to your left. You will also see flagging. Continue straight ahead across Big Way. There will be signs directing you straight ahead on both sides. There will also be "Wrong Way" signs on Big Way between the trails. Just follow the ARROWS.
The intersection where Dark Valley again meets the 2-Day Trail is easy to miss. The Dark Valley trail has crossed back and forth across a Creek for about a mile. As the lake comes into sight, Dark Valley connects back into the 2-Day Loop Trail and continues straight ahead. At this intersection, you will turn right and immediately crossing the creek and head up a hill. Do not continue straight ahead on 2-Day Loop. If you end up at the lake you missed the turn. You will stay on the 2-Day Loop Trail for another 3/4 mile, first paralleling the lake, then climbing away from it on a steep, rocky trail. Watch for the Left turn heading uphill on the "Ridge Trail." You will climb a fairly steep hill for perhaps 200 yards then follow the ridge for about 1/2 mile. The trail then drops downhill to the Big Way Trial. Make a sharp left down to the "T" intersection at Big Way. Follow Big Way downhill for about 1/3 mile, almost to the large open area around "Butterfly Crossing." Watch for the signs to Heaven Hill and the Heavenly Loop to the right, going up the hill. Heaven Hill is the longest climb in the race gaining just over 200 feet in about 3/4 mile. At the top runners come out a a large bald hill. Continue straight ahead over the hilltop following flagging to the aid station located on the far side of the hill.
NOTE: The actual location of the aid station will be announced at the pre-race briefing Friday Night. If the weather will be reasonably good all weekend, the Heaven Hill aid station may be located on top of the hill adjacent to the "Heavenly Loop" Trail sign. If the weather is questionable, we will move the aid station down the gravel road about 100 yards into the trees for safety. (Questionable means there is a 99% chance that the aid station will be blown away by a tornado! - In the previous 9 years, the aid station has never been moved off the top of the hill.)
NOTE: The actual location of the aid station will be announced at the pre-race briefing Friday Night. If the weather will be reasonably good all weekend, the Heaven Hill aid station may be located on top of the hill adjacent to the "Heavenly Loop" Trail sign. If the weather is questionable, we will move the aid station down the gravel road about 100 yards into the trees for safety. (Questionable means there is a 99% chance that the aid station will be blown away by a tornado! - In the previous 9 years, the aid station has never been moved off the top of the hill.)
Section 2 - Heaven Hill 1 Aid Station to Heaven Hill 2 Aid Station - 5.45 Miles:
Leave the aid station and head left onto the north side of Heavenly Hill Loop. At the bottom of the hill cross a small bridge and enter a large open, grassy area. Turn right and cross over Horsley creek on the bridge. (This is Butterfly Crossing - See the image to the left) Immediately turn left on the Horsley Creek Loop Trail. The trail parallels the creek for about 1/2 a mile until reaching the lake. Follow the lake a short distance along the lake, then circle away from the lake and connect into a logging road for about 1/2 mile. The road turns left and runners will continue straight across the road and across a grassy area to Upper Horsley Creek Trail. Go left on the trail all the way to the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead.
The area around the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead was "Cut" in 2020 (a seed tree cut - leaving the 7 or 8 best trees per acre) The area was restored very nicely and the trails here should be in good contrition. At the trailhead, go straight across the trailhead to the gravel road leading to the Willow Point Cutoff Road. Continue straight up the road for about 100 yards where you will go through a gate. Watch for cars entering the trailhead day and night on the gravel road. Crew and family are welcome to go to Willow Point Cutoff Trail Head to cheer for their runners. Just before reaching the paved road you will come to several very large rocks (Like 4 feet high) standing upright, marking the entrance to the Green Way Trail. Turn right onto Green Way then immediately left on the Frontier Trail. You are now heading back south toward the start. Follow the Frontier Trail a few hundred yards to where it "Ts" into Green Way, a gravel roadway reserved for electric vehicles, bicycles, horses and hikers, and of course, runners. You will stay on Green Way for several miles over rolling hills. This is a great place to make up time. As you top a small hill you will see a road leading to the right. This is the road to Heaven Hill and the aid station. Turn right and go 200 yards to the Heaven Hill Aid Station 2.
Leave the aid station and head left onto the north side of Heavenly Hill Loop. At the bottom of the hill cross a small bridge and enter a large open, grassy area. Turn right and cross over Horsley creek on the bridge. (This is Butterfly Crossing - See the image to the left) Immediately turn left on the Horsley Creek Loop Trail. The trail parallels the creek for about 1/2 a mile until reaching the lake. Follow the lake a short distance along the lake, then circle away from the lake and connect into a logging road for about 1/2 mile. The road turns left and runners will continue straight across the road and across a grassy area to Upper Horsley Creek Trail. Go left on the trail all the way to the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead.
The area around the Willow Point Cutoff Trailhead was "Cut" in 2020 (a seed tree cut - leaving the 7 or 8 best trees per acre) The area was restored very nicely and the trails here should be in good contrition. At the trailhead, go straight across the trailhead to the gravel road leading to the Willow Point Cutoff Road. Continue straight up the road for about 100 yards where you will go through a gate. Watch for cars entering the trailhead day and night on the gravel road. Crew and family are welcome to go to Willow Point Cutoff Trail Head to cheer for their runners. Just before reaching the paved road you will come to several very large rocks (Like 4 feet high) standing upright, marking the entrance to the Green Way Trail. Turn right onto Green Way then immediately left on the Frontier Trail. You are now heading back south toward the start. Follow the Frontier Trail a few hundred yards to where it "Ts" into Green Way, a gravel roadway reserved for electric vehicles, bicycles, horses and hikers, and of course, runners. You will stay on Green Way for several miles over rolling hills. This is a great place to make up time. As you top a small hill you will see a road leading to the right. This is the road to Heaven Hill and the aid station. Turn right and go 200 yards to the Heaven Hill Aid Station 2.
Section 3 - Heavenly Hill 2 to the Cabin Aid Station 3 - 5.20 Miles:
Leave Heaven Hill Aid Station 2 and follow the road back the way you came to Green Way. Angle slightly right and continue straight ahead. DO NOT take the first gravel road to the right, Cyclone Hill Rd. Continue through the open iron gate and turn right onto Adamson Rd. Stay on the road past the Adamson Road Trailhead for 0.4 miles to O. Z. Hall Road (the paved road.) This is the intersection called Seven Points. Cross the road and angle to the right into the open grassy area and enter the "Pony Express Trail."
Leave Heaven Hill Aid Station 2 and follow the road back the way you came to Green Way. Angle slightly right and continue straight ahead. DO NOT take the first gravel road to the right, Cyclone Hill Rd. Continue through the open iron gate and turn right onto Adamson Rd. Stay on the road past the Adamson Road Trailhead for 0.4 miles to O. Z. Hall Road (the paved road.) This is the intersection called Seven Points. Cross the road and angle to the right into the open grassy area and enter the "Pony Express Trail."
The Pony Express trail travels west toward the lake for about 1.5 miles. Before the lake comes into view the trail makes a left turn, crosses a creek and "Ts" into the other side of Pony Express. Turn left at the "T" and stay on the Pony Express trail for approximately one mile. The trail stays near the creek. Watch for the intersection of the trail leading to "Beech Tree Hollow." This turn is easy to miss because the Beech Tree Sign is across a small creek at the bottom of a short hill. Just watch for the turn sign and flags showing the way. Turn left on the trail to Beech Tree Hollow and follow the trail up a hill and across another Paved Road to the intersection with Big Way West. Turn right on Big Way for less than a mile to "Beech Tree Hollow." At Beech Tree Hollow turn left onto "Carriage Way." Stay on Carriage Way for about 100 yards to where another trail heads off to the left up a gentle hill. The trail passes through a grove of Long Leaf Pines and merges into Carriage Way (or maybe Green Way). Angle left on Carriage Way until just before Seven Points and turn right past another gravel road and onto the Link Way roadway. Link Way is the leftmost gravel path and closest to Hwy 63. The transition from Carriage Way to Link Way making almost a 180 deg. turn. DO NOT cross any paved roads. Seven Points is 1.20 miles from the start/finish and the Cabin Aid Station. Stay on Link Way to where you see a tunnel under Hwy 63 straight ahead. DO NOT go under the tunnel. Turn right on the road heading steeply uphill. Climb the hill to Russell Crossroads and continue straight across the paved road onto the sidewalk leading back to the Cabin Aid Station.
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Turn by Turn Description - The South Loop - 6.25 Miles
Section 4 - Cabin Aid Station 3 to Cabin Aid Station 4 - 6.25 Miles:
Aid Station 3 and 4 are located at the Cabin, location of the start. As you return from the North Loop, follow the signs and flagging back to the Cabin. The aid station will be located in the large tent by the cabin. You will arrive at The Cabin from the north and leave to the south. The Southeastern Trail Runs Finish Arch and timing tent will be located past the aid station. Stop first at the aid station, then continue under the arch as you head out to the South Loop, (Section 4) of the course, you will immediately cross Tucker Road and head into the woods directly across from the cabin on the Turtle Back Rock Loop.
Aid Station 3 and 4 are located at the Cabin, location of the start. As you return from the North Loop, follow the signs and flagging back to the Cabin. The aid station will be located in the large tent by the cabin. You will arrive at The Cabin from the north and leave to the south. The Southeastern Trail Runs Finish Arch and timing tent will be located past the aid station. Stop first at the aid station, then continue under the arch as you head out to the South Loop, (Section 4) of the course, you will immediately cross Tucker Road and head into the woods directly across from the cabin on the Turtle Back Rock Loop.
The South Loop - This loop is a little complicated to explain but the course will be well marked so you should have no problem staying on the correct trail. After you leave the cabin, cross Tucker Road (The gravel road) and enter the plantation pines on the Turtle Back Rock Trail. Runners will be on the Turtle Back Loop for about 2 miles. After circling around Turtle Back Rock, the trail crosses several small creeks heading back toward the lake. Watch for a trail turning off Turtle Back Loop to the left. Cut over to another trail and head to the right across a small creek. In 50 yards take a sharp left and enter the Rocky Bottom South trail. Follow this trail uphill and across a cabin road, Creek Trail Road. Here you switch to the Rocky Mountain East Trail. Stay on Rocky Mountain Trail for about a mile to where it connects into Big Way at Governors Island Road. Cross the road and continue down Big Way to the Wilson Road Trailhead. You will cross a creek and just before reaching the trailhead turn right onto the Branch Loop West Trail.
(Do NOT enter the trailhead)
(Do NOT enter the trailhead)
Turn right on Branch Loop West and follow it until joining "Rocky Mountain Loop West Trail." Stay left on the Rocky Mountain Trail as it winds around sections of the lake and then along a large slough. As you reach the end of the slough the trial rejoins the Big Way Trail. Go left on Big Way for ½ mile, across a gravel road to a shallow creek crossing. Immediately past the creek, turn left and enter the Lakeside Loop Trail for about 500 yards to where it joins Big Way carriage path along the lake. Take a sharp right up Big Way to Tucker Road. Turn left on Tucker Road and continue to the shed straight ahead and the “Hay Barn” on your left. (There is some very old farm equipment at the intersection, including two tractors. You will see the Stables straight ahead through the trees.) At the intersection, go right, staying on Tucker Road heading up a long, gentle hill. (Well, it's gentle on the 1st lap.) Follow the road all the way back to the Cabin at the top of the hill. Be sure to run under the timing arch as you approach the aid station. You have now completed the first 25 mile loop of the Lake Martin 100 Course.
