Off the Beaten Path: Haulin’ Aspen Trail Marathon

Single tracks, open jeep trails, cool valleys and amazing views can only mean one thing — the Haulin’ Aspen Trail Marathon was back in action Sunday for its seventh year.

The point-to-point course started at Miller Elementary School and ended in Aspen Meadows inside Shevlin Park — and the entire race is 99 percent on dirt!

This year’s race was the seventh annual Haulin’ Aspen and featured a full marathon, half marathon and seven mile run for all ages.

Organizers say they’ve maxed out capacity at 700 runners for all seven years. They believe the draw is being able to run an entire course on just dirt trails.

“It’s unique to be able to trail half marathons and marathons,” said Gina Miller, marketing manager for Lay It Out Events. “Marathons in particular are hard to come by, but the trail crowd is a different crowd than the road folks. It’s easier on your body, there’s more solitude and it’s more about being out in the absolutely gorgeous views this morning.”

Race organizers told us there were competitors from 33 states and five countries that showed up to run Sunday.

Each participant earns points for completing trophy series races and bonus points for placing in the top three.

There was also some post-race fun with food, including treats from Nancy P’s Baking Co. and locally brewed beer from Deschutes Brewery.