Big Sur River Run is a benefit race for two important Big Sur community organizations, Big Sur Health Center and Big Sur Fire. There are two races, a 10k and 5k. Both courses are all flat, black-top road loops alongside Big Sur River, through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park's redwood and oak grove campgrounds. The 10k is a certified course. The 5k is a Family Fun Run or Walk. No Bicycles, dogs, strollers, skates, wagons, or other wheeled conveyances (other than wheelchairs) are permitted. Prizes for 10K Race winners and top finishers.
Since 1981 two of Big Sur’s most vital institutions have been supported by the generosity of those who love to run. Most who visit Big Sur revel in the remoteness without taking in the impact it has on emergency services. The local Volunteer Fire Department, Big Sur Fire, and the Big Sur Health Center both rely on donations to provide support for visitors and residents alike. The run’s beneficiaries, Big Sur Fire and the Big Sur Health Center, have never done more to serve and support our community than in recent years. These critical emergency services need our support more than ever and we encourage you to donate to each organization directly. To date over 30,000 runners have joined the cause, supporting these institutions, and basking in the beauty of Big Sur. Will you join us this year?
Oct 24, 2026
Distance — 6.2 Miles
Type — Running
10:00
$60.00
Oct 24, 2026
Distance — 6.2 Miles
Type — Running
10:00
$20.00
Oct 24, 2026
Distance — 3.1 Miles
Type — Running
10:00
$50.00
Oct 24, 2026
Distance — 3.1 Miles
Type — Running
10:00
$20.00
These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for October in Big Sur.
Learn more about the host city, Big Sur.
Big Sur is a region on the Central Coast of California. It contains vast wildernesses and breathtaking views as it stretches 72 miles along the rugged Pacific Ocean. While the region has no specific borders, most residents consider Big Sur to be bounded on the north by Malpaso Creek, approximately 129 miles south of San Francisco, and on the south by San Carpóforo Canyon, 244 miles north of Los Angeles. The area is great for outdoor recreation and contains several state parks, two national wilderness areas, and is part of the Los Padres National Forest, all of which include hiking trails. The name during the Spanish colonial period was "el país grande del sur", meaning "the big country of the south", referring to the vast relatively unexplored region south of the city of Monterey, which was the capital of Alta California under Spanish and Mexican rule. It was anglicized as Big Sur by European settlers in 1915.
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location_on Big Sur, California, US
calendar_today Sep 26, 2026
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