Spring Superior Trail Races

The Superior Spring Trail Races (50km, 25km, & 12.5km) will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026 . This event is held in the Sawtooth Mountain Range on the North Shore of Lake Superior, with the main race village located at the Caribou Highlands Lodge in Lutsen, Minnesota. Known for its extremely hilly and technical terrain, the race utilizes the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) and offers significant elevation gains of near 2,000-foot peaks.

The race operates via a lottery selection process due to high demand. Check-in is available on Friday evening from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and again on race morning. All distances have a strict finish cutoff of 4:00 PM on Saturday. The event supports the Superior Hiking Trail Association, with the organization and its participants contributing tens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteer hours annually to maintain the 310-mile trail system.

Lutsen, the host community, is a small township in Cook County with a resident population of approximately 220 to 450 people depending on the specific census boundary used. According to U.S. Census data, the racial makeup of Lutsen is approximately 96.4% White, 2.2% Two or More Races, and 1.4% Other. No residents in the immediate township identified as Black, Asian, or Native American in recent specific census profiles for the village. However, the broader Cook County area includes a more diverse profile, including a 1.5% American Indian population, largely due to the proximity of the Grand Portage Trust Lands.

The trail running community nationally shows lower diversity compared to general road running; historically, roughly 80% to 90% of trail runners in the U.S. identify as White. Rocksteady Running, the event organizer, explicitly addresses this by committing to initiatives for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals, who remain underrepresented in the sport. The event provides entry fee assistance for those facing economic hardship to help lower barriers to participation. For further technical details on the lottery or the Sawtooth Mountain terrain, the race is directed by John Storkamp and details are available on the official Superior Trail Race website.