Sat, Aug 15, 2026

Highlands Twilight 5K

Highlands, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021

Entry is $40 now and rises to $45 after Aug 14, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Highlands Twilight 5K

The course is USATF certified and runs through Highlands, a mountain town where summer evenings are genuinely cool, which makes a twilight start feel like good planning rather than gimmick. The route is a real race, not a stroll, and awards go deep into age groups, including masters categories for those who want something to chase.

The race starts and finishes at a park in the center of town, with parking scattered at several nearby spots including a recreation park, a ballfield, and the post office. Race-day packet pickup opens in the afternoon at the park. After the finish, the Ugly Dog Pub provides beer on site, and a live band plays while people spread out blankets and chairs.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2025 results

225finishers

17:14winner

34:10median

1:05:43cutoff

Top 3: Timothy McDowell (17:14) · James Moore (17:21) · robert burton (17:41)

The Highlands Twilight 5K has been held every year since at least 2021. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K8/15/2026 18:00$40

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Highlands Twilight 5K

Will I finish last at the Highlands Twilight 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:10, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:05:43, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Highlands Twilight 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 225 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Highlands Twilight 5K?

The 5K winner ran 17:14 while the median finisher took 34:10. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.