About the Winter Trail Fest Half Marathon and 5 Mile - Eastside
The course runs through Island Lake Recreation Area on rolling singletrack trail. Winter conditions are part of the deal: snow, slush, ice, and mud all show up depending on the year, and the trail does not get groomed for comfort. Both distance options also have ruck divisions, which is uncommon for a winter trail race. The later start gives the morning a chance to warm slightly before anyone heads out.
Parking is near the beach access at Island Lake, with attendants on site to direct traffic. A Michigan Recreation Passport gets you into the state park; without one, there is a day-use fee at the gate. Packet pickup happens race morning, so there is no separate trip the day before unless you want to preview the course at the informal group run held a few weeks out.
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Finish-Time Stats
Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
5 Miles · 2026 results
197finishers
38:58winner
1:06:30median
2:12:23cutoff
Top 3: Matt Mackey (38:58) · Matt Brown (41:27) · Ruben Rojas (41:55)
13.1 Miles · 2026 results
165finishers
1:30:07winner
2:21:32median
4:12:16cutoff
Top 3: Stephen Reffitt (1:30:07) · Jacob Witte (1:30:49) · Justin Mauro (1:35:38)
The Winter Trail Fest Half Marathon and 5 Mile - Eastside 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.
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
13.1 Miles2/13/2027 11:30$78
5 Miles2/13/2027 12:00$55
13.1 Miles2/13/2027 11:30$55
5 Miles2/13/2027 12:00$43
13.1 Miles2/13/2027 12:00$45
5 Miles2/13/2027 12:00$45
13.1 Miles2/13/2027 10:30$78
5 Miles2/13/2027 12:00$55
13.1 Miles2/13/2027 11:00$78
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Where to Stay
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