Upcoming Trail Runs
Completed Runs
REI Presents the Dash Point State Park 10K and Half-Marathon Trail Run
September 7, 2013 in Federal Way, Washington
Dash Point State Park is a 398-acre camping park in the Pacific Northwest with 3,300 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound. The beach provides unobstructed views of the Sound and lots of opportunities to observe wildlife such as Coyotes, Foxes, Ducks, Eagles, and of course, plenty of marine animals (see list of wildlife from King County here). The upper trails of the park have beautiful views of Maury and Vashon Islands, the Olympic Mountains, and spectacular sunsets.
The Start/Finish area has many stations for picnic and BBQ, and it is right by a nice long stretch of sandy beach. This is a great location to bring out the whole family for a fun day by the water. The trails at this park are non-technical, cushy and well maintained, and it is an excellent place to use your minimalist shoes if you so desire. We took some photos of the beach, the picnic area and the trails on July 27th and you can find the shots here.
We offer 10K and Half-Marathon (13.1 Mile) distances. There will be plenty of aid stations and the courses are well marked with signs at intersections. As always, there will be a good selection of grub at the Finish to fuel you up.
Because Dash Point is a WA State Park, a Discovery Pass is needed. Please see the "Directions" tab below for more information.
Register
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10K - $30
Half Marathon - $39
* Add $5 after 8/26 11:59pm, add $10 day-of if event has not sold out.
* You can purchase the Season Tech Shirt and Evergreen Trail Run Beanie during online registration, or onsite on race date by cash or check.
Directions
The park's address is 5700 SW Dash Point Rd, Federal Way, Washington 98422.
From I-5, Exit at the 320th St. exit (exit #143). Take 320th St. west approximately four miles. When 320th St. ends at a T-intersection, make a right onto 47th St. When 47th St. ends at a T-intersection, turn left onto Hwy. 509/ Dash Point Rd. Drive about two miles to the park. (West side of street is the campground side, and east side is the day-use area, which is where the event starts/finishes.)
Discovery Pass
Because this is a state park, a Washington Discovery Pass is required for parking inside the park. A day pass can be purchased onsite for $10 with with either cash or check (exact change only). An annual pass is $35 and can be purchased in person at a licensed vendor such as Big 5 or Fred Meyers (list here) or online on the WA state parks website. The pass gives users access to all 100 developed state parks, 350 primitive recreation sites, state water access points, natural areas and wildlife areas.
Schedule
Day of run registration and check in: 8:00 am - start
Pre-run briefing and raffle: 15 minutes prior to start
Half-Marathon start: 9:15 am
10K start: 9:30 am
Course closure 1:30 pm
Course Map
10K Course
Click on image to enlarge.
The 10K course is one large lollipop loop that meanders through Dash Point State Park couterclock wise.
Dash Point State Park is a 398-acre camping park with 3,301 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound. The beach provides unobstructed views of the Sound and excellent opportunities for sea-life study. The park features a beach, a variety of water activities and great views of Puget Sound.
The course traverses singletrack running trails. The trails go under the protection of huge maples that tower over an assortment of western Washington foliage - alder, hemlock, salmonberry, and huckleberry. The running surface is soft and smooth, a great place to wear minimalist shoes if you so desire.
Half Marathon Course
Click on image to enlarge.
The Half Marathoners run one large 10.5K lollipop loop twice through Dash Point State Park in a counterclock wise direction (total 1300 feet elevation gain for the Half-Marathon).
Dash Point State Park is a 398-acre camping park with 3,301 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound. The beach provides unobstructed views of the Sound and excellent opportunities for sea-life study. The park features a beach, a variety of water activities and great views of Puget Sound.
The course traverses singletrack running trails. The trails go under the protection of huge maples that tower over an assortment of Western Washington foliage - alder, hemlock, salmonberry, and huckleberry. The running surface is soft and smooth, a great place to wear minimalist shoes if you so desire.
General
Read about how we keep the races green here.
We are dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors, and we encourage you to "leave no trace behind" by taking all trash with you. The park rangers always appreciate it when racers follow the marked course and keep the trails clean, and they are much more likely to grant permission for us to put on races at the same location if the trails are kept in good condition.
The trails will be open to other users during the event such as hikers and mountain bikers. Please be courteous, you will unlikely encounter more than a few. Please let other participants pass you if they want to get by. It is a passing runner's job to tell the person in front that they wish to pass.
For refunds/cancellations please see our policy.
Results/Pictures
Results and pictures from trail runs previously held can be found on the photos page and results page respectively.
Also check out photos from a course scouting trip end of July, 2011 for a look of the sandy beach, the picnic areas and trails.
