Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA

Date
October 31, 2026
Location
Bellevue, WA
Venue
Sky Country Trailhead
Start Time
8:00 AM
Entry Fee
$40.00 – $100.00
Events
50K, 19.5 Miles, 7.6 Miles, 5K

The Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series in Bellevue starts at 8:00 AM on October 31st, giving traveling runners time to arrive the night before and handle logistics. Based at Sky Country Trailhead, this Halloween-weekend event offers multiple distances to suit different goals: a 1-mile option for those testing the trails, a 5-mile run, a 7.6-mile option, and a demanding 31.07-mile ultra for serious endurance athletes. Entry fees range from $40 to $100 depending on distance. Trail running events typically draw athletes who prefer natural terrain over road racing, so expect single-track conditions rather than paved surfaces. Plan your accommodation within reasonable driving distance of the trailhead to keep your pre-race morning manageable, especially if you're tackling one of the longer distances.

From the Race Organizer
Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series, put on by Seattle Running Club and Northwest Trail Runs. Our events support King County Parks, with a portion of every entry going to KC Parks. OCTOBER'S RACE ONLY - COSTUME CONTEST/CHALLENGE: The October Cougar Mountain races fall a few days before Halloween so let's see who can get into the spirit and run some trails in costume. UPDATE - there will be an award for best costume (any distance) and best group costume (any distance). Winners will receive a gift certificate and a unique trophy from Otter Pawz Lazer . October 7.6-Mile Cross Country // Cougar Cup - The 7.6-Mile Race is a team race - individuals are still eligible to run the 7.6 mile race for podium awards but not the Cougar Cup . The Cougar Cup is open to any team, group or club. In order to participate in the event, teams must sign-up the morning of the race and declare who is on the team. All team members must sign a waiver and list an emergency contact who is not racing. All teams must pay the entry fee of $180. This is a mixed team event and 2 women must score for each team. Teams can consist of 4-6 people with 4 people scoring and 2 displacing. There will be a cup handed out to the winning team. Team captains need to fill out this survey, and communicate information to other team members. Events May 10: 5.1 Miles & 10.8 Miles 9 AM start for all races, 12:00 PM cut-off (~16:40 pace for 10.8 miles) June 14 : 5K, 8.2 Miles & 14.5 Miles 9 AM start for all races, 1:00 PM cut-off (~16:35 pace for 14.5 miles) July 12 : 5K, 10.8 Miles & 19.5 Miles 9 AM start for all race, 2:30 PM cut-off (~16:55 pace for 19.5 miles) August 9: 5K, 14.5 Miles & 26.2 Miles 8:30 AM start for the 14.5 and 26.2, 9 AM start for the 5K, 4 PM cut-off (~17:10 pace for the marathon) October 25 : 5K, 7.6 Mile Cross Country, 19.5 Miles & 50K 8 AM start for the 19.5 and 50K (7 AM early start will be available), 9 AM start for 7.6 Miles and Cross Country event, 9:30 AM start for 5K, 5 PM Cut-off (~17:25 pace for 50K, ~19:30 pace for early start) Event-day registration is available starting at 7:00AM Series: Short Series: May 5.1 Miles, June 8.2 Miles, July 10.8 Miles & August 14.5 Miles Long Series: May 10.8 Miles, June 14.5 Miles, July 19.5 Miles, August 26.2 Miles Top overall Man, Woman, and Nonbinary runners based on cumulative time will receive an award and free entry into next year's series. If you are a Seattle Running Club member and want to use your membership discount on the short or long series, please signup for the series using the short pass or long pass and then send the race director (races@seattlerunningclub.org) an email with your SRC member number. You will receive a partial refund within 5 business days. For all other races, please use the coupon code given to Seattle Running Club members--if you do not know the member code, please email the race director with your member number to get the code). Online registration closes at 11:59 PM PDT the Wednesday before each event. We will have day-of registration if you did not register in time. Reasons to Sign Up: 1) Well-marked trails with distances that are perfect for all experience levels 2) Community: Surround yourself with members of the trail-running community 3) Post-race food and libations, including beer provided by one of our Club's partner stores, Flying Lion Brewery 4) Raise money for King County Parks: $15/runner donated to the parks DID YOU KNOW That the August Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series 14.5-Mile Race will serve as the USATF PNTF Open and Masters Trail Championships? There is prize money for this event! Additionally, the 5k race serves as the first ever USATF PNTF Youth Trail Championship! This was put together by the PNW Youth Trail Project and is the final race of the inaugural PNW YTP Race Series. Both championship races require participants to be members of the USATF organization - you'll need your USATF member number when registering for a championship race. For more information about how to become a USATF member, click here. Please note - the championship races are optional. Anyone can run the 5k or 14.5mi races without being in the USATF PNTF championship. However, if you want that extra shot of competition, prize money (14.5 mile only), and possible bragging rights, become a USATF member today! Safety Guidelines If you have had COVID-19 symptoms in the last 10 days or have known exposure to someone with COVID-19, please skip this race. We Run on Native Land We acknowledge that our running opportunities are built on the purposeful removal of Native peoples, who have been the stewards of Seattle-area lands for thousands of years. Thus, we accept our ethical responsibility for the ongoing stewardship of the land and purposeful support of Native neighbors, colleagues, businesses, and tribes. The Muckleshoot, Duwamish, Stillaguamish, Snoqualmie, and Coast Salish are the Natives of the lands we run on. Photo Consent I understand

Hotels Near This Race

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Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA

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Race Travel Insurance

Don't forget travel insurance for October 31.

You've trained for months and booked a trip to Bellevue, WA. A pre-race injury, a delayed flight, or a family emergency can derail the whole thing. Travel insurance can help cover your race entry fee, hotel, and flights if you can't make it, and may cover medical costs if something goes wrong on the course. Plans typically only run 5-7% of your total trip cost — and running events are covered under standard plans with no additional coverage needed.

  • Trip cancellation up to 100% of prepaid costs
  • Running events covered under standard plans — no add-ons needed
  • Trip interruption up to 150% of non-refundable costs
  • Emergency medical up to $250,000
  • Cancel For Any Reason add-on available
  • 24/7 real-time support

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA?

Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA takes place on October 31, 2026. The race is held in Bellevue, Washington.

Where is Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA held?

Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA is held at Sky Country Trailhead in Bellevue, Washington.

Where can I find hotels near Cougar Mountain Trail Run Series (October) 2026 — Bellevue, WA?

RaceHotelFinder shows hotels sorted by distance from the race venue in Bellevue. Use the map or list view on this page to compare options and book race weekend accommodation.