The Willow 10 & 20 miler

Saturday, May 2, 2026
Willow River State Park, Hudson, WI

Need help with registration costs? Drop us a line.

Willow River State Park is one of the most beautiful places to run in western Wisconsin. The Willow Trail Race gives you two ways to take it on.

The 20-mile race starts at 7:00 am and sends you through two full loops of the park — grass and gravel single-track, rolling terrain, and enough elevation to remind you that you earned this. The 10-mile race starts at 8:00 am, with one loop and the same scenery.

This is not a flat, fast course. It is the kind of run that asks something of you and gives something back. Roots, ridgelines, open meadows, and views that make you forget how tired your legs are.

Whether this is your first trail race or your fiftieth, Willow is worth your morning.

Come run it with us.

Where

Willow River State Park - 1034 County Highway A, Hudson, WI 54016

From downtown Hudson, turn east at the Vine Street stoplight. Follow Vine Street up the hill to County Highway A. Turn left and follow County A to the park entrance.

From Interstate Highway 94, take Exit # 4 and go north on US Highway 12 for about 3.5 miles. The park entrance will be on the left.

Course & elevation map

Here you will find a course map showing the start line, finish line, aid station, and an elevation chart.

Packet pick-up

On race morning, packet pick-up will be available starting at 6:00 AM for 20-mile participants and after 7:00 AM for 10-mile participants. Race registration closes 10 minutes before each distance’s start time. Arriving early enough to pay for park admission and find parking is recommended.

Start time

20 miler starts at 7 am
10 miler starts at 8 am

Pre-race briefing

There will be a short pre-race briefing 5 minutes before your race starts.

Parking admission

Parking admission costs are available on the Willow River State Park website.

Parking

For the convenience of runners and volunteers, we recommend parking in the nature center/start area parking lot in the southern part of the park. Signs will be posted to guide you to this location, or you can ask for assistance at the front office upon arrival.

Drop bags

20-miler runners can keep a drop bag near the beginning of the second loop. We will collect them at the start.

Don’t forget to collect your bags before you leave.

Aid stations

At about midway through the loop (6.75 miles), we will have an aid station with water, gels, and a selection of individually wrapped snacks.

The 20-milers will have an aid station near the finish of the 10-mile loop, where they can replenish water, grab a snack, and use materials in their drop bags.

Cupless event

To minimize our environmental impact, we ask that runners bring their water bottles to fill at our aid stations as needed during the event. This will help reduce waste and keep St. Croix Running Company's environmental footprint to a minimum. I appreciate your cooperation!

Restrooms

We will have portable toilets at the aid station and the start/finish line. Please use these facilities and keep the trails clean, leaving no trace.

DNF (Did Not Finish)

If you need to withdraw from the race, remove your bib and give it to the race director or an aid station captain.

If you leave the course and fail to notify the race officials, you will be asked not to participate in future St. Croix Running Company events.

Inclusion

We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all our participants, volunteers, and community members at the St. Croix Running Company. Everyone should feel empowered and supported in their pursuits, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, identity, socioeconomic status, religion, or political beliefs.

We are dedicated to continuously learning and improving, and we rely on feedback from our participants and volunteers to help us achieve this goal. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts and experiences with us; we are always looking for ways to serve better and support our community.

Delay, suspend, or cancel the event.

The race director reserves the right to delay, suspend, or cancel any part or all of the event if weather conditions or acts of your god or mine deem it dangerous to the participants, volunteers, or staff or harmful to the course.

If the event needs to be canceled or delayed, we will reach out to you by email, website, and/or social media. No refunds or transfers are allowed.