63rd Annual JFK 50 Mile
Our intrepid race reporter, John Calabrese, checks in after a highly successful run at the JFK 50 miler, held on Saturday November 22nd, 2025 in western Maryland.
Read moreThe Virginia Happy Trails Running Club
Promoting trail running in the D.C. area for three decades.
Welcome to the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club
We are a fun group of trail runners of all abilities centered in northern Virginia. Many but not all of us run ultramarathons. Come play with us at our races and training runs!
Latest news
Rosaryville
The 16th annual Rosaryville Veterans Day Trail Races were held on Saturday November 8, 2025. The 50K and 20K races took place on the wooded trails and through the open meadows of Rosaryville State Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. John Calabrese has submitted his account of how this year’s race went.
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Alan Gowen (1949-2025): The VHTRC Loses (another) Great Friend
Anstr Davidson pays tribute to his good friend, Alan Gowen, who passed away on June 27. Alan was the founder at RD of the Hashawha Hills 50 km, a past president of the VHTRC, and the nine-time MMT finisher.
Read moreUpcoming stuff
Here’s what we have coming up. See our calendar for a full list of our (and others’) events
The VHTRC was founded to put on races. We are mighty proud of our courses and hospitality.
Entry opens Jan 1
Sat Feb 28
50 km
Westminster, MD
Entry opens: Jan 1, 2026
31 miles of trails, old woods roads, open fields, and plenty of hills with a couple of stream crossings thrown in just for fun.
Entry is open
Sat Apr 4
50.2 miles
Clifton, VA
Entry opens: Oct 1, 2025
A 50 mile trail run that parallels the Bull Run and the Occoquan River in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. The course traverses forested, rolling terrain during the height of Virginia’s spring beauty. The run’s unique character includes a Civil War theme that honors the battles that occurred here over 150 years ago. The 13 hour time limit makes Bull Run Run an excellent first 50 miler.
Entry is open
Sat May 16
100.6 miles
Fort Valley, VA
Entry opens: Oct 31, 2025
A challenging, rocky 100 miler on the trails of the Massanutten Mountains in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The course includes short but rugged mountain climbs with more than 18,000 feet of total ascent. There is a 36-hour cutoff.
Events are open to the public and free to enter, but do require prior registration and many have entry limits.
Didn’t get in? Consider volunteering.
Entry is open
Thu Nov 27
2 hours
Potomac, MD
Entry opens: Nov 13, 2025
Entry closes: Nov 25, 2025
The VHTRC version of this traditional fall running classic. Thanksgiving morning on the C&O Canal and the trails around Great Falls, on the Maryland side. Hosted by Mike Bur.
Entry is open
Sat Dec 13
50 km
Clifton, VA
Entry opens: Nov 10, 2025
Entry closes: Dec 10, 2025
The first event in the now-storied history of the club. Very low-key, a lot of fun, and a great after-party. Come ring in the holidays with Furbutt and the VHTRC! Registration is $20 for this fabulous event!
Entry is open
Sat Dec 27
40.3 miles
Luray, VA
Entry opens: Nov 17, 2025
Entry closes: Dec 25, 2025
This classic holiday fat ass includes a nice mix of Massanutten Trail sections and dirt roads, with miles of spectacular views of the Fort Valley, Page Valley and Shenandoah Valley.
Entry opens Dec 1
Thu Jan 1
31.7 miles
Quantico, VA
Entry opens: Dec 1, 2025
Entry closes: Dec 30, 2025
Start out the new year with some cold miles at Prince William Forest Park and clear your head of any lingering hangover.
Sat Jan 17
32 miles
Fort Valley, VA
Entry opens: Dec 18, 2024
Day #1 of the MLK weekend of mountain training runs, this year hosted by Larry Huffman. This is a roughly 50 km section of the MMT 100 course along the western ridge of the Massanuttens, starting at the Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp and ending at Signal Knob.
Sun Jan 18
31.2 miles
Luray, VA
Entry opens: Dec 15, 2024
Entry closes: Jan 16, 2025
The traditional Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend kick-off to Massanutten 100 training, with two long supported runs on portions of the MMT course. Day 2 is the Waterfall 50km race (Bur’s Death March).
Low-key runs with no formal sign-up. Just show up and run.
Fri Nov 28
25.3 miles
Nethers, VA
Often referred to as “Shenandoah’s National Park’s greatest hits,” this 25-mile loop’s highlights include White Oak Canyon, Hawksbill, Stony Man, all connected by beautiful ridge running on the Appalachian Trail.
Sun Nov 30
7-10 miles
Washington, DC
Explore the trails of Rock Creek Park on these low-key runs. We leave at 8:00 am from either Peirce Mill or Theodore Roosevelt Island and the runs are roughly 7–10 miles long.
View our available SWAG More information
Featured run
Vicki’s Death March
Now that Shenandoah National Park is largely reopened, we can recommend Vicki’s Death March! Often referred to as “Shenandoah National Park’s greatest hits,” this 25-mile loop’s highlights include White Oak Canyon, Hawksbill, Stony Man, all connected by beautiful ridge running on the Appalachian Trail. Just be sure to get an early start, as Old Rag is an especially popular trailhead… especially now.
On top of the world on Little Stony Man during the 2011 Vicki’s Death March.