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Best of the West

Sat, Sep 19, 2026, 8:00 AM EDT

Location
Ravenna, OH
West Branch State Park Beach, Marina Drive, 44266
Type
TRAIL
Official registration

Sign up and verify details on the organizer’s official page.

At a glance

Celebrate the new Buckeye Trail section on forested, shaded routes at West Branch State Park, offering marathon, half marathon, and 10k distances.

  • Scenic
  • Festive

Discover the Best of the West at West Branch State Park, featuring a new 10k route for 2026. This event celebrates the newly designated Buckeye Trail section, an honor shared by only two other trails in Ohio. Runners will experience predominantly forested terrain with a diverse array of wildlife. The dense tree canopy offers welcome shade and cooler temperatures, creating an ideal setting for a late summer run across marathon, half marathon, and 10k distances.

What to expect

Experience all-trail routes through a predominantly forested park. Marathoners will cross the dam and continue to the campground entrance. Half marathoners will enjoy a shuttle back to the finish party at the beach.

Standout details

  • New Buckeye Trail section celebration
  • Predominantly forested, shaded course
  • Diverse wildlife habitat
  • Shuttle service for half marathoners

Auto-drafted from the public listing — confirm details on the official event page before signing up.

Distances & registration

3 options

Registration for all distances is through the official signup link above.

  • 10K

    Sat, Sep 19, 9:00 AM EDT · From $44.80

    Opens Dec 15, 2025, 7:00 PM EST · Closes Aug 19, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT

  • 13.1 Miles

    Sat, Sep 19, 8:00 AM EDT · From $76.90

    Opens Dec 15, 2025, 7:00 PM EST · Closes Aug 19, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT

  • 26.2 Miles

    Sat, Sep 19, 8:00 AM EDT · From $92.95

    Opens Dec 15, 2025, 7:00 PM EST · Closes Aug 19, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT

Vibe Check

Steady Effort

longer distance

  • Rolling area

Based on terrain, weather, and distance data.

The course

  • Rolling
From the organizer

NEW 10k for 2026!

We will be celebrating the new Buckeye Trail section at West Branch State Park. The Buckeye Trail has recently been designated a State Trail by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and is only the third trail to receive this recognition. This new section is the first of more to come!

West Branch State Park is predominantly forested with a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. The forest is primarily oak-hickory and provides habitats for a diverse array of wildlife, including deer, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, pheasant, and songbirds. The dense canopy provides shade and cool temperatures in the warmer months making it perfect for hiking and running.

Marathoners will make their way around the eastern end of the lake crossing the dam and then continuing to the entrance to the campground before returning back to the beach. Half marathoners will finish at the turnaround and take a shuttle back to the finish party at the beach. 10k participants will complete an all-trail route from the beach to the dam and back.

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