Dirty Secret Trail Run

MAY 9, 2026

COOL, CA

A truly great trail race is inspiring, has hidden secrets and plenty of challenges. Stream crossings, foot bridges, and baby heads—you will find them all out on course at the Dirty Secret Trail Run. Okay, we don’t mean literally seeing baby heads, but you will come across Baby Head Alley named after the rocks that line the trail that look like (yes you guessed it) baby heads. Knickerbocker Creek crossing is something that can’t be missed just after 3 miles on both courses and one of the highlights of the run. Both races start from Northside Elementary School in Cool, CA. Explore this course complete with butterflies, newts, rolling hills, and plenty of dirt. This course is perfect for the first time trail runner while also still challenging enough for the trail vets. The long course is 10.3 miles and the short course is 5.8 miles.

New finisher medal for 2026!

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Held on the trails in Cool, California, Dirty Secret is perfect for first timers and trail vets. Hard-core runners looking for places to test their endurance will find plenty of challenging trails, ups and downs, and lots of twists and turns. There’s no separate jogging lane but there is plenty of single track. Those new to the trails will have to own up to their true ability and seed themselves accordingly in the proper wave start. Be prepared for the typical trail obstacles of rocks and roots, some low tree branches, slopes that are alternately grueling and a demanding climb out of Knickerbocker Creek which is the backbone of both the long and short course

RUNNER INFORMATION

REGISTRATION

COURSE INFORMATION

REGISTER for dirty secret

REGISTER FOR TRAIL CHALLENGE

2026 TRAIL CHALLENGE

Discover the trail runner in you this spring, summer and fall. The Fleet Feet Sacramento Trail Challenge takes your running off-road with a three-part series of sell-out races that promise to deliver breath-taking wilderness locations within a 1-hour drive of Sacramento.

The series kicks off with The Dirty Secret Trail Run in May, followed by the Blood, Sweat and Beers Trail Run in July and wraps up with Granite Head Trails & Ales in October. Each of the three races in the series offers a Short Course and Long Course distance to choose from.