Blue Hill Mountain Trail Fest
About the race
Blue Hill Mountain Trail Fest is a multi-distance race and gathering in celebration of the mountain overlooking the coastal town of Blue Hill.
Runners and hikers of all abilities are welcome, with a choice of distance.
Runners traverse fields of wildflowers and densely forested technical trail, with coastal vistas second to none.
Profits from the event will be transferred to Blue Hill Heritage Trust and Wabanaki Alliance.
Aid stations and drop bags
The race hub is the main aid station, right at the start/finish, with a full complement of hydration, snacks (salty, sweet, vegan), and whoopie pies (a Maine delicacy).
A smaller aid station is at the intersection of Post Office, Osgood and Mountain Rd, stocked with water, electrolyte drink and limited snacks.
A designated drop bag area is provided for 50k and 25k runners.
Support crew and pacers
25k and 50k runners may have a crew present and stationed at Osgood/Mountain Rd.
No pacers are allowed in any race category.
Lodging and camping
The Blue Hill peninsula has numerous coastal inns, B&Bs and motels. Finding vacancy in the summer can be challenging, so book accommodation within suitable driving distance as soon as you register if you are coming from out of town.
For camping, contact the organizers directly.
Packet pickup and pre-race meeting
Packet pickup is from 4-6pm on Friday, July 31st in the Mountain Rd Field.
An optional pre-race meeting is held at 5pm on Friday, August 1st, to review the course and answer questions. We encourage all runners to pick up packets and attend the meeting on Friday, but if you are unable, you can still check in prior to race start on Saturday.
The Friday meeting is live streamed on Instagram, @bhmtrailfest.
The mountain and land
Blue Hill Mountain is a 934-foot monadnock (isolated mountain) that has long been a local landmark and is now mostly conserved and under the management of Blue Hill Heritage Trust.
Awanadjo, meaning "small, misty mountain", was the name given to the mountain by the Penobscot Tribe of the Wabanaki Confederacy. Since humans have lived in coastal Maine, Blue Hill Mountain has been central to the identity of the region's residents.
Blue Hill Heritage Trust acknowledges that the land it conserves is part of the homeland of Wabanaki peoples who have lived in this region from time immemorial, and who are now sovereign tribal nations.
Trail Sisters Approved race
This is a Trail Sisters Approved Race. As such, it offers:
- Equal podiums and awards
- Women's specific apparel and swag
- Menstrual products at aid stations
- Women on the starting line
Pregnancy and postpartum policy
Whether planned or unplanned, an expected or unexpected start or end to a pregnancy, healing and recovery time are required for a woman's overall health.
- Deferral to the following year or a full refund is granted at any point upon request.
Start times and cutoffs
- 50k: 5:00am, 10-hour cutoff
- 25k: 8:00am, 5-hour cutoff
- 10k: 9:00am, 3-hour cutoff
- 5k: 9:00am, 2-hour cutoff
Cancellation policy
Deferral to the following year or a full refund is granted at any point upon request.
The course
50K
25K
10K
5K
The 5K starts at the Mountain Rd field, turns onto Mountain Rd and runs a short out-and-back on Post Office Trail before continuing up Osgood Trail to the summit, then down the Service Road trail back to the start/finish. The 10K adds an upper loop on the figure-eight profile for a first summit, then a full figure-eight loop along Mountain Rd, down Pleasant St, and up Post Office Trail to Osgood Trail for a second summit and descent. The 25K has three full figure-eight loops after a shorter upper loop, and the 50K has seven full figure-eight loops.
Location
City insight: Blue Hill
Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County, Maine, USA, on Blue Hill Bay, and it hosts the annual Blue Hill Fair. Winters are cold and snowy while summers are mild and pleasant, so late spring through early autumn is the best time to race.
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