SALOMON Koning van Spanje Trail 2026

The SALOMON Koning van Spanje Trail is a three-day trail running weekend held annually in May in Gulpen, situated in the Limburg hills of the southern Netherlands. The start and finish are located at the Koning van Spanje climb, the namesake of the event. The weekend offers a variety of races, from children's distances of 400m, 700m, and 1,400m to challenging ultra options. These include an 85km race and a 100km event, the ULTIMATE, broken into 17km, 43km, and 41km segments with approximately 3,000 meters of elevation gain. Friday features the Kids Trails and a 17km evening trail. Saturday presents the widest selection of distances, and Sunday includes a range of trail races from short distances to marathon length. The courses traverse South Limburg and extend into a section of Belgium, with a unique route for each day. The Koning van Spanje climb is incorporated into several distances. Its name originates from the Eighty Years’ War, when the hill was held by the King of Spain during military actions in the Low Countries. Marc Weening initiated the event, which later evolved into a full weekend format to accommodate participants traveling from further afield. The participants range from novice trail runners and families to seasoned ultra runners. Additionally, guided 15km hikes are available for those who prefer not to race but wish to experience the same hills. Longer races require GPS navigation. The finish includes local elements such as cake from Bakkerij Hagedoren, a medal, and a glass of Gulpener Radler.