5K races near Columbia City

The toughest Whitefish Trail Blazer option climbs more than 6,300 feet in about 31 miles, including a push to the summit of Big Mountain. The race series is a fall trail-running weekend in Whitefish, Montana, run by Whitefish Legacy Partners as an annual celebration of open lands, conservation, and recreation. Saturday centers on the Blazer 50k mountain ultra, while Sunday adds a half marathon, 10k+, 5k+, and family fun run from the Whitefish Legacy Center. The 50k uses singletrack and double-track trails around Whitefish Mountain Resort and the Whitefish Trail system, with the route subject to U.S. Forest Service permit review. The shorter Sunday races explore the Beaver Lakes area and give families, newer trail runners, and faster local racers a place on the same weekend; past coverage even notes an eight-year-old finishing the fun run. The event has run for more than a decade, reached its 16th edition, and keeps growing, with the 50k drawing a record field of 172 runners. Finishers and top runners get prizes, nutrition products, and locally made awards, and the post-race gathering includes lunch, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks.

Montana's largest marathon, a 4-time winner of the Road Runners Club of America Marathon State Championship, is a 'runcation' destination with mountain views. All event distances sold out the past two years; register early. The start and finish are at Depot Park, site of the post-race party. Over 30 states are represented annually. Hotel partners offer special rates.