Henry Vilas Zoo - Run Wild 2026

Henry Vilas Zoo - Run Wild is an annual 5K and 10K run/walk hosted by Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. The race, also known as Run Wild, begins on the Lake Wingra side of the zoo, just outside the South gate on Vilas Park Drive. A Kids Fun Run for children 12 and under is also part of the event, starting outside the North gate. Walkers and participants with strollers are welcome, lining up behind runners at the start. The course covers the area around Henry Vilas Zoo and parts of the nearby University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum. Every runner or walker gets a Run Wild T-shirt. A portion of each registration fee supports Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy, a 58,000-acre conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. Ol Jogi aids critically endangered animals like black rhinos and Grevy's zebra, connecting a local zoo fundraiser in Madison with wildlife conservation in East Africa.