FEAR Trail Fest 2026: Dates, Registration & How to Run It (Morristown NJ)
FEAR Trail Fest 2026 is Sunday, November 22 at Lewis Morris Park, Morristown NJ — a beginner-friendly 5-mile trail race with a 2:30 cutoff. Registration, course details, and how to attend.
In this guide
If you’ve been road-running and eyeing the trails, FEAR Trail Fest is built for you. On Sunday, November 22, 2026, this 5-mile trail race at Lewis Morris Park in Morristown, New Jersey, delivers a genuine singletrack experience — rocks, roots, and about 600 feet of climbing — with a welcoming 2:30-hour cutoff that explicitly invites hikers and first-timers.
Quick answer: FEAR Trail Fest 2026 is Sunday, November 22, 2026, at Lewis Morris Park, Morristown, NJ — a 5-mile lollipop loop on the Yellow Trail, beginner-friendly, hikers welcome, 2:30 cutoff. Register through the official race listing; 2026 adds a finisher medal for every participant.
The essentials: date, course, and cutoff
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, November 22, 2026 |
| Venue | Lewis Morris Park, Morristown, NJ |
| Distance | 5 miles (lollipop loop, mostly the Yellow Trail) |
| Elevation gain | ~600 feet |
| Cutoff | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Who it’s for | First-time trail racers, veterans racing it fast, and hikers |
The course opens on a wide section of crushed gravel along the Patriots Path, then dives into full singletrack for the Yellow Trail loop before returning on the Patriots Path to the finish. It’s runnable — no scrambling — but the rocks, roots, and climbs keep it honest.
If this is your first trail race, it’s one of several late-fall November 2026 hiking events worth penciling in — and the cupless, hemp-bib setup makes it a natural place to practice Leave No Trace basics.
Registration: how to enter
Entry is handled through the race’s official listing page, which shows current pricing and availability:
Register for FEAR Trail Fest 2026 →
New for 2026: every participant gets a finisher medal, and the organizers added porta-potties after field feedback. The event runs cupless — Hydrapak supplies reusable cups for runners at aid stations — and race bibs are made from hemp instead of PVC, a small sustainability story that sets the tone for the whole event.
How to attend: getting there and race morning
Lewis Morris Park sits in Morristown, Morris County, NJ, an easy drive from across northern New Jersey and the NYC metro. Late-November mornings in the park are crisp — expect temperatures in the 30s–40s°F at the start, warming as you move.
Race-morning checklist:
- Trail shoes with real grip. Wet leaves on rocks and roots are the classic November trail hazard; road shoes slide.
- Layers. A throwaway warm-up layer for the start corral; you’ll warm up within the first mile of climbing.
- Your own cup or bottle (optional). Reusable cups are provided, but carrying your own means zero waiting at aid stations.
- Arrive early for the singletrack. Narrow trails mean seeding matters — if you’re racing it, get near the front.
New to trail racing? Start here
FEAR Trail Fest is one of the friendlier on-ramps to the sport, and the organizers lean into that: free course previews run on the actual race course before the event (dates announced closer to race day), specifically aimed at runners who’ve never raced trails or never visited Lewis Morris Park. Walk the Yellow Trail loop once, and race day feels like a home game.
The 2:30 cutoff on a 5-mile course is the other tell — that’s a 30-minute-per-mile pace. You can genuinely hike this race and finish with room to spare, which makes it a great “first trail event” to do with a friend who’s nervous about racing.
Event details compiled from the official race listing. Pricing, start times, and course details can change — confirm on the registration page before race day.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the 2026 FEAR Trail Fest trail race being held?
Sunday, November 22, 2026, at Lewis Morris Park in Morristown, New Jersey. The course is a 5-mile lollipop loop run mostly on the Yellow Trail, starting on crushed gravel before moving to singletrack.
Is the FEAR Trail Fest a good race for someone who has never run trails before?
Yes — it’s explicitly designed for it. The course is runnable with about 600 feet of elevation gain, the field mixes first-timers with veterans, hikers are welcome, and the generous 2:30-hour cutoff means walkers can finish comfortably.
How do I register for FEAR Trail Fest 2026 and what does entry include?
Registration is handled through the official race listing page (linked below), which shows current entry pricing. For 2026, every participant gets a finisher medal, and the event is cupless — Hydrapak provides reusable cups for runners.
Can I preview the FEAR Trail Fest course before race day?
Yes — the organizers host free course previews on the race course so you can learn the Yellow Trail loop before race day. Preview dates are announced closer to the event; they’re free and aimed at first-time trail runners.
What makes FEAR Trail Fest different from a typical road 5-miler?
Rocks, roots, and real climbs (about 600 feet of them), a cupless sustainability setup with reusable Hydrapak cups, eco-friendly hemp race bibs instead of PVC, and a singletrack-heavy loop that rewards attention over raw speed.