The following article was written by Julie Block and features the upcoming GoPro Mountain Games — Something for every runner: Come for the races. Stay for the festival.
Whether you’re chasing a podium, your dog, a mud pit, or just a cold drink at the finish line, the 2026 GoPro Mountain Games has a trail running event with your name on it. And unlike most races you’ll run this year, the start line is just the beginning.
The annual outdoor adventure sports festival returns to Vail, Colorado June 4-7, with eight running events spanning every distance, pace, and personality. It’s all wrapped inside a full festival weekend of live music, 35+ world-class outdoor competitions, food trucks, free swag from top outdoor brands, a creator stage, and the kind of mountain town energy that's hard to find anywhere else. Plus, spectating is 100% free.
What to expect
New this year is the Kids Mini Dash, designed to get the youngest generation stoked on trails early. It joins the beloved Nature Valley Mountain Mud Run as a family-friendly cornerstone of the weekend — a chaotic, laugh-filled romp through mud that’s become a fan favorite for runners who’d rather splash than race.
For dog lovers, the BFGoodrich Rocky Dog Fun Run offers a 5K you can tackle leash in hand. And with not one but three 5K options on the schedule — including the adidas TERREX Après 5K and the adidas TERREX Sunday Funday 5K — casual runners have plenty of entry points into the festival’s electric atmosphere.
Those looking to push a little harder can step up to the adidas TERREX 10K Spring Runoff, a classic in the Mountain Games lineup, or the adidas TERREX 20K Trail Run for a deeper taste of Vail's high-altitude terrain. And then there's the crown jewel: the adidas TERREX Pepi’s Face-Off, an infamously steep vertical challenge that has humbled and thrilled competitors for years. Think less fun run, more suffer fest with a view.
All registered athletes receive access to the STōK Cold Brew Athlete Lounge, an athlete bag with exclusive event swag, and more. Plus, new for 2026, athletes get a $10 discount per show for Mountains of Music concerts at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, one of Colorado’s premier outdoor music venues.
The GoPro Mountain Games is so much more than a trail race. It’s a full outdoor adventure festival set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, and your race is just one part of the experience. Between events, the festival comes alive with live music, food trucks, a vendor village packed with top outdoor brands giving away free swag, and more. World-class competitions unfold across the weekend in everything from mountain biking to kayaking, slacklining to climbing, disc golf to DockDogs — so after you cross your own finish line, there are plenty of reasons to stick around. Trail runners arrive as competitors, leave as festivalgoers, and usually start planning their return before they even get home.
Registration and full event details are available at mountaingames.com.
About GoPro Mountain Games
The GoPro Mountain Games is produced by the Vail Valley Foundation and takes place annually in Vail, Colorado. The event is committed to sustainability through its Protect Our Playground initiative, which encompasses waste diversion, ecosystem protection, renewable energy, and community education.
