Each spring, the American Trail Running Association conducts a survey to measure trail running trends from our national audience. This year we had responses from more than 500 individuals. Complete survey results are made available to corporate members at the Switchback, Steep & Rocky and All-terrain levels. The following selected outtakes are from our most recent trail running survey conducted in May/June of this year with data comparisons to our 2024 and 2023 spring surveys.
Trail Runner Survey Participant Profile:
• Gender of survey participants. For [2025] 59% male, 39% female, 2% other/no response vs [2024] 59% male, 40% female vs [2023] 57% male, 42% female
• Age range of survey participants. For [2025] 10% aged 20-39, 49% ages 40-59 and 41% over 60 vs [2024] 12% ages 20-39, 51% ages 40-59, 37% ages 60 and over, vs [2023] 16% ages 20-39, 54% ages 40-59 30% age 60 and over
• Ethnicity – For [2025] 83% White, 3% Hispanic or Latino, 2% Asian, 2% Black/African American, 1.5 % American Indian or Alaska Native, 3% two or more races vs [2024] 84% White, 5% Hispanic or Latino, 2% Asian, 1% 2 or more race, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, vs [2023] 84% White, 4% Hispanic or Latino, 2% Asian, 2% two or more race, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native
• Income level – For [2025] 61% over $81,000, 3% $30,000 or less vs [2024] 54% over $81,000, 4% $30,000 or less, vs [2023] 56% over $81,000, 5% $30,000 or less
• How long have you been running on the trails? For [2025] 78% more than 10 years vs [2024] 72% more than 10 years, vs [2023] 65% more than 10 years
• How many days per week do you run on trails? For [2025] 44% run 3-5 days per week vs [2024] 48% run 3-5 days per week
• How many miles do you run per week? For [2025] 49% run 5-20 miles per week vs [2024] 47% run 5-20 miles per week, vs [2023] 46% run 6-20 miles per week
• What is your favorite type of trail? For [2025] 40% list single track vs [2024] 43% list single track, vs [2023 and 2021] 47% list single track
• What kind of trail running do you prefer? For [2025] 85% prefer a mix of ascending and descending vs [2024] 86% prefer a mix of ascending and descending, vs [2023] 82% prefer a mix of ascending and descending
• How many trail races will you run this year? For [2025] 69% will run 1-5, and 5% will run more than 10 vs [2024] 68% will run 1-5, and 6% will run more than 10, vs [2023] 72% will run 1-5, and 4% will run more than 10
• What is your favorite trail race distance? For [2025] 41% prefer ultra distance, 6% prefer 5 miles or shorter vs For [2024 and 2023] 39% prefer ultra distance, 5% prefer 5 miles or shorter
Use of Activity Trackers and Training Logs:
• Do you run with a GPS watch? For [2025 and 2024] 79% run with a GPS watch vs [2023 and 2022] 78% run with a GPS watch vs [2021] 77% run with a GPS watch
• Do you record your running mileage in a journal or calendar? For [2025] 14% responded yes vs [2024] 15% responded yes, vs [2023, 2021 and 2020] 13% responded yes
Editor’s Note: Learn more about Racin’ Grayson’s training log here.
Running shoes, poles, coaches and hydration:
• Do you run with poles? For [2025] 32% responded sometimes, and 5% when they race vs [2024] 33% responded sometimes, and 4% when they race, vs [2023] 30% responded sometimes, and 3% when they race
Editor’s note: See results from our 2025 Trail Running Poles survey here.
• Do you wear trail-specific shoes while running on trails? For [2025 and 2024] 82% answered ‘yes’ vs [2023 and 2021] 83% answered ‘yes’
• Do you wear a hydration vest while running on trails? For [2025] 72% answered ‘yes’ vs [2024] 70% answered ‘yes’ vs [2023] 73% answered ‘yes’
• Do you have a coach? For [2025, 2024] 12% say ‘yes’ vs [2023] 13% say ‘yes’
Top Eight Running Shoe Brands over the years:
• Hoka [2025, 2024] 20.2% vs. [2018] 14.6% vs. [2019] 18.6% vs. [2020] 19.6% vs. [2021] 22% vs [2022] 25% vs [2023] 21.75%
• Altra [2025] 19% vs [2024] 19.5% vs [2018] 19.9% vs. [2019] 20.9% vs. [2020] 20.8% vs. [2021 and 2022] 22% vs [2023] 20.79%
• Saucony [2025] 9% vs [2024] 9.4% vs [2018] 8.7% vs. [2019] 8.9% vs. [2020] 7.8% vs. [2021 and 2022] 8.3% vs [2023] 9.37%
• Brooks [2025] 8.5% vs [2024] 8.8% vs [2018] 12.3% vs. [2019] 12.4% vs. [2020] 11.7% vs. [2021 and 2022] 10% [2023] 8.17%
• Salomon [2025] 7.3% vs [2024] 8.3% vs [2018] 11.9% vs. [2019] 10% vs. [2020] 10% vs. [2021] 11% vs [2022] 8.7% vs [2023] 8.97%
• Topo [2025] 6.3% vs [2024] 6.2% vs. [2021] 3.5% vs [2022] 3.8% vs [2023] 4.92%
• La Sportiva [2025] 4.1% vs [2024] 3.6% vs [2018] 5.6% vs. [2019] 5.3% vs. [2020] 4.0% vs. [2021 and 2022] 4.3% vs [2023] 4.44%
• Nike [2025] 3.6% vs [2024] 4% vs [2023] 3.81%
Community:
• Do you feel safe while running on the trails? For [2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022] 91% responded ‘yes, most of the time’
Editor’s Note: Check out Trails are Common Ground initiative here.
• Do you feel like you are part of a trail running community? For [2025] 69% responded ‘yes’ and 31% responded ‘no’ or ‘not sure’ vs [2024] 72% responded ‘yes’ and 28% responded ‘no’ or ‘not sure’ vs [2022 and 2023] nearly 75% responded ‘yes’ and 25% responded ‘no’ or ‘not sure’
• In what ways have you built or expanded your trail running community? Running trail races garnered the top response with 82% in [2025] and 83% in [2024 and 2023], followed by social media at 47% in [2025] and 52% in [2024] and 54% in [2023], next was volunteering at trail races [2025] 44% vs [2024] 46% vs [2023] 42%, followed by reading trail running magazines, articles, or blogs [2025] 40.5% vs [2024] 42% vs [2023] 41%
• Have you ever participated in trail building work (either boots on the ground or monetary contribution) or trail maintenance? For [2025] 64% responded ‘yes’ and 6% responded that they were considering getting involved vs [2024] 61% responded ‘yes’ and 9% responded that they were considering getting involved vs [2023] 60% responded yes and 8% responded that they were considering getting involved
• Active on social media channels had Facebook leading the way with 60% in [2025] vs 66% in [2024] vs 60% in [2023], followed by Instagram at 51% in [2025] vs 52% in [2024] vs 55% in [2023]. No social media was the norm for 23% of the respondents in [2025 vs 18% of respondents in [2024] vs 20% of respondents in [2023]
What does ATRA do well
Articles and News Stories 61%
Promoting the Sport 57%
Surveys 31%
Online Calendar 28%
Social Media 22%
Some Past ATRA Trail Runner Survey Summaries:
December 2023 – Trail Runner’s Survey: Livestream
June 2023 – Spring Trail Runner Survey Summary
February 2023 – Community, Footwear, and Gear
June 2022 – Spring Trail Runner Survey Summary
March 2022 – Why do trail runners DNF?
June 2021 – Spring Trail Runner Survey Summary
May 2020 – Spring Trail Running Survey Summary
November 2015 – Gender Equity in Mountain Running Survey
