The Blanchard Beast Trail Race
The Blanchard Beast is a GBRC trail race that is approximately 10 miles long. The race takes place on the trails of the Blanchard State Forest due South of Bellingham, WA and offers an exciting, wooded run with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. This race offers something in-between a 10K and a half marathon for those who are interested in pushing their max distances or as a training run for something bigger.
Registration for the 2023 Blanchard Beast has not opened yet. Currently registration is set to open Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 9:00 AM. Check back soon or subscribe below to be notified when registration opens.
| Online Registration Cost | $40 for non-GBRC members |
| $10 for GBRC members | |
| Day of Registration Cost * Pending Availability |
$45 for non-GBRC members |
| $15 for GBRC members |
Interested in getting updates about when registration will open? Subscribe below!
An email will be sent out to all race participants with day of info approximately a week before the event.
Race bibs with timing chips will be available for early pickup at Fairhaven Runners and Walkers. We will have limited day of pickup, so if possible, please pick them up in advance:
If possible, please carpool! Due to limited parking at the start/finish area it is highly recommend that you carpool. We have arranged several transportation methods to help with the limited parking:
The start/finish area is located in Blanchard State Forest. To drive to the trailhead, start at I-5 exit 240, go north on Samish Lake Road for 0.5 miles. Turn left on Barrel Springs Road and go one mile. Turn right on B-1000 Road (5 Mi Blanchard Hill Trail Road). Go 1 mile to trailhead.
Below is the schedule of events on Saturday:
We will have several waves at the starting line to help keep the first, short section of trail from getting too congested. Your wave will be determined by the time you provided during registration and will be communicated closer to the event.
Detailed course information can be found below or by clicking here.
This is an open course. A portion of the race course is made up of multiple use trails. If you encountered a horse during the race, please yield to the horse ideally on the downhill side of the trail. You may encounter mountain bikers as well. For more information on trail etiquette https://trailrunner.com/trail-news/trail-running-rules-run/ and https://trailsarecommonground.org/ are good resources.
Pets are not allowed on the course.
There is one very, very important turn for you to make while racing (if you don't you'll get to add a few miles and a LOT of elevation gain...). During the second climb on the Samish Bay Trail make sure you take the left turn to the Samish Overlook.
There will be one aid station located at (or near) the Samish Overlook with water and a limited food selection. If you have a portable cup or water container you are willing to run with, please bring it. We are hoping to minimize the amount of waste created during the event.
Since we are primarily using the park and ride for parking we are allowing one drop bag to be left at the start/finish line. Please be prepared to label it with your name and bib number.
We will have the shuttle running routinely after the race or as demand requires.
Interested or know someone who is interested in volunteering? Please reach out to info@blanchardbeast.com!
The following awards will be given out after the event:
The 10 mile course starts at Blanchard State Forest's Lower Parking Lot and the course is ran in the counter-clockwise direction. For more information on the coures please use the resources below:
Some additional important information about the course includes:
Please contact us if you have any questions or if you are having any issues with the registration system. The best way to get a hold of us is to use Facebook chat (see chat bubble in lower right corner of the screen) or to email us at info@blanchardbeast.com.
Interested in getting in contact with a specific member of our race team? Their contact information can be found below.
