FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHERE IS THE 2026 EVENT? Mark O. Hatfield West Trailhead (45.70369, -121.48685) Hood River, OR
PARKING? While there is parking at the event site, it is extremely limited and open to the public, so we ask you that you park at the Hood River DMV Lot (600 E. Marina Dr., Hood River, OR 97031). This is 6min north of the event site. Please use the free shuttle bus service explained below.
ARE DOGS ALLOWED? Yes! Dogs must be kept on leash no longer than 6' at all times. Leashed, well behaved dogs are allowed on the free shuttle bus to & from the event. We will have doggy aid stations along the route & freebies for the pups - courtesy of Dog River Pet Supplies!
ARE STROLLERS ALLOWED? Yes! Our course is along a wide, paved, path - perfect for strollers.
ADA ACCESSIBLE? Yes! The path is ADA accessible and we welcome all to participate.
CAN KIDS PARTICIPATE? Yes! Kids under 12 register for free. Please make sure all participants are registered on our registration website prior to partaking in the run. All waivers must be signed. 100% discount is automatically applied to registrants 12 and under!
CAN I WALK, INSTEAD? Yes! We kindly ask that walkers stay towards the back when lining up at the starting line, to allow for runners to lead the way. Our event ends at 2:30pm, so keep that in mind if planning to use the shuttle bus.
EARLY PACKET PICK-UP? Early packet pick-up will be available on Friday, April 10th for those who'd like to grab their supplies early! Details to come.
IS THERE BEER? All participants receive a free beer. Just pull the “free beverage” pull tab off your bib and hand it over for a free beverage at the Working Hands beer tent!
WHAT ABOUT NON-ALCOHOLIC OPTIONS? We will also have a variety of non-alcholic beverages on-site that do not require a “free beverage” pull tab, but are free courtesy of sponsors like GORGIE (energy drinks) and Best Day (non-alcoholic beer)! Stop by our refreshment table for other warm beverages such as hot chocolate, tea and coffee - amongst other tasty treats!
ARE SPECTATORS WELCOME? We encourage a crowd! Bring your friends to cheer you on. We will have noise makers for the kiddos.
PAYMENT METHODS? We accept cash, check and credit card. As a reminder, 100% of proceeds for registration, event merchandise and apparel, raffle tickets and auction purchases ALL go directly to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation!
FREE SHUTTLE? Explore The Gorge has graciously donated free shuttle services that will pick up from the DMV lot starting at 7:45am. Last shuttles will wrap up with the event ending at 2:30pm. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are allowed on the shuttle bus. Just park at the DMV lot and look for the big "Explore The Gorge" buses, they will be shuttling every few minutes.
IS THERE A COAT CHECK? Yes, so you can bring your layers! Making purchases at the event? No problem! We’ll hold them for you at coat check while you run.
FAMILY FRIENDLY? Yes! We have tons of family-friendly activities once check-in opens at 8am. Facepainting, kids bib decoration station with stickers and coloring supplies, lawn games such as cornhole, large jenga, hula hoops, etc. Plus - photobooth props and Smokey Bear and local firefighters will be walking around to take pictures with!
WHAT'S THE ROUTE LIKE? The route is along the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, which offers stunning views of the Columbia River from above! The path is a wide, paved, gradual graded trail. It will remain open to the public, and bikes are allowed on the trail - so please be mindful of others' space. This is an out-and-back course. Read more here.
SAME DAY REGISTRATION? We do allow same day registration, however, we strongly encourage signing up ahead of time. We plan supplies according to sign ups - so signing up early allows us to know how many supplies to purchase.
TOILETS? We will have port-a-potties graciously donated by Columbia River Affordable Portables. These are located at the event site. We do not have toilets along the route.
AID STATIONS? We will have one aid station located just shy of the 10k turnaround spot. We will have bottled water, garbage receptacles, and electrolyte packets courtesy of sponsors like Nuun, LMNT and Liquid IV. We will also have a dog water station located here.
TIMEKEEPING? This is a self-timed event. Please keep track of your time for yourself!
CAN I FUNDRAISE? Yes! After you register on our registration site, you will receive an email to set up your PledgeReg website. This is simple and takes minutes to customize. You can then share your customized PledgeReg website with friends and family to raise money for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation! It’s similar to the concept of a GoFundMe. Keep sharing your personalized link - the top fundraiser gets a plaque on event day! The top fundraising team also gets a plaque! The best part is that you can participate in this from anywhere in the country. Sign up for a virtual 5K/10K category on our registration website and you will get the opportunity to create a PledgeReg account! If you win the Top Fundraiser placement by event day, your plaque will be mailed.
CAN I SPONSOR? Yes! Visit our sponsorship section on our website: www.runwiththewild.com/sponsors, or send us an email: runwiththewildrace@gmail.com!
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE? You can learn more about the event at www.runwiththewild.com and the registration site: www.runreg.com/run-with-the-wild. To learn more about the 501(c)3 nonprofit that our event benefits, visit www.wffoundation.org!