⏵ Course guide · Oakland redwood trail race
Inside Trail Racing's Oakland Hills Trail Run runs through a hidden coast redwood forest in Redwood Regional Park, just a few miles over the ridge from downtown Oakland, up to a 22.8-mile 35K with about 4,550 feet of gain. I will walk you through the terrain first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for shaded East Bay hills. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official Inside Trail Racing event page. Check the current year details, cutoffs, and aid stations before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.
The course runs through Redwood Regional Park's 1,830 acres, with the 35K covering 22.8 miles and about 4,550 feet of gain through a landscape few visitors expect this close to Oakland.
The park's peaceful groves give little evidence of its bustling past, in the mid-1800s the area was extensively logged to supply building materials for the San Francisco Bay Area. That era has long since passed, and 150-foot coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) have replaced what was cut down, part of a rich mix that also includes other evergreens, chaparral, and grasslands.
The park hosts rare species like the golden eagle and the Alameda striped racer alongside more common deer, raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels. Watch for wildlife as you move between the shaded redwood groves and more open sections.
With 4,550 feet of gain over 22.8 miles and a generous 6.5 hour window, the 35K rewards steady effort more than an aggressive early pace.
A grade-adjusted pace target built for Redwood Regional Park's mix of forested and open terrain gives you a realistic number for what is sustainable across the full 22.8 miles. The redwood shade can make early miles feel easier than they actually are, so pace off effort, not how cool the air feels.
A race-time calculator built around your goal gives you a finish prediction you can check against the hard 3:00 PM off-course time, useful to confirm early that your pacing plan actually works for the full 35K.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Late October in the Oakland hills usually means mild fall temperatures, but shade varies a lot between the redwood groves and more open sections.
Aim for roughly 45 to 75 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the 35K, staying consistent through both the shaded redwood sections and any warmer, more exposed stretches.
Sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range covers most runners, leaning higher if the day runs warm in the more exposed sections outside the redwood canopy.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a mild Oakland hills fall day with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, this exact Redwood Regional Park course profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for East Bay hill climbing, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
It is a solid East Bay trail race: 22.8 miles with about 4,550 feet of gain, roughly 200 feet per mile, through Redwood Regional Park and the EBMUD Southern Watershed. The 6.5 hour time limit gives real room to work with, and the forested terrain keeps most of the course shaded compared to more exposed Bay Area trail races.
The 35K carries about 4,550 feet of elevation gain over its 22.8 miles. Redwood Regional Park's 1,830 acres mix a stately coast redwood forest, some trees standing 150 feet tall, with other evergreens, chaparral, and grasslands, so the climbing comes with real terrain variety rather than one repeated grade.
A late October race in the Oakland hills usually means mild fall weather, cooler than summer racing but still capable of a warm afternoon in exposed sections. Aim for roughly 45 to 75 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the 35K, and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range. The redwood forest sections offer real shade, so hydration needs may shift noticeably between the forested and open parts of the course. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
The 35K carries a 6.5 hour time limit from its 8:30 AM start, and all runners must be off the course by 3:00 PM. That is a generous window for the distance and elevation gain, giving most trained runners real margin.
A hidden redwood forest sits in the hills just a few miles over the ridge from downtown Oakland, its peaceful groves giving little evidence of the park's history as a major logging site in the mid-1800s. Today, 150-foot coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) have replaced what was cut down, alongside other evergreens, chaparral, and grasslands across 1,830 acres. Wildlife includes rare species like the golden eagle and Alameda striped racer, plus more common deer, raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels.
Yes, reasonably so. The 6.5 hour time limit is generous for the distance, the terrain is well-shaded through much of the course, and the 10K and Half Marathon options let you build up to the 35K over successive years if you want a gentler introduction to Inside Trail Racing's East Bay events.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/oakland-hills-trail-run">The Oakland Hills Trail Run course guide</a>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.