⏵ Course guide · Thanksgiving morning, Santa Monica Mountains
SoCalTrail's LA Turkey Trail sends the half marathon, 10K, and 5K fields up from the Top of Reseda Trailhead toward the Nike Missile Tower, with views across the San Fernando Valley and out to the ocean. I will walk you through the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for a short, climbing holiday morning race. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official UltraSignup event page for the 2026 edition. Check the current year details, cutoffs, and start times before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.
All three distances start at the Top of Reseda Trailhead and head toward the landmark Nike Missile Tower, then split by distance from there.
The half marathon heads toward the Nike Missile Tower before turning down Westridge for what the organizers call an epic singletrack descent toward the Santa Monica Bay side of the range. It is the longest and most technical option on the course.
The 10K, described as "the classic," runs fast along Dirt Mulholland and turns around at the Nike Tower. It is a firmer, more runnable fire road option compared to the half marathon's singletrack finish.
The 5K Fun Run & Hike is built for every ability level, an out-and-back that lets walkers, families, and first-time trail runners share the same morning as the competitive fields without needing to match their pace.
With an 11:00 AM course closure and distances topping out at a half marathon, this is a race you can pace aggressively rather than conservatively, as long as you respect the climb early.
Every distance shares the initial climb toward the Nike Missile Tower. A grade-adjusted pace target keeps you from starting too hot on the way up, which matters most for half marathon runners chasing the $500 top prize, since a blown-up climb ruins the fast Westridge descent that follows.
The Westridge descent on the half marathon is described as epic for a reason: it is fast, technical singletrack. A finish-time estimate built off your actual climbing and descending pace on similar terrain is more useful here than a flat-road half marathon PR pace.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
With every distance finishing well under the 11:00 AM course closure, this is more about a light pre-race breakfast than mid-race fueling.
A 7:00 or 7:30 AM start on Thanksgiving morning means most runners are racing on a light breakfast or fasted. A small amount of easily digestible carbohydrate an hour or two before the start is usually enough; save the bigger meal for after the finish.
Water is generally sufficient for the half marathon and shorter distances here, with a small amount of quick carbohydrate for the half marathon if you are racing it hard. The real fueling reward comes after the finish, with the post-race vegan-friendly taco breakfast and beer garden built into the event.
⏵ Build your race plan
Dial in your pace and carb targets for the half marathon or 10K with the free race-time 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 climbing profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for Santa Monica Mountains terrain, and helps you race a sharp, well-paced holiday effort.
The organizers bill it as "Los Angeles' only trail race on Thanksgiving morning," and it delivers real vert for a holiday-morning event: 100% fire roads and singletrack through the Santa Monica Mountains, with the half marathon turning down Westridge for a genuine singletrack descent after climbing toward the Nike Missile Tower. It is approachable enough for a Thanksgiving tradition but has enough climbing that the organizers themselves promise you will be "thankful for the rest of the year."
The official race page does not publish an exact elevation gain figure for any of the three distances. What is confirmed: the course starts at the Top of Reseda Trailhead and climbs toward the Nike Missile Tower, with the half marathon adding a singletrack descent down Westridge and the 10K racing along Dirt Mulholland to a turnaround at the tower. Expect real, sustained climbing typical of the Santa Monica Mountains rather than a flat holiday fun run.
With a course that closes at 11:00 AM and the longest distance being a half marathon, most runners are on course well under two hours, so heavy mid-race fueling matters less here than pre-race breakfast timing on a holiday morning. If you are racing the half marathon hard, a small amount of quick carbohydrate, roughly 30 to 60 grams per hour, and water are usually enough for most runners at this distance. Save the real eating for the post-race vegan-friendly taco breakfast and beer garden.
The course closes at 11:00 AM. With the half marathon starting at 7:00 AM and the 10K and 5K at 7:30 AM, that gives half marathon runners up to 4 hours and 10K and 5K runners up to 3.5 hours, generous windows for these distances given the terrain.
The course runs entirely on fire roads and singletrack through the Santa Monica Mountains, starting at the Top of Reseda Trailhead and climbing toward the Nike Missile Tower with views spanning the San Fernando Valley, the ocean, and the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance. Late November mornings in the Santa Monica Mountains are typically cool and clear, warming up by late morning as the course closes.
Yes, this is a good low-stakes entry point into Southern California trail racing. The 5K Fun Run & Hike is explicitly built as an all-levels out-and-back, the field is centered around a fun, community Thanksgiving morning tradition with a canned food drive and post-race party, and even the half marathon's climbing is manageable within the generous 11:00 AM course closure. If you want a taste of real Santa Monica Mountains singletrack without committing to an ultra, this is a reasonable place to start.
Link this guide
Race directors and clubs: link or embed this guide anywhere. It stays current.
<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/turkey-trail-socaltrail">The LA Turkey Trail course guide</a>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and start times 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.