Description
Great American Trail Race - Land Between the Lakes - 21st year!
LBL trail runs will happen on the second Saturday in March. March 8, 2025
There are four distances to choose from; 50 mile, 60KM, Marathon, and 23KM. They all begin together, along the shoreline of beautiful Kentucky Lake, and proceed about 2 miles to the fabulous Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, and the trail head. The Canal Loop is approximately 11.3 miles, mostly single-track, nicely packed dirt track consisting of rolling hills on the Lake Barkley side of the course, and larger hills on the Kentucky Lake side. The course yields spectacular views of both lakes, and is very runnable.
Sorry, we are dog owners, and love them, but DOGS are not allowed to run or walk with any participant due to insurance policy. We suggest you come early, or stay later and walk the trails with your pups. They'll love it.
For complete Race Instructions please check the tab on the left hand side of the home page.
or click this link: COMPLETE RACE INSTRUCTIONS
Schedule of Events
All times are Central Standard Time
Friday March 7
Packet PickUp: 3pm - 7:30 pm
Grand Rivers Community Center located at 155 W. Cumberland St, Grand Rivers, KY 42045; behind 1st Kentucky Bank,
across the street from Badgett Playhouse - turn east off of Hwy 453 across from Lighthouse Landing.
Pasta Dinner: Friday from 4:15pm - 7pm (or until food is gone). Catered by the Olive Garden.
Saturday March 8
Race Day Parking: begins at 04:45.
Volunteers will be at the intersection of W. Commerce and 453 (main entrance) to assist you with parking. Your parked car will be anywhere from 100 yards to .1 mile from the Finish
Packet pickup: 05:00 - 06:00 - for those arriving race morning. --
Grand Rivers Community Center, 155 W. Cumberland St, Grand Rivers, KY 42045
Porta johns/toilets:
The Community Center is open, and will have a few toilets, M/F. These will be overwhelmed, so if you'd like to save time, just use one of the porta johns located behind the Center, or one of those that are located by the Start.
Start of LBL trail runs - all distances: 06:30. We will start on time.
Be sure to allow yourself ample time to park, and walk as far as 1/2 mile. Start is along the KY Lake shoreline at Lighthouse Landing... down past the Sailboats. Dogs are NOT allowed to run or walk with any participant.
Post Race Food:
There will be a nice selection of food provided by the awesome Grand Rivers community, at the Community Center.
Finish:
There is a 12 hour limit on all races. We will take down the finish line at 6:30pm. Cut Off Times: For the 60k, you must start your final loop by 2:15pm. For the 50 mile you must start your final loop by 3 pm. If you miss the cut off times you will be directed to run back to Grand Rivers for the finish; where you will receive your time and award for the distance you finished.
Run 2 Great Kentucky Trail Races = 1 special award
UPDATE FOR 2024: The LLTH/LBL double is on again! WITH NEW MEDALS!
If you run any distance at Louisville Lovin' the Hills (LLTH), just run any distance at LBL, and we'll give you the extra medal at the finish. Just tell us you've earned one.
For many years many of us that run LBL trail runs also ran Louisville Lovin' The Hills (LLTH). Cynthia and Todd Heady (directors of LLTH) are great friends of ours. We decided to join forces, and offer a special award for those of you who run both of our events.
It's easy to do. Just register on LLTH's registration site. LLTH register here. for any distance, and register on this site for LBL any distance.
We'll have the LLTH finisher's list at the finish line at LBL. Tell us you ran LLTH, and we'll hand you your finishing awards for LBL, AND the special award for running the double.
Fantastic Buckles, Beautiful Medals, and Swag
Packet pick up is a reunion of old friends, and the making of new ones. Typically over 700 runners enjoy picking out a tech short (sometimes long sleeve, sometimes short sleeve), the color of the running style cap of their choice, a drawstring bag to put it all in, and a great pre race Pasta Dinner.
We have newly designed buckles that we think you are going to love. There's one for 50 mile finishers, and one for 60km.
New Marathon, and 23km medals!
Have you run 500 miles at LBL trail runs? Many of you have. We are rewarding you by giving you an additional buckle. A 500 mile buckle! Check out the Lifetime stats in the section below to see if you've earned yours.
Runners gather at the finish area to cheer their friends and fellow runners, then enjoy marvelous post race food provided by the outstanding citizens of Grand Rivers, KY.
It's a total experience that'll keep you coming back.
Place
Take a mini-vacation in a World Class resort and experience LBL
Grand Rivers KY, (pop 352), is located at the northern end of the fabulous Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, and surrounded by Kentucky Lake (Tennessee River) on one side, and Lake Barkley (Cumberland River) on the other. This quaint little Village is home to great little Antique shops, a nationally acclaimed restaurant (Patti's 1880s settlement), among others, and two World Class resorts in Lighthouse Landing, and Green Turtle Bay. The area swells during the summer months.
Located in western Tennessee and Kentucky, Land Between the Lakes (ie. LBL) is the largest inland peninsula in the U.S.A. Originally created when the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers were impounded (creating Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley), LBL features over 170,000 acres of forested & protected public land, and over 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline. Maintained and managed by the USDA Forest Service, LBL welcomes over 2 million visitors a year.
Having our race the second Saturday of each March (this is the 19th running), allows you to visit and soak in this wondrous area, at a time when the local economy needs a boost. The hospitality of Grand Rivers, and surrounding locales, is second to none. In March, the course boasts gorgeous views of the lakes before leaves from the trees block them. No insects to contend with either.
Come see what attracts so many runners to Land Between the Lakes trails runs. Although the area hosts one of the largest trail runs in the U.S., you can experience it's small town feel and hospitality. Give us a try! We think you'll want to return to the area as often as possible.
Lodging in the Grand Rivers area
See the attachment for Lodging choices in the Grand Rivers KY area
Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.
Course directions
Click on the link LBL Course maps to Durbin Race Management and scroll down to Land Between the Lakes for specific courses.
Note: the LBL Canal Loop is marked with Blue markers. The Yellow markers are designated with letters... A, B, C, D. These trails are connector trails. Stay with the Blue. There is a short section just after the North Welcome Station were the North/South trail runs with the Canal Loop. Along this section you will see white and blue markers.
23k start at Lighthouse Landing, run the road to the trailhead on Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, run one loop on the Canal Loop and then head back via road to finish at Grand Rivers in front of the GR Tourism Office.
Marathon – start at Lighthouse Landing, run the road to the trailhead on Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, run two loops on the Canal Loop, and then back to Grand Rivers for the finish.
60k – start at Lighthouse Landing, run the road to the trailhead on Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, run three loops on the Canal Loop, and then back to Grand Rivers for the finish
50 mile start at Lighthouse Landing, run the road to the trailhead on Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, run four loops on the Canal Loop, then after the fourth loop, turn left on Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive, and run a .62mi out to the turnaround, and back by the aid station and on back to Grand Rivers for the finish. Note that you run this out and back ONLY after the fourth loop, not any of the other loops. Staff member will be at the end of the loop to assist you.
Cut Off Times: For the 60k, you must start your final loop by 2:15pm. For the 50 mile you must start your final loop by 3 pm. If you miss the cut off times you will be directed to run back to Grand Rivers for the finish; where you will receive your time and award for the distance you finished.
Things to do at LBL; Friends of Land Between the Lakes website
Click for Friends of Land Between the Lakes website.
Things to do at LBL National Recreation Area:
Hiking, Biking, and Water Trails
Please consider donating to this incredible organization. Your donation is matched by West Kentucky Runners Club*. Over the years, together we have donated tens of thousands of dollars. It makes a difference!! Thank you!
*donations matched up to $2500/year
Winners; Records: Lifetime results and stats from 2004 - 2023
WINNERS; RECORDS; LIFETIME STATS! FROM 2004 - 2023
All the winners, course records, and stats from every year.
If you've ever run LBL trail runs, you should find it here*.
Check out the awesome info courtesy of "Bad" Mike Dobies.
*Some of the information was hard to find. If you see any mistakes, please let me know!
Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.
Arial view of LBL area
This arial view by Colburn Photography was taken at the fall LBL race. IT shows the start of the race and some of the small sections of road. It does not show the trails. It gives you a great idea of the overall beauty of the area, and the excitement of the race. NOTE: LBL trail runs follows the road from Lighthouse Landing (all of the sailboats, and the KY Lake shoreline, for 1.7 miles, and then you hit the trails!
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Directions
The start of the race is down past the sailboats, along the shoreline of Kentucky Lake at Lighthouse Landing, Grand Rivers, KY.
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Race Participant Survey
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