King of the Mountain
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 8:00 AM CDT
- Location
- Pelham, AL
- Oak Mountain State Park, North Trailhead, 35124
- Featured distance
- 5K
- Type
- RUN
Sign up and verify details on the organizer’s official page.
At a glance
Test your grit on Oak Mountain's rugged trails in this challenging 5K, featuring over 1,100 feet of elevation change.
- Competitive
CompetitiveGreat for: runners who like a competitive edge
The King of the Mountain 5K in Pelham, AL, offers a formidable challenge on Oak Mountain's rugged trails. Runners will navigate approximately 1,100 feet of climbing and descending over just 3.1 miles, tackling some of the "gnarliest climbs" in the Southeast. Expect a demanding course that includes the infamous Outback Highway, a water station at King's Chair, and a technical downhill finish from Eagles Nest. This event is designed to test your grit on Alabama's challenging terrain.
What to expect
- Begin with a short service road start before entering single track.
- Conquer significant uphill climbs, including the "Outback Highway" and a "walk-worthy climb" to King's Chair.
- Navigate rugged, technical terrain with a fast, ankle-watching downhill finish.
Standout details
- Southeast's toughest 5K
- ~1,100 feet of climbing
- King's Chair summit
- Technical downhill finish
Auto-drafted from the public listing — confirm details on the official event page before signing up.
Vibe Check
Easygoing
EasygoingTrail course
- Mostly trail
Partial data — terrain or weather signals missing.
The course
- —
From the organizer
Race start is at North Trailhead
Beginning with a short service road start, runners will quickly sort themselves before entering the single track of Blue Trail. After some rolling uphill, you will take a hard left up one of Oak Mountain's gnarliest climbs, and my favorite training hill, Outback Highway! Once summitted, good news, the most grueling stretch is behind you. But you still have 2.5 miles of rugged Alabama terrain. After the next, shorter, and gentler hill, you will crest over onto one of my favorite top-outs with boulders towards a slippery pine straw downhill. Next is a walk-worthy climb to your halfway point, your water station, and the crown of this race: King's Chair! After a quarter mile of mostly runnable trail, you will come to your second toughest, but final climb to Eagles Nest. From there, it's about a half mile of technical downhill till you get back to Red Road for a fast finish. But make sure you watch your ankles here!
So, come test your grit with the Southeast's toughest 5k. ~1,100 feet of climbing, and descending over only 3.1 miles, on Oak Mountain's rugged terrain.
Race start is at North Trailhead
Website
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