by If you’re looking for a winter trail race that feels equal parts fast, scenic, and honestly pretty challenging, the Rabid Raccoon 25K on Raccoon Mountain (just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee) belongs on your calendar.
This race is put on by Bad Beard Events, and it’s been a staple in the area for years (this was around the 9th/10th running). After finishing it, I get why it keeps people coming back: the organization is smooth, the course is well marked, the trails are in great shape, and you get that classic Raccoon Mountain mix of runnable singletrack + “why is this climb still going?”
Quick race details
Location: Raccoon Mountain, near Chattanooga, TN
Start area: Laurel Point
Race distance: 25K (my watch showed ~16 miles)
Elevation: ~2,800 ft gain (ish)
Organizer: Bad Beard Events
Course format: Changes direction by year to keep it fresh
2026 direction: Counter-clockwise (per the race description)
Pre-race: smooth check-in and a great vibe
Check-in was really smooth, which immediately sets the tone for a good race morning. There were vendors hanging out, and (a personal favorite) coffee and donuts for runners before the start. It felt like one of those events where the organizer has done it enough times to know exactly what matters on race morning.
Weather-wise, it was cold at the start, low 30s, but it warmed into the mid-40s and sunny, which is basically perfect for a winter trail race. Enough chill to keep you comfortable while moving, but not so cold that you’re miserable standing around.
Race Video
My gear choice: training day mode
For a race this length, I’d normally go handheld or a waist pack and call it a day. But I’m using this race as a training run for a longer event, so I decided to carry my full kit—mostly to practice moving with the extra weight and to make the day a little more “real” from a long-run perspective.
Would I recommend that for most runners? Probably not. The aid setup is strong enough that a smaller kit would work great for most people.
Aid stations: plenty of support for a 25K
The course had:
2 full aid stations
1 water-only station
Both full aid stations were well stocked, and for liquids they had water and red Gatorade (also available at the finish). For a 25K, that’s more than enough support, and it gives you flexibility in how much you carry.
If you’re running this as a true 25K effort and not as a “carry-the-kitchen-sink training day,” you can absolutely go lighter.
Course breakdown: fast start, rim views, and a big climb back up
Mile 1: paved and quick
The race starts with about a fast mile on pavement, which is a nice way to get settled, find your rhythm, and let the pack spread out before you hit singletrack.
Miles ~1–6: runnable singletrack with short steep pops
Once you drop into the trails, you’re moving around the rim of Raccoon Mountain. The trails here are very runnable with a few short, steep inclines mixed in.
This section was also one of the coolest parts visually. The cold morning created a layer of clouds sitting below the rim, filling the valley, so you get these peek-a-boo views through the leafless trees. It’s one of those scenes that makes you slow down for half a second just to take it in.
Trail conditions were excellent, and the course was very well marked. No guessing, no “wait… are we still on course?” moments. Just run.
The top: powerlines and the start of the big descent
Eventually you work your way to the top of the mountain and out by the powerlines, and from there you start the major descent of the race.
This descent is very runnable because it’s largely on a mountain bike trail with long switchbacks. That matters because even though you’re losing a lot of elevation, it never turned into a sketchy, super-steep, overly technical drop. You can move.
The bottom: aid stations and “okay… time to earn it”
Once you make your way down, you’ll hit the full aid stations (both were solid), then it’s time for the part that defines this course:
The climb back up.
The climb: runnable… until it isn’t
The climb starts with a series of big switchbacks and runnable grade, and you can make steady progress… until you reach the later portion.
I talked to a runner who’d done the race before, and he said the final climb was tough.
He didn’t lie.
At one point you can literally see the peak in front of you while you grind through a series of steeper switchbacks to the top. It’s one of those climbs where you’re moving the whole time, but you’re also doing mental math like, “Cool cool cool… how much longer is this?”
The “psych out” moment: passing the finish… and continuing
Once you finally get back to the top, the course sends you right by the finish… and then sends you back out for a few more winding sections of trail before you eventually hit the road you drove in on.
Important note here: watch for cars once you pop out near the road.
From there you’ve got about a mile to the finish, which is a great place to open it up—assuming your legs cooperate.
My biggest mistake: deadlifts + no salt = hamstring lockup
I made a very avoidable choice: I maxed out deadlifts the day before.
As soon as I tried to start running again after the big climb, both hamstrings locked up… hard. I also should’ve taken in more salt, but I forgot my LMNTs in the car (another avoidable mistake).
I stopped for a quick stretch, but even after loosening things up, I knew the smartest move was a walk-jog shuffle into the finish. Not the ending I wanted, but it was the right call.
Finish line: good food, good energy, great event
The finish area had hot food and cold drinks, and the post-race vibe was exactly what you want at an event like this… relaxed, upbeat, and well run.
And that’s really the theme of the day: this race is very well organized. Great marking, great aid, great swag/shirt, great trails.
Who should run Rabid Raccoon 25K?
This is a great race if you want:
A runnable 25K with real climbing
A winter event that’s well supported and well marked
A course that’s challenging without being overly technical
It’s not a beginner walk-in-the-woods situation. You can definitely run it as your first 25K if you’ve trained, but the climbing (especially that final push) will make you earn it.
What I’d do differently next time
No heavy lifting the day before (especially not max deadlifts)
Bring the salt I planned to bring (and maybe stash extra in the car as a backup)
If I’m racing it hard: lighter kit, a bit more aggressive pacing on the runnable sections
Final thoughts
I had a blast out there, even with the hamstring drama, and I’d run Rabid Raccoon 25K again without hesitation. It’s scenic, fast in all the right places, tough in the spots that matter, and the whole operation from Bad Beard Events felt professional and dialed.
If you’re in the Southeast and want a winter race that’s actually worth showing up for, this one delivers.
