THAW
ADVENTURE TREK
Race #2 of the Four Seasons Series
THAW welcomes spring in one of Kentucky’s most iconic landscapes - Cumberland Falls State Park! Flowing water, dense forest, and beautiful terrain shape this navigation-focused race that’s unlike anything else in Kentucky.
-
LENGTH: 5 Hour Cutoff
DISCIPLINES: Navigating • Trekking
WHERE: Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, KY
WHEN: Saturday, April 18, 2026
WHO: Solos or TeamsTHE COURSE:
There is NO minimum distance required - show up and find as many checkpoints as your legs/time allow. Teams trying to “clear” the course should plan on roughly 20 miles. The format will be point-based with easier>harder checkpoints valued accordingly.COST: $85. Kids race for FREE! (under 16). A free Navigation Clinic is available to help get you race-ready.
|| Registration is Closed. Join us for the next one - Zenith! ||
THAW is priced at $85 - intentionally kept below what many half marathons charge. It keeps the door open for people curious about adventure racing while still delivering a full experience: hand-built courses, detailed maps, swag, real navigation, a hot meal at the finish. It’s not a straight-line race, it’s hours of choose-your-own adventure. -
Registration Includes
Sun sleeves to get you ready for the warmer days ahead! Race-branded, lightweight, seamless, and comfortable - with UPF 50 protection and cooling tech, without the itch or squeeze.
Waterproof map (with the option to add extra maps)
A well-marked, thoughtfully designed course
Perfectly placed checkpoints
Hot post-race meal
Kids under 16 race for Free
A Free Navigation Clinic
A springtime challenge at one of KY’s destination Parks
-
Saturday — April 18
Free Navigation Clinic: 8:00–9:00 AM
Check-In + Maps: 9:00 AM
Race Start: 10:00 AM
Race Cutoff: 3:00 PM
About the Series
The 4 Seasons Series is a year-long navigation challenge that keeps pace with nature’s rhythm.
Four races. Four seasons.
Stay found, push hard, and keep coming back for more!
We’ve kept it simple, fair, and fun - whether you’re chasing the podium or just stacking points race by race.
-
Each race in the 4 Seasons Series earns you points toward the overall Series standings. The higher you place, the more points you earn.
You score points based on where you finish in your division (Solo - Male, Solo - Female, or Team):
1st place earns 100 points
2nd earns 99 points
3rd earns 98 points
And so on, dropping by 1 point per place
All finishers receive at least 1 point
DNF/DQ = 0 points
-
Your Series Score is the total of your best 3 race scores out of the 4.
We drop your lowest race, giving you room for a miss, a busy weekend, or an off day.
If you commit to adventure through all four races, we’ll toss you a 5-point bonus for staying consistent and getting after it the entire year! That might be the difference maker at Harvest. -
Team Divisions - For series scoring, team size, gender mix, and members will inevitably shift over a year - totally fine. All Team divisions (Male, Female, and Coed) are combined into a single Team category to accommodate this .
Solo Divisions - Male and Female remain separate.
Team/Solo Name - As long as you race under the exact same team name, your points stay with that team. Solo points stay with the individual racer.
-
Harvest, our Fall race, is the Series finale. After that race, we tally the points and crown our 4 Seasons Series champions in both the Solo and Team divisions. Awards will be given to the top three in each division, recognizing the Solo and Team podiums.
If you’ve competed in 3 races, but can’t show up for Harvest, no problem. We’ll run the numbers, lock in the standings, and share the results even if you’re not there for the finale.
“This was my first go at one of these kinds of races, and I really appreciated how approachable everything felt - it made me want to come back for more!”
FAQ
-
Probably one of the best races to get you into the sport! These courses are naturally beginner-friendly - no minimum distance, all checkpoints optional, and zero bike or boat. Just navigation, hiking, and a good time in the woods. We place several very easy checkpoints close to trails and obvious features so you can build confidence right away. Plus, we host a free navigation clinic the morning of the race, taught by experienced racers. You’ll show up nervous and leave feeling ready.
-
It’s a quick, free class before the race that teaches you how to read the map and find checkpoints. Experienced racers walk you through the basics so you’re race-ready even if you’ve never navigated before.
If you’d like to attend, just check the box during registration! -
Think of it like a scavenger hunt in the woods. We hand you a map with checkpoints on it, and you choose which ones to visit. Every checkpoint you find earns you points. There’s no required route and no minimum number to get. You’ll be surprised at how many DON’T run. You hike, navigate, collect points, and make it back before time’s up. Simple, fun, with a very non-intimidating group of folks.
For the runners and seasoned orienteers, we scatter in the good stuff - farther checkpoints, trickier nav, and terrain that’ll keep you honest. There’s enough on the map to keep you pushing hard right up until the cutoff. -
Each checkpoint is worth a set number of points. You collect points by visiting checkpoints and punching your passport (provided). The team with the most points at the end wins, and if there’s a tie, the faster team gets the higher placement.
Checkpoint values aren’t random - harder checkpoints are worth more. That usually means they’re either farther away, require more physical effort to reach, or demand sharper navigation to find. Easy, close-in checkpoints give you quick points; the trickier ones reward teams willing to stretch their legs or use their nav-skills (or both).
-
Stay right at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and step out to the START!
To book a room, call 606-528-4121 ext. 0.
For Woodland Rooms give them the Group Code: 3725. That room block is held until March 15th, so make your reservations before then to guarantee availability.
For Cabins they are offering racers a 15% discount! Two night minimum.
Note that the Dupont Lodge and Restaurant will be closed for renovations race weekend, so just plan accordingly. -
Dogs are allowed in park accommodations (with a required pet fee), but they are not permitted on all trails used by the course.
If you’re bringing a dog but not racing with them, here’s what to know: dogs are allowed on the Whitley County / Cumberland Falls side of the park as long as they remain leashed. Once you cross the Cumberland River into McCreary County, dogs are not allowed, including on Trail #9 (Eagle Falls) and Trail #10 (Blue Bend Loop).
Downtown Corbin, KY
VISIT CORBIN FOR THE WEEKEND!
Make some time to explore Corbin before/after the race! Just down the road from Cumberland Falls, it’s a great place with easy access to Laurel Lake, trails, and some of the best scenery in the Daniel Boone National Forest.
You’ll find everything from solid local restaurants to the original KFC location, plus a revitalized downtown that’s come back to life in recent years. The Corbin Tourism team has put together a “best of” guide to help you make the most of your time - whether you’re looking to relax after the race or turn the weekend into a full adventure.
If you don’t have accommodations at Cumberland Falls, Corbin has plenty of options to extend your stay!
Best Western Corbin Inn | Red Roof Inn | Holiday Inn Express & Suites Corbin | Motel 6 Corbin | Fairfield Inn & Suites Corbin | TownePlace Suites Corbin
RESULTS: 4 SEASONS SERIES | FRIGID | THAW | ZENITH | HARVEST