Best mountain towns for road running
Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the road running scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.
- EugeneTrackTown USA — the University of Oregon, the McKenzie & the Willamette.8 groups
- SeattleThe Mountaineers & WTA — the Cascades, the Olympics & Puget Sound.8 groups
- TacomaSouth Sound — Point Defiance, the Foothills Trail & the Mt. Rainier gateway.8 groups
- BendCentral Oregon — Phil’s trails, Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock & the Deschutes.7 groups
- BoiseIdaho’s capital — the Ridge to Rivers foothills, the Boise River & Bogus Basin.7 groups
- Salt Lake CityThe Wasatch Front — the Cottonwood Canyons, the Bonneville Shoreline & the Jordan River.6 groups
- BoulderCU Boulder — the Flatirons, Chautauqua & Boulder Creek.5 groups
- CorvallisOregon State University — the McDonald-Dunn Forest, Marys Peak & the Willamette.5 groups
- Fort CollinsColorado State University — the Poudre River & canyon, Horsetooth & Lory.5 groups
- North IdahoCoeur d’Alene & Sandpoint — Schweitzer, Lake Pend Oreille & the Panhandle.5 groups
- PortlandForest Park, the Columbia Gorge & Mt. Hood — plus the Mazamas since 1894.5 groups
- AnchorageThe Chugach — the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Kincaid Park & Chugach State Park.4 groups
- BellinghamWestern Washington U town — Galbraith Mountain, Mt. Baker & the Salish Sea.4 groups
- DenverThe Front Range — the South Platte, Clear Creek & the foothills.4 groups
- FairbanksUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks — Birch Hill Nordic, the Chena River & the Interior.4 groups
The 15 towns where we track the most recurring road running groups (of 55 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.