Whitefish Turkey Trot

November 26, 2026 · Whitefish, MT

The 5K course will start and end outside of the O'Shaughnessy Center. Participants will follow the bike path through the tunnel under Baker Ave and immediately make a hard left turn to go up and over the viaduct. Trotters will then follow the bike path to the four-way intersection and head right toward Washington Avenue. A sharp 180-degree turn will put trotters onto Edgewood Place. They will follow that road until taking a left on Iowa Ave. The a left onto Woodland Place, right on Minnesota Ave, right onto Waverly Place and left on Iowa will bring participants to Skyles Pl. Trotters will go down Skyles to City Beach, up Oregon Ave., and onto the bike path alongside the Whitefish River back to Depot Park.*

The course is coned and marked very well, but it is open to traffic. Please remain on the right side of the road unless otherwise directed. There will be volunteers and certified flaggers at most intersections. (YOU can volunteer to be a course marshal by registering HERE — bring a friend and cheer on the trotters!)

Music devices and earbuds/earphones are strongly discouraged. For your safety and the safety of those around you, it is recommended that you leave the music at home on race day. If you do carry music, you must still be able to hear instructions from race officials, directions from course volunteers, motorists that may have made their way onto the course, and warnings from participants that may be overtaking you.

Events

5k Run
2026-11-26 · $15.00
Registration opens Sep 1, 2026, 12:01 AM MDT
Not open yet
5k Walk
2026-11-26 · $15.00
Registration opens Sep 1, 2026, 12:01 AM MDT
Not open yet

Schedule

Packet Pickup
Nov 25, 4:30 PM MST – Nov 25, 6:00 PM MST
251 Flathead Ave, Whitefish, MT 59937
Skip the lines on Thanksgiving morning! Bibs can be picked up the night before the race from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the North Valley Food Bank. If you're unable to make it, bibs can still be picked up on race-day morning from 7:30-9:10 a.m. at the O'Shaughnessy Center
5k Run
Nov 26, 8:30 AM MST
- Start/Finish - O'Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center: 1 Central Ave, Whitefish, MT 59937
5k Walk
Nov 26, 9:30 AM MST
- Start/Finish - O'Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center: 1 Central Ave, Whitefish, MT 59937

FAQ

Are dogs allowed?▾
🐕 While we love our four-legged friends, the Whitefish Turkey Trot is NOT allowing dogs at the event this year due to the number of participants and narrow sections of the course. There is an exception for ADA Service Animals. Service animals must be on a non-retractable, 6 foot-or-less leash.
What if it snows?▾
❄️ Please be advised that weather conditions are variable, and there is a HIGH likelihood of snow and/or ice on the course. While we will do our best to use sand or salt to provide a safe start and finish area, the rest of the course will be left up to Mother Nature. We highly recommend bringing Yaktrax or ice spikes for your running shoes!
Is there somewhere to get warm and grab a drink?▾
☕ To provide some much needed warmth on race day, Folklore Coffee will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 7am to 11am, AND they will be generously donating 10% of their proceeds to the North Valley Food Bank!
Where can I park?▾
🚗 Parking is free in downtown Whitefish, and there is a parking garage located at 402 E Second St. Due to the anticipated number of participants, we strongly recommend carpooling if possible!
Are there awards?▾
🏆 As this is primarily a fundraising event, there will be no cash prizes. The top three men and top three women can expect a sweet treat for their accomplishments, and everyone wins the opportunity to get outside, have fun, and raise money for the North Valley Food Bank!
Are there aid stations on the course?▾
💧 There will be no aid stations along this route, however water and light refreshments will be available at the start/finish. Please plan accordingly!

Support the cause

North Valley Food Bank

benefiting North Valley Food Bank

In addition to the proceeds from this event, we encourage you to bring food donations to the food bank if you are able! In particular, the North Valley Food Bank will be in need of: turkeys, hams, fresh potatoes and yams, canned yams, canned corn, cranberry sauce, pie filling, dehydrated potatoes, stuffing, gravy mix, cornbread mix, crescent rolls, boxed pie crust, butter, olive oil, oats, flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or salt and pepper.North Valley Food Bank provides food assistance to more than 1300 people weekly through our free client-choice model grocery store in Whitefish and mobile pantries in Columbia Falls, Essex, Olney and Trego. In addition to the customers served directly, North Valley Food Bank serves as a food hub for NW Montana and runs pantry deliveries to FAST Blackfeet in Browning, the Bigfork Food Bank and rural pantries in the Yaak, Eureka, Libby, and Troy. North Valley Food Bank has a licensed commercial kitchen space on-site. Through our community kitchen programming, North Valley Food Bank transforms rescue food into meals, processes local food, and hosts nutrition education for families.

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