NEW TEMP. LOCATION FOR '26
Wawayanda State Park is unable to host us this year due to staffing. We are incredibly grateful to the NJ State Park Admin Staff and the park staff at both Wawayanda and Ringwood, who have gone completely above and beyond to help us keep Wild Goose on the 2026 calendar! To ensure the festival can move forward without a hitch, we are officially relocating the 2026 Wild Goose Trail Festival to Ringwood State Park! Ringwood is only 30 minutes from Wawayanda and it’s actually closer to Newark airport for folks who are flying in for the festival. We were able to keep the course layout very close to the original and we know you’re going to love it!
WILD GOOSE
Generous cut-offs, unending trail beauty, rockin' aid station and sweet swag....Join us at Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, NJ on Friday September 18, Saturday September 19 and Sunday September 20, 2026 for the Wild Goose! The 36 hour cutoff for our 100 miler make this a squatchtastic event for those chasing after their first buckle. We have panels and a film screening on Friday followed by events on Saturday and Sunday that range from 1 mile all the way up to 100+ to make this a true Trail Festival! Free camping is available to all participants, pacers and crew on Friday and Saturday evening. We are supporting our non-profit partner, Bigger Than The Trail with this Trail Party!
BIGGER THAN THE TRAIL
We are proud to partner with Bigger Than the Trail . BTTT is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. BTTT's mission is to enrich the lives of individuals struggling with mental health. Through their fundraising efforts, BTTT provides free therapy to those in need! Please consider making a donation to BTTT: Bigger Than the Trail to provide cost-free therapy for folks in need.
TRAIL PARTY DETAILS
You can find all of the information for this event on our website and in our
HARDSHIP ENTRIES
If you are experiencing a financial hardship and would not be able to participate otherwise, please choose the "Hardship Entry" option. When we receive your registration, we will contact you with a code to register; at that time, you can let us know if you need a full or partial scholarship. If you are a community member who wants to contribute to our Squatch Community Fund, you can make a donation on our website.
SQUATCH KIDS CLUB
We are excited to offer a one mile kids race! This family-friendly event will kick off at 9am on Sunday morning. All kids will receive a squatchy medal and a sticker. Ages 3-12; parents/guardians are welcome to and encouraged to join (at no additional cost). Kids under the age of 19 can score 15% off their registration for any of the other events with the code SQUATCHKIDSCLUB. We also have some free entries available for youth athletes; email us to learn more! We have a special discount code for families registering 3 or more Squatches in the same household. Please email trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com before you register so we can give you the code! We have a range of fun games that your family can enjoy: corn hole, connect four, a giant rainbow parachute and the Squatch Hunt. Don't be shy, head on over to the Finish Line and join in on the fun! Learn more about our Squatch Kids Club!
SQUATCH DISCOUNTS
Sassquad Trail Running is proud to offer 20% off all events to all active duty military and Veterans, teachers and hospital workers. Please email trailpartydirector@sassquadtrailrunning.com before you register for an event so we can provide you with a discount code. We extend a 10% discount to our Wise Elder Squatch Squad (folks who are over the age of 60); email us for the the code! New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Members and South Mountain Conservancy members can receive 10% off of registration; please email us for the discount code!
TRAIL MIX FUND
Do you want to race but can’t afford the entry fee? Are you a part of the BIPOC or LGBTQ+ community?
"Apply to the Trail Mix Fund to have your registration fee waived!" Sassquad Trail Running is proud to partner with the non-profit the Trail Mix Fund for the Squatchy Leftovers, Squatchapple, Big Bear North & South, and the Wild Goose. Founded in 2020 by our friends in Oregon at Go Beyond Racing, the Trail Mix Fund uses donations to help people who are under-served, under-resourced, and under-represented. This includes people of color and LGBTQ+, but is not restricted to those communities.
REFUNDS/DEFERRALS
REFUND & DEFERRAL POLICY
Like many other race organizations, we do not offer refunds for our events. Please take the time to double-check your calendar before registering for a Trail Party. Please understand that we do not offer refunds under any circumstances. If you notify us via email (not through social media, text, or phone call) more than 21 days from the date of the Trail Party, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid. If you sustain an injury less than 21 days from the race date, we will extend a 100% deferral if you come to that race to volunteer. For distances less than 50K, you'll need to volunteer for at least 4 hours and for 50M+ distances, you'll need to volunteer for at least 8 hours to get a 100% deferral. If the race that you want to drop from is sold-out with an active wait-list and are able to fill your spot: if you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) at least 3 days before the race, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid. The race credit is the amount that you paid for the race, minus 15% (total credit does not including UltraSignUp fees) so you will need to cover any difference in fees; refunds will not be issued if the deferred event costs less than your race credit. You can only defer one time so please double-check that you can make the race you're deferring to.
PREGNANCY, ADOPTION, & POSTPARTUM POLICY
Whether planned or unplanned, the beginning or end of a pregnancy requires healing and recovery time. We are committed to supporting you in this regard. If you are experiencing a pregnancy or postpartum healing and recovery, or have adopted a child, we are pleased to offer a deferral of up to three years from the current event. Simply send us an email and we will arrange the deferral for you. This deferral policy includes partners and spouses and is also extended to folks who are going through the IVF process.
COMMUNITY CARE DEFERRAL POLICY
We recognize that the current climate around immigration enforcement, including ICE activity, is creating real fear and barriers to training, travel, and participation. Any registered participant who feels unsafe may request a deferral of their race entry for up to three years from the original race date, no questions asked. For anyone who still wants to participate but is feeling hesitant, our Squatch Together Program offers the option to be paired with another runner or hiker for support before, during, and after race day. Your safety, dignity, and sense of belonging come first.
SASSQUAD TRAIL RUNNERS
We are a community of SASQUATCH-lovin' trail runners and hikers. Our goal is to provide FUN and challenging events for runners of all ages and paces. We like to think that we have a good sense of humor, a full arsenal of sarcastic wit, useless trivia facts and a deep appreciation for cinematic masterpieces (as evidenced multiple times already). Follow us on Instagram , and like us on Facebook to get all of our Squatchy updates. You can also join our Facebook group, "Sassquad Trail Runners" to connect with other runners and hikers!
Event's current local time: 5:33 AM ET