Claim Your Exclusive Challenge Coin—A Symbol of Honor for Every Participant!
All participants will receive a Challenge Coin as a tangible recognition of their participation and support for our veterans. These small medallions carry a deep significance within the military community, tracing their origins back to World War I as symbols of identity, loyalty, and bravery. Historically, these coins were used by service members to prove their membership in a unit and were often awarded by commanders to recognize exceptional achievements or outstanding service. For many veterans, challenge coins are treasured keepsakes that serve as anchors to their service history, representing the unbreakable bonds of camaraderie and shared mission they experienced while in uniform. By receiving this coin, you are not just getting a memento; you are becoming part of a century-old tradition that honors the dedication and sacrifice of those who served our country.
Lift the Weight Flight
Symbolizing the invisible weight of mental health struggles. Runners may choose to wear a backpack or vest of at least 10 pounds. Lifting the weight in support of those who carry these burdens every day.
LIFT THE WEIGHT FLIGHT TOP PRIZE: Two Night Stay in Falls Lodge at Big Cedar Four-Hour Boat Rental at Bent Hook Marina Top of the Rock Adventure Pass for Two Two $50 Vouchers at Fun Mountain
2nd place $100 Mastercard
3rd place $75 Mastercard
Runners who participate in the "Lift the Weight Challenge" are still eligible for the 5K Overall and Age Division awards.
DONUTS, DONUTS & MORE DONUTS!
Prize for Best Dressed Donut: Show off your creativity and join the fun by dressing as a donut or creating a unique donut-themed costume. Our judges will be looking for the most innovative and entertaining outfits, and the best dressed will win a special prize!
Donut Pit Stop: Need a little energy boost during your run? Stop by our donut pit stop along the race route for a sweet treat to keep you going.
Gather your friends and family for a day filled with laughter, exercise, and mouth-watering donuts. Whether you're there to compete for the best
costume, enjoy the race, or simply indulge in the donut delights, the 2026 Running of the Squirrels 5K Donut Run is sure to be an unforgettable experience.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Chase the Trail. Change a Future.
A trail run can be about a lot of things.
The challenge. The scenery. The miles. The finish line.
But the Glade Top Trail Run is about something bigger.
Every year, runners make their way into the Mark Twain National Forest near Brown Branch, Missouri, to experience one of the Ozarks' most memorable trail events. But beyond the beautiful scenery and challenging trail is a purpose that reaches far beyond race day.
Your miles help support the Pat Souder Henry Scholarship.
Every Step Has a Purpose
The Glade Top Trail Run serves as a major fundraiser for the Pat Souder Henry Scholarship, which is awarded to college-bound seniors at Ava High School.
That means when you register for the Glade Top Trail Run, you're doing more than signing up to run through the woods.
You're helping invest in a student's future.
Your registration becomes part of a larger effort to provide local students with financial support as they take their next step after high school.
For the runners, it's a day on the trail.
For the students receiving the scholarship, it can help open the door to what comes next.
From the Glade Top Trail to the Classroom
There's something fitting about holding a scholarship fundraiser on a trail.
A trail is about moving forward.
You start at one point, face the challenges along the way, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and eventually reach your destination.
That's what these students are doing, too.
They've worked through high school with their own goals and challenges, and they're preparing to take the next step toward college and their future.
The Glade Top Trail Run helps connect those two journeys.
Runners move forward on the trail. Students move forward toward their dreams.
More Than a Race
The Glade Top Trail Run offers three ways to participate, including a 1-mile gravel road race, a 4.25-mile trail run/hike and a 10.25-mile trail run.
Whether you're looking for a shorter introduction to trail running or ready to take on the longer challenge, your participation helps support the same cause.
And that's what makes this event different.
You're not simply paying an entry fee and running a course.
You're showing up for your community.
You're supporting local students.
You're helping keep a scholarship opportunity moving forward.
A Beautiful Place. A Meaningful Cause.
The Mark Twain National Forest provides an incredible setting for the event. The Glade Top Trail winds through the Ozark landscape near Brown Branch, giving runners a chance to step away from pavement and experience the outdoors in a completely different way.
But when you look beyond the trail, you see the real impact of the event.
You see Ava High School students preparing for college.
You see families, volunteers and runners coming together.
You see a community supporting its young people.
And you realize that the finish line isn't really the end.
It's part of a beginning.
Chase the Trail. Change a Future.
When you lace up for the Glade Top Trail Run, think about the miles differently.
Every mile is a challenge.
Every step is part of the adventure.
And every registration helps support a cause that reaches into the future of the Ava community.
Chase the trail.
Support a student.
Change a future.
The Glade Top Trail Run is more than a race through the Mark Twain National Forest.
It's an opportunity to be part of something bigger.
Come run the trail. Experience the beauty. Take on the challenge.
And know that when you cross the finish line, your participation has helped someone else move closer to theirs.
Run Through a Sea of Blue: The Cornflowers of the Glade Top Trail
There are plenty of reasons to run the Glade Top Trail—but one of the most beautiful is the blue.
Each year, as spring begins to transform the Ozarks around Brown Branch, Missouri, the landscape along the Glade Top Trail begins its seasonal change. The open glades come alive with wildflowers, fresh greenery and the promise of even more color to come.
Among the most striking flowers associated with the landscape is the blue cornflower, also known as bachelor's button. Its intense blue blooms are impossible to miss when they appear, creating spectacular patches of color against the grasses and rugged beauty of the Mark Twain National Forest.
The Blue That Makes the Trail Special
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) is known for its unmistakable cornflower-blue blossoms. Missouri's Department of Conservation describes the plant as a nonnative annual that can sometimes cover entire fields, making an especially dramatic display. Its blooms generally appear from May through September in Missouri.
That brilliant blue is one of the reasons the Glade Top Trail is so memorable throughout the changing seasons.
As spring unfolds, the Ozark landscape begins waking up. The glades open into the sunshine, trees begin filling in with fresh leaves, and wildflowers start appearing throughout the surrounding landscape. The Missouri Department of Conservation specifically highlights the Glade Top area for its colorful wildflower displays, with early-spring flowers appearing before the later-season blooms arrive.
And eventually, the blue arrives.
A Sea of Blue Along the Glades
Imagine following the trail through the Mark Twain National Forest with brilliant blue flowers scattered across the landscape.
The cornflowers stand out against the green grasses and open glades. Their vivid color catches the eye from the trail, creating the feeling that portions of the Ozarks have been painted blue.
It's the kind of scenery that makes you want to slow down, take a breath and look around.
Because a trail run isn't always about how quickly you can get from the starting line to the finish.
Sometimes it's about where the trail takes you.
Spring Is When the Adventure Begins
The Glade Top Trail is surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Ozarks, with open glades, forested ridges and expansive views across the countryside. The Ava Glades Natural Area, which the Glade Top Trail passes through, is known for its rugged character, outstanding vistas and abundant wildflowers.
Spring is the beginning of that transformation.
The landscape changes week by week, eventually bringing waves of color to the glades. The blue cornflower is one of those colors that makes the experience especially memorable.
So when you're running the Glade Top Trail, don't just watch the trail beneath your feet.
Look around.
Look across the glades.
Look toward the ridges.
And keep an eye out for the brilliant blue that makes this landscape so special.
Your Reason to Run Glade Top
The Glade Top Trail Run gives you a chance to experience this incredible corner of the Ozarks for yourself.
You'll run through the Mark Twain National Forest, experience the rugged character of the glades and discover why this trail is so much more than just a race course.
It's an experience surrounded by nature.
It's a chance to get off the pavement and onto the trail.
And it's an opportunity to become part of a landscape that changes dramatically with the seasons.
Come Find Your Blue
The flowers may be one of the most colorful reasons to love the Glade Top Trail, but they're just part of the story.
The views. The glades. The forest. The trail. The blue.
They're all waiting.
Register for the Glade Top Trail Run and come experience the beauty of the Glade Top for yourself.