San Marcos runners have a new date circled on the calendar: Saturday, September 26, when the Double Peak Challenge returns for its 10th year of sending competitors up one of San Diego County's steepest trail courses. The race includes a 10K competitive run, a 5K fun run, and a free Kids Trot, all held at San Elijo Recreation Center's lower field, 1105 Elfin Forest Road.
The City of San Marcos announced the race's return in a post on its official X account, City of San Marcos, California, urging locals to register and start training now. This year's event marks the 10th annual edition of a race first held in 2016, according to the American Trail Running Association.
Get ready to run our annual Double Peak Challenge! 🎉 The race returns Saturday, September 26. Register now and start training today: https://t.co/pjskebfpkj. pic.twitter.com/DhBGr4mbNh
— City of San Marcos, California (@sanmarcoscity) August 27, 2026
The 10K course isn't for the faint of heart. It packs 1,176 feet of elevation gain into unpaved, multi-surface trails, a profile that has made it one of the toughest 10K trail runs in the county, per the same source. A 2018 account of the race from The Coast News noted that with more than 1,100 vertical feet of climbing, the course turns into a run-walk effort for most participants — though those who push through are rewarded with panoramic views at the halfway point.
A Summit With a View
The payoff for all that climbing is Double Peak itself, which tops out at 1,558 feet above sea level — the highest point in coastal North San Diego County. According to love cook adventure, clear days from the summit offer 360-degree views stretching to the Pacific Ocean, Palomar Mountain, and even the San Bernardino Mountains. The peak's summit park also features hiking trails and a mountaintop amphitheater.
Registration costs scale as race day approaches. The 10K currently runs $70, rising to $80 starting September 1, while the 5K fun run is $40 through August, jumping to $50 in September. The Kids Trot remains free for young participants. Presale pricing for both the 10K and 5K ends September 23 at noon, and 10K finishers receive a wooden medal, race shirt, expo access, and a complimentary beer ticket for those 21 and older — perks the 5K also includes.
Race Day Schedule and Park Closures
Race morning starts early. Registration opens at 6:15 AM on September 26, with the expo opening at 7 AM. The 10K warm-up begins at 7:15 AM for a 7:30 AM start, while the 5K warm-up begins at 7:45 AM for an 8 AM start. The Kids Trot kicks off at 9:30 AM, the beer garden opens at 8 AM, awards begin at 10 AM, and the expo closes at 11 AM.
Double Peak Park will remain closed to the general public until the race wraps up that day, and the City of San Marcos has warned that surrounding streets and San Elijo Park will experience heavy parking restrictions, with the San Elijo Park ballfield lights turning on at 5 AM for early setup. Participant and event parking will be available on surrounding streets and at San Elijo Middle and Elementary schools, while ADA parking and participant drop-off are set aside in the lot adjacent to San Elijo Road — a space where general participant parking will not be permitted. Runners who want to skip race-morning lines can pick up their packets on September 23, from 4 to 7 PM at North City, 250 N. City Drive, with free on-site parking; race-day bib pickup begins at 6:15 AM but may involve a long line.
Where the Money Goes
Beyond the burn in runners' legs, entry fees fund two local nonprofits. Proceeds support The San Marcos Promise, doing business as Project Next, a 501(c)(3) founded in 2014 that runs “Future Centers” across North County high schools to pair students with career coaches for college and career planning, according to North County Pipeline. Co-beneficiary Friends of San Marcos Parks and Recreation, established in 2013 to enhance city park facilities and fund recreation scholarships, received the City of San Marcos SMILE Award this past March for its community service.
The race route ties into a much larger public trail system. San Marcos manages more than 70 miles of trails across 38 parks and open spaces, a network overseen by the San Marcos Trails Advisory Committee, which enforces safety and maintenance guidelines, according to the North County Daily Star. That infrastructure has gotten a funding boost from Measure Q, a dedicated one-cent local sales tax San Marcos voters approved in November 2024 with more than 60% support, which backs public safety and municipal park upgrades, including capital improvements at neighborhood parks like Discovery Creek.
This year's title sponsor, North City, is a 200-acre mixed-use district near California State University San Marcos that welcomed the county's largest apartment towers, 222 North City, in late 2025, as previously reported. The district, which also hosts this year's packet pickup, integrates housing, retail and public event space into the fast-growing corner of the city.
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