Catsmacker
- Date:
- Sat, May 23, 2026 at 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Location:
-
Perry County, Arkansas
72126
United States
OpenStreetMap Google Maps - Links:
- runsignup.com
- Tags:
- 20 Miles Fun Run Gravel Run Swim Trail Ultra
Saturday, May 23, 2026
7:00am Start
Lake Sylvia Day Use Area, Perryville AR
AURA "Fun Run" (no UTS points)
Distance: 20-ish miles for the Catsmacker, 12-ish miles for the Kitty Run option. You can choose your distance on the day of the event.
Start/Finish Area: the start is at the Lake Sylvia Day Use area (where you would go if you went swimming in the lake). NOT at Camp Ouachita (where the Full Moon and Traveller start).
Cost: This is a donation-based run. That said, we need to cover costs for Forest Service permitting, insurance, aid station supplies, finish line cookout, and other race equipment/transportation/logistics. Please make sure that we can cover those costs and continue offering low-cost events. You can make an online payment here, or a cash/check donation on race day. Donations are non-refundable, and any proceeds will be donated to the non-profit AURA. (A suggested donation to cover costs is $20. Thank you!)
Driving & Parking Directions: You should be able to find Williams Junction, AR on most maps; it is approximately 30 miles west of Little Rock on Hwy 10, or 20 miles south of Morrilton on Hwy 9. To get to the race site from Williams Junction, go north on Hwy 10/9 for 1.5 miles, then take Hwy 324 west and follow for three and a half miles. The Lake Sylvia day use area will be on your left about 1/2mile after Camp Ouachita. If the road turns to gravel you went half mile too far.
Parking is limited in the Lake Sylvia Day Use Area. Once this area is full, parking will overflow along Highway 324. Please carpool if possible! Parking along Hwy 324 is limited to the west side only (on the right as you are driving in from Hwy 9/10). If you don't see any cars parked on the east side of Hwy 324, there is a reason! There will be signs and volunteers to assist you with where you can and can't park. Make sure your car is all the way to the right of the white line (completely out of the traffic lane) when you park.
Course Description: The course will utilize Forest Service roads and a small portion of the Ouachita Trail. There will be a combination of pavement (just a little!), gravel (mostly), and single/double track trail (it's poison ivy season!).
Course marking will consist of signs, colored ribbon flagging, and flour arrows drawn on the ground. In general, course marking is focused on marking turns and intersections. Intermediate "confidence" markings in the absence of turns or intersections will be relatively rare. We recommend that participants print off maps if they are unsure of the course or unfamiliar with the area.
Catsmacker 20-ish mile gpx file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12CgDjlwAlyBr3OtrQdsDYZM6z0G5AmlT/view?usp=drive_link
Kittysmacker 12-ish mile gpx file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F1ruOrkpK2jopKtrHtVXeswJcV0-lljs/view?usp=drive_link
Turn-by-turn directions:
FSR 152 (from start), turning right on FSR 132
FSR 132 staying straight on FSR 94 (follow sign to Flatside Pinnacle)
FSR 94 turning right onto Ouachita Trail
Ouachita Trail turn right onto FSR 805
FSR 805 turning right onto Hwy 324
Hwy 324 to finish at Lake Sylvia day use area
The Kitty Run course is the same as above with one deviation that is seen on the map. Approximately 3.5 miles into the course, the Kitty Run incorporates the Ouachita Trail for 1.5 miles and then turns back right onto FSR 805. (Maps are available at http://www.runarkansas.com/Catsmacker.htm.
Arkansas Ultra Trail Series: This is a no-UTS-points fun run that is a season-closer and celebration of the end of an amazing year of Arkansas ultrarunning. The 2025-2026 UTS awards ceremony will be held after the run, with a cookout-style lunch. Celebrate with us!
Runner Safety and Other Details:
There will be at least 2 aid stations for the Catsmacker, and 1 aid station for the Kitty Run.
Please carry a water bottle and any snacks you want. Food choices at the aid stations will be basic.
The park allows dogs on a leash. Please don't assume that your dog is the exception that doesn't need a leash, and please don't make us bad guests of Arkansas State Parks. Honestly, this is a problem every year, and every year I get scolded by the Ranger. If you can't follow this rule, you are putting me and AURA in a bad position.
It's always a good idea to carry a cell phone. The service is spotty, but the higher hills often have signal available. If you are unfamiliar with the area, run with a buddy and study the course map.
While this event is low-key, we won't hold spots, register a friend for you, or cancel somebody else's registration. We need people to register themselves (so that they can read about what they're getting into; as well as provide us with contact information should we need to go looking for them in the forest); and to cancel themselves (so that we hear it directly from the source and don't have any mix-ups). Thank you for understanding that participants being in charge of their own registration and/or cancellation is necessary for their safety and our liability.
Early Start: Cut-off is 6 hours. For the full Catsmacker, that is a 16:30ish pace. There will be one early start option at 6:00am if (and only if) you anticipate needing more time to finish. It is not a "for your convenience if you don't feel like waiting for the 7:00am start" option. If you miss the 6:00am early start, then you will either have to catch the 7:00am start, or start as-is but have your finish time reflect that you started at 6:00am. Early starters are not eligible for overall awards. Aid Stations will not be up and running for early starters... therefore, early starters will need to be self-sufficient with food/drink.
Volunteers: We saved the best for last! This event is volunteer-based, and it takes effort from the entire community to put on a race. Please consider volunteering so that we can continue to offer events such as this. We need help in areas such as: set-up and runner check-in, cookout helpers, course sweepers, aid stations, and finish time recorders. Volunteering is rewarding because you get to be the reason for the best part of someone's day. Go to this VolunteerSignup link to sign up: https://volunteersignup.org/WKE7R THANK YOU!!