9 running, cycling, and walking events in Galena, Illinois

Join us in beautiful, historic Galena IL for The Galena 5K Stair Challenge! Now hosted by The Galena Area EMS District, The Galena Police Department and The Galena Fire Department

This event honors the heroes of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary of this tragic event and celebrates our local first responders past and present

Bring the family! The Galena Generals, Jo Daviess County Mounted Patrol, Area First Responder demonstrations, food and treat vendors will join us at Green Street Plaza during and after the event.

Non competitive run/walk/climb-1Lap

Competitive 7 Lap professionally timed with various divisions by age and gender.

Registration for this event is online only!

1-Lap Fun Run/Walk

• Start time 9:00 a.m.

• Fee: NEW! April Early Bird $30, May $35, June and July $40, August to event $40 (t-shirt and medal included!)

• Race Day in person registration closes at 9:00 am

• Mass start; not timed

5K 7-Lap Stair Challenge Race and Active Duty First Responders

• Start time 9:15 a.m.

• Fee: NEW! April Early Bird $30 for Active First Responders and 7-Lap Runners (includes T-shirt and medal!)

• May $35, for Active First Responders and 7-Lap Runners

• June to Event $45 for 7-Lap Runners

• Race Day in person registration closes at 9:00 am

• Maximum of 200 athletes accepted

• Chip timing

Waves will be formed (first five registered, first wave; next five registered, second wave, etc.). Waves will start every minute. Participants will be notified of their wave start time via email prior to the race date.

Course closes at 12:00 noon

Fundraiser Challenge

All participants are encouraged to raise at least $50 in donations to support Galena-based first responders.

Share your unique URL to family and friends and invite them to donate to your registration or team.

The top three individual fundraisers will receive special prizes!

Event T-shirt Sizes (performance fabric)

Youth: small, medium, large

Adult: small, medium, large, extra-large, 1X, 2X

Age Groups (Male and Female)

14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

Race Registration will be online only beginning March 20, 2026

Maximum of 200 timed participants (no limit to fun run/walk participants)

Registrations will CLOSE when race filled or at midnight on September 11, whichever comes first

Registrations after August 31, 2026 will NOT be guaranteed a T-shirt

Event Staging Areas:

Green Street Plaza near City Hall and Post Office/Custom House

Packet pickup:

NEW! Friday, September 11, 2026 from 4pm to 7pm at the Galena Area Emergency Medical Services District Station, 217 Summit Street, Galena, Illinois.

Saturday morning Green Street Plaza and the Post Office/Custom House from 8:00 am to 9:00 a.m.

• 8:15 a.m. Saturday: Opening Ceremony

• Closing and Medal Ceremony following race at Green Street Square

• Award Ceremony at race conclusion

Starting Line at Bench Street staging area

Volunteers will queue waves here in numerical order after escorting them from Green Street Plaza

Lap Notification/Finish Line on Bench Street

Bib numbers will trigger a visual record of each participant’s lap number.

Lap 7 finishers recovery area with water

The Driftless Dagger is a self-supported bikepacking race through the rugged, untamed beauty of the Driftless Region. Choose between a grueling 550-mile route with over 40,000 feet of climbing or the Baby Dagger at 237 miles with 20,000 feet of vert. Starting and finishing at Chestnut Mountain Resort in Galena, IL, this race is Death by a Thousand Cuts—relentless gravel, brutal climbs, and peaceful back roads that challenge your limits.

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Welcome to the 2026 Driftless Gravel Festival!

We have teamed up with the ultra distance race, the Driftless Dagger, to form a weekend long festival in the most underrated cycling destination the Midwest. The party will get started on Friday afternoon with shakeout rides, a kids race, and packet pick up. The festival will take place at Chestnut Mountain Resort which is located in the heart of Driftless country while also overlooking the Mighty Mississippi.

The Galena territory was founded by resilient, industrious folks who put the area on the map by being the first major site of the mineral rush in the United States. They mined over 21 million pounds of lead in just a 3 year period. If you want to finish The Lead Ore, you’ll need the same tenacity that these early pioneers demonstrated. The Lead Ore will take place from Chestnut Mountain Resort which is situated smack dab in the middle of the Illinois driftless region. This is arguably the most scenic region Illinois has to offer. If you have never been to the Galena area, you're in for a surprise. The area offers many activities for couples and families. We recommend making a weekend out of this one and taking in the full experience. There are no refunds or deferrals. BikeReg does offer registration insurance at checkout.

Galena River Fall Half Marathon & 8k

Saturday, October 31, 2026

Join us Saturday, October 31st for our 9th annual Galena River Fall Half Marathon & 8K!

This is a fast, flat half marathon along the scenic Galena River Trail. An 8K race option is also offered.

ALL FINISHERS RECEIVE MEDALS & SHIRT IF REGISTERED BY SEPTEMBER 28th!

**Due to Galena Halloween festivities on that day, the course will close at 11:00 AM. Because of this no walkers are allowed for the half marathon and runners must finish before the course closes.

🔷 Packet Pickup will be Friday, Oct 30th from 4:00 pm -7:00 pm and Saturday morning 7:00 am -7:45 am below the Highway 20 bridge in the Train Depot parking area where the race is also held. Friends are allowed to pick up for another participant.

🔷 Gear Check is available at the packet pickup table. Please have your gear bag labeled.

🔷 Hydration/fuel stations with water, electrolyte beverage and GU will be at miles 2, 3.5, 9, 11, 12.

Age groups are as follows:

19 and under

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85-89

90 and up

🔹Course Route: this is an out and back course, utilizing first the south end of the trail and turning around at the 5.50 mile marker and return to the start, which would be the equivalent of 11 miles, runners will then proceed around the start and head north on the trail for a short out and back for the remaining mileage, back to finish line for your 13.10 miles!🎉

For the 8k distance, the course is also an out and back, and will begin the same as the half, with the turnaround marked at 2.50 miles and race back to the finish line!🎉