Pokanoka's 10K Trail Run & 1.8 Mile Trail Walk

Pokanoka’s 10 K (6.2 Miles) Trail Run & 1.8 Trail Walk!!!

Mark Your Calendars!!! The 2020 date is Saturday, September 26^th, 2020. Race starts promptly at 10 AM. Registration starts at 9 AM. The weather will be cool and the scenery will be spectacular. There are very few places that can match the beautiful fall scenery of historic Shabbona Lake State Park.

Funds raised at Pokanoka’s 10K Trail Race/1.8 Mile Trail Walk support Safe Passage, DeKalb County’s only domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center. In addition to safe housing, Safe Passage offers crisis intervention and medical advocacy for victims, counseling, legal advocacy, children’s services, prevention programming, and a partner abuse intervention program. The organization serves survivors of all ages. All services at Safe Passage are free and confidential.

No other Race/Walk in Illinois this Fall will be able to match the ambiance and scenery of the historical trails of Shabbona Lake State Park. This is one of the mega Fall events in Northern Illinois. While running the 10K, you will be on parts of three trails full of history of our great nation involving the Prairie Band Pottawatomi Nation and the United States of America.

We start our event at the Three Fires Shelter area, just South of Pokanoka’s Restaurant overlooking Shabbona Lake. The area is named after the Native American Confederation of Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes that inhabited Northern Illinois. Ponoka’s Restaurant is named after Pottawatomi Chief Shabbona’s wife, Pokanoka.

Runners start off along scenic Arrowhead Trail (trail #1). The trail follows the shoreline of Shabbona Lake before the trail traverses through majestic woods NNW along Indian Creek. Visible to runners will be numerous shoreline nature views of the wildlife bird sanctuary area, in the shallow end of Shabbona Lake. A large variety of birds inhabit this area in the Fall.

You leave Arrowhead Trail and connect to the Snowmobile Trail (trail #2) near the Campground Access Road. A short jog to the left and you are on the Snowmobile Trail. After about ½ mile of running thru the woods, runners find themselves running next to native prairie grass.

As you run eastbound along the Snowmobile Trail you approach what is known as “The Hill”. This is an invigorating challenge for runners, as they run up the trail with a 150 yard moderately steep hill.

Shortly after conquering the hill, runners connect with the most truly scenic trail you will ever encounter, the famous Tomahawk Trail. (Trail #3) This trail has several sharp twists and turns as it meanders along the East Bay Shoreline of Shabbona Lake. Often you see eagles sitting in the standing trees in the water. They are looking down to swoop up a fresh fish meal. Shabbona Lake is a manmade impoundment with several trees left standing in the lake to provide habitat for fish.

As you exit out of the woods you find yourself at the Southeast end of Shabbona Lake, where the dam and spillway are located. You will now run on a 50 foot tall earthen dam, for ½ mile, that created Shabbona Lake. Off in the distance you will see the finish line approximately one mile away. You will get an extra burst of energy, as you push yourself to the finish line.

When you cross the dam you will reconnect with Arrowhead Trail as you run along the Southwest Bay of Shabbona Lake. We will be cheering for you at the finish line by the Three Fires Shelter, which is where you started from!!!

Pokanoka’s Trail Run/Walk will also partner with DeKalb’s Corn Classic for awards and opportunities for participants in an exciting two-day duo!!! Participants are encouraged to register for Pokanoka’s 10K event on Saturday, September 26^th and the DeKalb Corn Classic on Sunday, September 27th. Runners who complete both races win a DeKalb County Race Weekend medal!