Enjoy perhaps our most adventurous trip yet - Burro racing in Colorado! This will be our first tour based around an event - the 2026 Creede Donkey Dash! It's also our first trip requiring a 4 legged partner. Adventure Running Co. will rent all the donkeys we'll need for the Donkey Dash and cover your entry fee into the race. Choose from the 10 mile long course through the historic Creede Mining District or the 3 mile short course out and back. We recommend the long course to maximize your fun with your new four legged friend. We'll spend 4 nights in a comfortable vacation home right on the Rio Grande River (bring your fly rod!) and one day training with and getting to know our donkey. After meeting in Denver, we'll drive out to Creede for a short shake out run, enjoy a longer run in the beautiful mountains around Creede the following day, and then we'll meet our 4 legged friend on Friday. Saturday will be the big day where we'll stretch out our legs in the world famous Donkey Dash! We'll spend one more evening together, sharing our stories from the day, and then head back to Denver on Sunday. This event is sure to challenge and delight!
Our first tour based around an event and our first tour requiring a 4 legged partner! The Colorado Burro Racing Adventure is centered around the legendary Creede Donkey Dash burro race that takes place every summer, celebrating the mining history of the area and the miners and their indispensable partners. We'll participate in the 10 mile Donkey Dash or the 3 mile short course. We recommend the 10 mile dash because that way we'll have more fun with our four legged friends! We'll spend 4 nights in a lovely cabin right on the Rio Grande River (bring your fly rod!). After meeting the runners in Denver, we'll shuttle out to Creede and get in a quick shake out run before dinner on the first night. On day 2, we'll get out and explore the mountains around Creede on a longer run to really stretch our legs. Then on Friday, day 3, we'll meet our burros that have been matched with our runners and spend an afternoon training with them and taking a few laps around town. Day 4, Saturday, is the big day! We'll hit the starting line with our new four legged friends and head out of Creede and through the historic mining district, where the donkeys really shone, as the miners indispensable partners. We'll spend one more evening together, sharing stories of our Donkey Dash around a campfire by the river. On the last day, we'll shuttle back to Denver and the end of our tour. Adventure Running Co. will rent all of the donkeys for our group and cover the race entry fee. You just need to get to Creede and get ready to have some fun running with the donkeys!
Duration/Mileage: 4 days running/~ 35-40 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate - high altitude, relatively short days, rough trails, burro racing training, moderate elevation change, some long climbs, little access to support vehicle, poor signage in places, distances between 10 and 15 miles.
We'll spend all 4 nights in a lovely 4 bedroom cabin right next to the Rio Grande River. This comfortable cabin will accommodate our entire group in shared room arrangements. Enjoy the deck overlooking the river and the benches right on the river's edge.
Getting to Denver, CO for the start of our tour is easy. All major airlines use Denver International Airport. We'll meet the runners at the airport or at a nearby hotel on Wednesday in the early afternoon. From our meeting location, we'll shuttle out to Creede, CO and our vacation home where we'll spend the next 4 nights, returning you to our meeting location again on Sunday.
Adventure Running Co. will provide a selection of packable food items for each day’s run. Each morning we will provide a spread of items you can use to make a lunch for the trail including bread and tortillas for sandwiches and wraps, peanut butter, other nut butters, jelly, jam, hummus, sandwich meats, cheese, honey, a selection of gels, chews and waffles from our sponsor, nuts, chips, bars, electrolyte replacements and other select items. If you have any specific running foods you prefer, please bring them. Specialty supplements or nutrition systems aren’t provided by Adventure Running Co. and you should bring your own supplies if you have any specialty items like these. On this trip, we may even have lunch in town at one of the local cafes.
Adventure Running Co. will be preparing healthy and hearty breakfasts and dinners each day consisting of fresh, seasonal and locally sourced foods. We are able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten free, etc. but must know of your specific needs in advance. Be sure to complete the registration form to indicate any dietary preferences or restrictions. We will stock our coolers with a selection of beverages and make a pre-run stop on our way to our first days run to pick up any micro-brews or alcoholic beverages of your choice.
Guides, all meals starting with lunch on the first day through lunch on the last day, burro rental, race entry fee, burro training, support vehicle, transportation on tour, shuttle to and from trailheads, gear transport, snacks, group gear, non-alcoholic beverages, first aid, permits, fees, reservations and licenses.
Trip does not include airfare or other transportation to and from the departure site, lodging before or after the tour, or personal gear.
