The Turkey Burner Caps at 300 Runners, and the 10K Has No Aid Stations

Overview

The 11th annual Black Mountain Turkey Burner runs on Saturday, November 28 — the Saturday after Thanksgiving — on Black Mountain in Rancho Peñasquitos. Their tagline is "Time to Burn Off that Turkey."

Two things to know up front, and both affect whether you can run it.

It's capped at 300 runners, because of park rules. When I checked, 163 spots remained.

And the organisers describe this as "the most technical trail race" on their entire series schedule.

That second point deserves emphasis, because "turkey trot" sets an expectation this race does not meet. This is not a flat 5K with a costume contest. It's 100% dirt, out and back, with what the organisers call "major 'hill' climbing on some very technical trails."

If you want a gentle Thanksgiving-weekend jog, this isn't it. If you want a real trail race on a morning when the whole county is eating leftovers, it's exactly it.

The Races and Prices

All prices include mandatory fees:

• Half Marathon — $111.12. Starts 7:30 a.m.
• 10K — $79.02. Starts 7:45 a.m.
• 5K — $62.97. Starts 8:15 a.m.
• Kids Dash — 9:15 a.m.

Registration runs to November 28, but the 300-runner cap is the real deadline — the organisers say it usually sells out early. At last check the 5K had the fewest spots left.

Race-day registration is available only if the race hasn't sold out online, opening an hour before the start.

If you change your mind about distance: upgrading costs $30 from the 10K to the Half, or $15 from the 5K to the 10K. Downgrades aren't refunded, and there's a strict no-refund policy. Transfers to another race in the series are allowed if you're more than 30 days out.

Race Morning

• 6:30 a.m. — registration opens
• 7:30 a.m. — Half Marathon
• 7:45 a.m. — 10K
• 8:15 a.m. — 5K
• 9:15 a.m. — Kids Dash
• 9:30 a.m. — overall awards · 9:45 a.m. — age-group awards
• 11:30 a.m. — event closes

Packet pickup is Wednesday, November 25, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., at Fleet Feet San Diego, 5980 Village Way, San Diego, CA 92130.

Note that's a two-hour window on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — a genuinely awkward slot. If you can't make it, you'll be collecting on race morning from 6:30.

The Course — and a Warning

The 10K is the one with clear published detail, and it contains the fact every runner needs:

The 10K has no aid stations, and a two-hour course limit.

100% dirt, out and back, on service road with some single track, with 672 feet of climbing. Two hours, 6.2 miles, nothing to drink unless you carry it. Carry water. This is not optional.

The 5K's course detail isn't published at all — there's a map and nothing else.

And the Half Marathon's figures are genuinely contradictory on the organisers' own page. It's published three different ways:

| Source on their page | Elevation gain | Aid stations | Course limit |

|---|---|---|---|

| Page header | "672'–2500'" across all races | — | — |

| Half Marathon overview | 2,700 ft | 4 | 4 hours |

| Half Marathon detail | 962 ft | 2 | 3 hours |

That's not a rounding difference. 962 feet over 13.1 miles is a rolling trail half. 2,700 feet is a mountain race. Those are different events and you'd train differently for them.

So if you're signing up for the Half, call them before you do: 858-775-7104. We'd want the real number before paying $111 and we'd want it before deciding what to carry.

No Dogs, No Strollers

This one surprises people at a trail race, so it's worth being explicit.

Dogs are not permitted. The organisers' own words: "runners are not permitted to run with their dogs, even leashed."

Strollers aren't either — the series permits them at a short list of named races, and Black Mountain isn't on it.

Parking

The main lot at the community park is limited and the organisers recommend carpooling. If it's full, secondary parking is on neighbourhood streets about half a mile away, off Black Mountain Road.

With a 7:30 start and a 6:30 registration opening, go early.

How to Go

• When: Saturday, November 28, 2026. Half 7:30, 10K 7:45, 5K 8:15
• Where: 14700 Carmel Valley Rd, San Diego — Black Mountain, Rancho Peñasquitos
• Entry: Half $111.12 · 10K $79.02 · 5K $62.97, fees included
• Field cap: 300 runners
• Packet pickup: Wed Nov 25, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Fleet Feet San Diego, 5980 Village Way
• No dogs, no strollers
• Contact: Jeff Stoner, 858-775-7104

Good to Know

• 300 runners, and it sells out. Register rather than deciding later.
• Carry water on the 10K. No aid stations, two-hour limit.
• Call before you book the Half. Their published elevation ranges from 962 to 2,700 feet.
• No dogs, even leashed. No strollers.
• Packet pickup is a two-hour window on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
• Carpool. The park lot is small and the overflow is half a mile out.
• No refunds, though you can transfer to another series race if you're 30-plus days out.
• It's the Saturday after Thanksgiving, not Thanksgiving morning — see below.

Why It's Worth It

Most Thanksgiving-weekend races are social events with a timing chip attached. This is a real trail race, on dirt, on a mountain, two days after the biggest meal of the year, with a field small enough that you'll recognise people at the finish.

Black Mountain is one of the better pieces of trail inside San Diego city limits, and running it on a quiet Saturday morning in late November — clear air, cool, the whole county indoors — is close to the best version of it.

Just find out what the climb actually is before you pay for the Half.

If you want the flatter, friendlier version of the weekend: the North County Turkey Trot and the Run for Hope 5K both run on Thanksgiving morning itself. This one is two days later and considerably harder.

For more things worth doing, browse our events calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Black Mountain Turkey Burner? Saturday, November 28, 2026 — the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Half starts at 7:30 a.m., the 10K at 7:45 and the 5K at 8:15.

Where is it? 14700 Carmel Valley Rd, San Diego, on Black Mountain in Rancho Peñasquitos.

How much does it cost? $111.12 for the Half Marathon, $79.02 for the 10K and $62.97 for the 5K, all including mandatory fees.

Will it sell out? Probably. The field is capped at 300 because of park guidelines and the organisers say it usually sells out early.

Are there aid stations? The 10K has none, with a two-hour course limit — carry your own water. The Half's aid station count is published inconsistently (two in one place, four in another), so confirm with the organisers.

How much climbing is there? The 10K is published at 672 feet. The Half is published three different ways on the organisers' own page — 962 feet, 2,500 feet and 2,700 feet. Call 858-775-7104 before you register.

Can I bring my dog? No. The organisers state that runners may not run with dogs, even leashed. Strollers aren't permitted either.

Where's packet pickup? Fleet Feet San Diego, 5980 Village Way, on Wednesday, November 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Otherwise collect on race morning from 6:30.

Can I get a refund? No. There's a strict no-refund policy, though you can transfer to another race in the series if you're more than 30 days out.