Monster Dash 5K & Lil' Monsters Fun Run
About this race
The Monster Dash 5K is coming to Des Moines, and we’re bringing it to the spooky trails of Raccoon River Park for a Halloween-themed race you won’t want to miss.
Whether you’re running with friends, walking the course, or just looking for an excuse to break out your best Halloween costume, the Monster Dash is ready to bring some fun to race day.
The 5K features a pre-race costume contest, chip timing, free event photos, big finisher medals, awesome Halloween-themed shirts, and more! There will also be a Lil’ Monsters Kids Run for ages 10 and under, plus costume awards for those who really want to embrace the Halloween spirit.
So start planning your costume, grab your running crew, and get ready to hit the course at Raccoon River Park!
Pick your distance
Running
5K Run/Walk
Lil' Monsters Fun Run
The kids run will be divided into multiple groups and distances based on participants’ ages and sizes, with separate runs for big kids and little kids.
Virtual Participant
Race materials will be sent out the Monday prior to the event. If you register after this time, you may receive it after the event.
Course
Route map and elevation profile
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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🏃 Plan Your Next Race in West Des Moines
Find upcoming events by distance:
- West Des Moines 5K Races 5 races
- 10K Run Events in West Des Moines 2 races
- West Des Moines Running Calendar 2026 5 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 6 West Des Moines events
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