Run for the Refuge

Celebrate the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge at the 30th Annual Run for the Refuge.  Once again we are hosting an in-person run at the University of Fairbanks trails! If outside Fairbanks you can still participate virtually by running, walking, hiking, biking, or paddling a 5K or 10K route of your own design.  Join our Facebook Event Page to discuss your routes and get inspired.  Use #RunForTheRefuge and tag @NorthernCenter on Facebook and so we can see your adventures! 

Shirts are pre-order only on Bonfire.com, link coming soon. 

$30 for Adults, $15 for 12 & under. 

ABOUT THE ARCTIC REFUGE

The Arctic Refuge comprises 19.3 million acres in northeast Alaska, land that has been stewarded and held sacred by Gwich'in and Iñupiat people for millennia. The coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge is known as Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit, or "the sacred place where life begins," in Gwich'in. This sacred place provides calving grounds for the Porcupine caribou herd, which in turn provides for the food sovereignty and cultural practice of Indigenous people, who have led efforts to protect the lands, waters, wildlife, and people from harmful industrial extraction. The Run for the Refuge celebrates the place and its history of care and protection.

Find out more at the Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic website

ROUTE

The main event will be on the UAF north campus trails, starting at the ski hut. The address is 1001 Seismic Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99775.

In the week leading up to the race, you could plan a 5k or 10k route of your choice. In the past, Fairbanks Paddlers put together these routes through town:

Fairbanks Paddlers' 2021 5K & 10K Paddle Routes

Support the conservation of Alaska’s largest refuge by participating in this fun, family-friendly event!

For any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact the Race Director at events@northern.org

Join fellow runners on August 8, 2026 for the Run for the Refuge. It's a fantastic 5K, 1.6K, 10K featuring a flat and fast course in Fairbanks.