This fall at Killington Resort be prepared to unleash your inner beast! While many might take vacation in the summer, and there is of course plenty to do in Killington Vermont during the summer months, you might interested in heading to the mountains in the fall. What are some of the things to do in Killington, Vermont this time of year?
During the weekend of September 16-17, Killington Resort will host the Vermont Spartan North American Championship Weekend. If you’re looking for challenging and fun things to do in Killington that weekend, put this one at the top of your list!
This will be the 11th straight year that the Spartan Beast, as it is known, will be among the fall activities in Killington, Vermont. The first such event was hosted at the resort in September 2012.
Learn more about the 2023 Spartan Race in Killington and explore Killington vacation rentals for the best accommodations available.
About Spartan Race
Founded in 2007, the Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races, with the first event being held in Williston, Vermont, in 2010. The site of the races moved to the Killington Resort in 2012 and has been held there ever since. This is an endurance series of events that draws competitors from around the world. Teams and individuals from the U.S., as well as Canada, the U.K., and the Czech Republic, have won these competitions.
The races take participants high into the Green Mountains of Vermont, through wilderness trails and over, through, and under various manmade obstacles as well as through rivers, mud, and other natural deterrents. Killington Vermont’s fall weather typically runs between 50 and 70 degrees, so if there’s no rain, you won’t have the weather to contend with. It would take a hurricane-like weather event to cancel the Spartan Races!
Race Day Information
Once you are registered, you will find details in the Race Day Program posted on the event page under “Important Race Documents” which will be uploaded the week leading up to the races. The program will outline all events of the weekend, including pre-race and post-race activities, the weekend’s festival, and more. You’ll also find parking pricing here. You could select to pay for VIP/Preferred Parking, which will land you closer to the event.
The Races
The 2023 Spartan Race in Killington consists of a 5K Sprint with 20 obstacles, a Beast 21K with 30 obstacles, and an Ultra 50K with 60 obstacles. There is also a 1-3K Kids Race with obstacles and a 4-hour team event called Hurricane Heat.
The 5K Sprint consists of running through a trail of water and mud, climbing walls, ropes, monkey bars, and crawling under barbed wire. You’ll also need to throw a spear! Get into Beast mode for the 21K; obstacles might include climbing over a 20-ft. A-frame cargo net, carrying logs through knee-to-waist-high waters, carrying jugs of water uphill, swinging on ropes, and so much more.
Ready for the Ultra Race? You’ll endure rougher terrain, higher elevations, more difficult climbs, steeper bucket hauls, and have to endure formidable walls, as well as other barriers to overcome. This race is performed despite extreme weather conditions. Those who complete any of the individual adult races receive a finisher medal, a t-shirt, and professional photos. Those who run the Sprint, Beast, and Ultra races get a trifecta medal wedge piece, in addition to the finisher medal and t-shirt.
For the Hurricane Heat, finishers get a Hurricane Heat Wedge, Finisher T-shirt, and entry into a networking group so runners can build long-lasting relationships with fellow participants.
The Kids Race is broken down into age groups: there is a competitive 2-mile race for ages 9-11 and 12-14; a 2-mile race for ages 9-14; a 1-mile race for ages 7-9; a half-mile race for ages 4-6; and a half-mile Special Spartans Inclusive Heat race for ages 4-plus. Kids earn a finisher medal and t-shirt.
Registration & Pricing
You can register online before the race weekend by accessing the Spartan website and selecting your race by clicking “Find Race” on the page. Registering earlier allows you to lock in the lowest prices. If you are in the military, a first responder, or in the healthcare field, you could get 25% off ticket prices.
You can choose race location, distance, and start time. You will need to create a Spartan account to register in this manner. After selecting tickets, make your payment and click on Assign Tickets. You’ll see a green CLAIMED status with each ticket you purchased and participant information. If you wish to join a team, sign into your Spartan account once you’ve completed registration. Find your tickets in “Events”, then click on the grey “Run as a Team” button under “Tickets.” Choose an existing team or create your own! On the day of the races, it is recommended to arrive 90 minutes before the event starting time to give you enough time to park and get yourself organized before the race.
Parking pricing and locations are found on the event page under “Race Day Info.” Note that parking for the Spartan Race is most often in dirt lots or fields rather than asphalt-covered surfaces. Since the event is held in the rain, even pouring rain, these lots could be messy so plan accordingly! Pick up your registration packet if you registered early, or you can register upon arriving at the event. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. Runners are started in groups of 250; your particular start time will be on the barcode generated when you registered as well as in your Spartan Account.
Pricing and start times vary for each race with various levels for each race. The 5K Sprint is $148 if you wish to compete in your age group, $138 for early morning starters, $128 for both Open and Open U.S. Army Be All You Can Be Heat levels, and $154 for Elite if you wish to compete against the best.
An Open Beast 21K ticket costs $156, early morning $172, age group $178, and Elite $193. If you’re brave enough to enter the Ultra 50K, you’ll pay $214 for the Open level, $230 for age group, and $234 for Elite. The Obstacle Specialist Training add-on for all races is $159. A Saturday spectator pass is $20 each for the Sprint and Beast races.
The prices for the Kid’s Races are $47.99, $37.99, $32.99, and $25.99 for the 2-mile Competitive, 2-mile, 1-mile, and half-mile races, respectively. The prices are the same for both Saturday and Sunday.
Plan Your Visit!
Are you ready to experience the thrill of Vermont’s Spartan Championship? Browse our entire selection of Killington rentals and start planning your trip today!
Where to Stay
What do you do after you’ve run uphill for miles, carried boulders, slogged through waist-deep waters, and hurled your body over 20-ft. obstacles?
You relax in whichever Killington vacation rentals you’ve chosen! If you’ve selected from The Killington Group Vacation Rentals, you can choose from 2- to 7-bedroom condos, townhomes, and Killington vacation homes that sleep up to 10 guests and that feature full kitchens with stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TVs, king- and queen-sized beds, high-speed internet, gas fireplaces, and a variety of other luxuries that might include heated bathroom floors, hot tub, rec room, and a two-car garage.
No matter which accommodation you select, you can be assured of stunning, expansive views of the mountains where you can bike, hike, zip line, golf, and more.
