BUFFALO RUN ADVENTURES | About Us

Well, let’s start by doing a little “about us”. Well, it’s more about the races.   I first moved to Utah back in 2004. When I came out for a job interview, I heard about this state park called Antelope Island.  So I paid it a visit.  While out there I drove past a huge bull buffalo standing right next to the road and was immediately enthralled.  I had to come running out here, especially after I heard that there were trails on the island.  I became a member of the volunteer “Trail Patrol” in the spring of 2005 and started exploring what there was out there.  This was one cool place. The Antelope Island Buffalo Run began in 2006.  That first year saw about 150 runners run either the 25K or the 50K.  A couple of years later a 50 mile option was added, and in 2011 a 100 mile option was added.   Since 2006, the Buffalo Run has become one of the bigger trail running events in Utah.

A few years after the start of the Buffalo Run I started the Mountain View Trail Half Marathon on the island.  The thought was that offering a trail half would be a good way to introduce trail racing to the road running crowd.  While not huge, the Mountain View Trail Half Marathon has a steady following and is actually quite runnable and fast as far as trail races go.

Also a few years ago, a 100K fall race was added.  With this race runners get to venture out on the west side of the island.  The fall 100k race is now gone and the 50K with the Half Marathon are held on the same day.

About ten years ago I started directing the Logan Peak Trail Run in Logan, UT, and seven years ago I started the Harriman 25K/50K Trail Race at Harriman State Park near Island Park, ID

So that’s it.  I love trail running.  I love being out on the island, where I’m still volunteering.  I love watching runners cross the finish line, whether it’s their first trail race or their 100th.  I’ve made a huge number of friends through my little endeavor and I hope to keep doing this for many more years to come.

–Jim Skaggs, RD