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THUNDER CHICKEN SQUATCH jamboree

SUNDAY AUGUST 9, 2026

It's time to GET STOKED AT STOKES! This Trail Party is at the beautiful Stokes State Forest in Branchville, NJ. Join us on Sunday August 9, 2026 for the Thunder Chicken Squatch Jamboree! Runners and hikers of all ages and paces can sign up for a 5K, 10K, or 17 miler. We will honor the individuals who have sacrificed so much to service our country by offering 50% off entries to all Active-Duty Military, National Guard, Reserves, and Veterans! If you are in the Military or are a Veteran, please use the code THUNDERCHICKEN to save 50%! We will recognize all of our military runners/hikers before the race.

QUICK STATS

RACE FORMAT: 17M, 10K, 10K Ruck, 5K

CUTOFFS:

All events have a 6 hour cutoff
17M has one on-course cutoff
17 Miler need to maintain a 21 min per mile pace
10Kers need to maintain a 58 min per mile pace
5Kers need to maintain a 119 min per mile pace

ELEVATION/TERRAIN:

Standard fare for the Jersey Highlands: technical singletrack trails with rocks and roots. 17M - 1,500 ft elevation gain.10K - 600 ft elevation gain. 5K - 325 ft elevation gain

CAPACITY: Sold out the last 3 years! Typically sells out by early August; capped at 175 participants across all four events

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: No public transit options available. Email us and we can help coordinate a carpool!

So what exactly is... "Thunder Chicken"? We are so glad you asked! Long story short, one of our runners serves in the US Army and when we invited her on our podcast in 2021, we found out that her "call-sign" in the Army is THUNDER CHICKEN! And as we mentioned before, we are honoring our military runners/hikers with this trail party, so "Thunder Chicken" was the obvious choice for this race's name! You can check out that podcast episode HERE. The Thunder Chicken Story is at the 54 minute mark! Remember, if you are serving in the Armed Forces right now or you are a Veteran, please use the code THUNDER CHICKEN to save 50% as a small way for us to say thank-you!

We are proud to partner with Bigger Than The Trail . BTTT is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. BTTT's mission is to enrich the lives of individuals struggling with mental health. Through their fundraising efforts, BTTT provides free therapy to those in need! Please consider making a donation to BTTT: Bigger Than the Trail to provide cost-free therapy for folks in need.

Much of course is very technical - this means that there are a lot of rocks and roots! Again - there are a lot of rocks and roots! The 17 miler is not recommended for kids under the age of 14. Trekking poles could be helpful for some folks. We recommend a sturdy pair of trail shoes that have good grip/lugs. There is about 1,500 ft of gain in the 17 mile loop. There is about 600 ft gain in the 10K loop; the course is a bit long, closer to 6.6 miles! The 5K has roughly 325 ft of gain.

TRAIL PARTY LOCATION

There is a required park entrance fee: $10 for NJ residents and $20 for out of state residents! Please use the following address: 1 Coursen Road, Branchville, NJ and this GPS LINK to get to the park: When you enter the park, the park office is on your right. Continue straight on Coursen Road ALL the way to the end, without making any turns. When you reach the end of Coursen Road at the "T", turn left and park in the parking lot that is next to Kittle Field. If that parking lot is full, you can turn right at the "T" to park at the Stony Lake Parking Lot. Please allow a few extra minutes to walk from this parking lot to the Kittle Picnic Area, where the race start/finish is located. The start/finish is at the Kittle Picnic Area where there is a large covered pavilion, restrooms, and plenty of picnic tables. Interested in carpooling? Email us!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Check-in: 8:15am-8:45am
Start: 9:00am
17M Cut-off at the 7.65M Aid Station: 11:20am
(no on-course cutoff for the 10K or 5K)
Race cut-off for all events: 3pm
We have a 6 hour cut-off for all events. This comes out to about 21 minutes per mile for folks who are completing the 17M. 10K participants need to maintain a 58 min per mile pace and the 5K participants need to maintain a 119 min per mile pace to finish by 3pm.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD GPX

Runners/hikers for the 17M and 10K will use the existing blue blazes (Blue Mountain Trail) that are maintained by our friends at the New York New Jersey Trail Conference. We will only be adding directional arrows at each of the turns. The 5K will be marked with pink ribbons and pink directional arrows.Scroll down to the bottom of this page to learn how to read the trail blazes! To learn more about how we mark the course and what the ribbons and signs look like, squatch on over to the Sassquad Trail School to watch the information video about our course markings!

Like many other race organizations, we do not offer refunds for our events. Please take the time to double-check your calendar before registering for a Trail Party. Please understand that we do not offer refunds under any circumstances.

If you notify us via email (not through social media, text, or phone call) more than 21 days from the date of the Trail Party, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid.
If you sustain an injury less than 21 days from the race date, we will extend a 100% deferral if you come to that race to volunteer. For distances less than 50K, you'll need to volunteer for at least 4 hours and for 50M+ distances, you'll need to volunteer for at least 8 hours to get a 100% deferral.
If the race that you want to drop from is sold-out with an active wait-list and are able to fill your spot: if you notify us via email (not through social media, text or phone call) at least 3 days before the race, we will extend a deferral to any of our events that fall within one calendar year of the Trail Party that you were registered for, minus 15% of the registration fee that you originally paid.
The race credit is the amount that you paid for the race, minus 15% (total credit does not including UltraSignUp fees) so you will need to cover any difference in fees; refunds will not be issued if the deferred event costs less than your race credit. You can only defer one time, so please double-check that you can make the race you're deferring to.

PREGNANCY, ADOPTION, & POSTPARTUM POLICY

Whether planned or unplanned, the beginning or end of a pregnancy requires healing and recovery time. We are committed to supporting you in this regard. If you are experiencing a pregnancy or postpartum healing and recovery, or have adopted a child, we are pleased to offer a deferral of up to three years from the current event. Simply send us an email and we will arrange the deferral for you. This deferral policy includes partners and spouses and is also extended to folks who are going through the IVF process.

COMMUNITY CARE DEFERRAL POLICY

We recognize that the current climate around immigration enforcement, including ICE activity, is creating real fear and barriers to training, travel, and participation. Any registered participant who feels unsafe may request a deferral of their race entry for up to three years from the original race date, no questions asked. For anyone who still wants to participate but is feeling hesitant, our Squatch Together Program offers the option to be paired with another runner or hiker for support before, during, and after race day. Your safety, dignity, and sense of belonging come first.

BANDITS

Any individuals caught banditing a race will be banned from Sassquad events. Banditing means that you are on our race course without registering. Please do not bandit our Trail Parties or any other event!

Make no mistake about it - this is not a flat course. The trails are technical and have some steep and rugged sections.

ALL participants are REQUIRED to have the following with them at all times:

Charged cell phone
Water bottle or hydration pack
At least 200 extra calories
Whistle (we will give you one at check-in)
GPX of course map on phone or device

The following items are recommended, but not required:

Poles
External battery pack for phone
Buff/hat/gloves
Wipes
Ziploc baggie to pack out trash

AID STATIONS:

We always have an AED at Squatch HQ + fully stocked first aid kits at each aid station (our first aid kit includes menstrual products and wipes). Squatch HQ has real restrooms with flush toilets and sinks.

17 Milers: the start/finish area will have water and snacks. There will be an aid station with water and snacks at the Steam Mill Camping Area, mile 7.65. Snacks include items like bananas, granola bars, fruit snacks etc. (and maybe ice pops if its hot!). The water-only aid station is at Shotwell Road, mile 13.5.

10K: the start/finish area will have water and snacks. There will be a water-only aid station at Shotwell Road, mile 3.

5K: the start/finish area will have water and snacks; there are no on-course aid stations for the 5K.

PACERS:

As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please pre-register your pacer with us before the start of the Trail Party. Pacers are not allowed for folks under the age of 60 and who are not an AWD.

CREW:

This is not a crewing-friendly event as there is no access to see your runner/hiker on the course (there is not enough parking at the mile 7.65 aid station for the 17M). BUT- the start/finish at Squatch HQ is an awesome spot for friends and family to hang out! Plenty of picnic tables to use, a playground, and a large field for kids to run around. We have a range of fun games that your family can enjoy!

Branchville, NJ is home to a variety of critters. So this is your "nature disclaimer". Yes, there are snakes. Yes, there are Black Bears. Here is what ya need to do if you see a bear during the race (this is from the Dept of Environmental Protection): If you see a bear, make it aware of your presence and use common sense. Never approach the animal; observe it only from a distance. Clapping, talking, singing, or making other noises lets the bear know you are nearby. Remain standing, avoid direct eye contact, back up slowly, and speak in a calm, assertive voice if you encounter a bear at close range. Do not run.... More information on Bear Encounters.

At Sassquad, we believe the trails are for everyone. We are committed to supporting adaptive athletes through our Trailside Support program.
Support Guides: Guides/Pacers for adaptive athletes are always welcome and race for free. Please register your pacer/guide ahead of time. If you need help finding one, please submit the Accommodation Request Form.
Accommodations: Please submit an Accommodation Request Form at least 3 weeks before race day so our Trailside Support Team can plan accordingly.
Terrain Type: All three courses (5K, 10K, and 17M) feature "standard fare for the Jersey Highlands"; this means very technical singletrack trails with a significant amount of rocks and roots throughout.
Equipment Recommendation:
All-Terrain Wheelchairs: Due to the high technicality, constant rocks, and roots on the singletrack, this course is not recommended for wheeled mobility devices.
Ambulatory Adaptive: this course is suitable for ambulatory athletes who are comfortable with highly technical, uneven footing. Trekking poles are strongly recommended for all distances to help navigate the rocky terrain and provide stability.
Facilities: Squatch HQ at the Kittle Picnic Area features a large covered pavilion and real restrooms with flush toilets and sinks.

Thunder Chicken Squatch Navigation

FAQ'S

Q: What's so great about Stokes State Forest?

Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now! History is happening ... at Stokes... and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world! In the greatest city in the world!

Q: Are there any restrooms?

A: There are restrooms at the start/finish (flush toilets, YAY!)

Q: What's the story behind "Thunder Chicken"?

A: It's the call-sign for one of our Sassquaders who is in the Army!

Q: I could get lost in a brown paper bag. Will the course be marked?

A: We will have bright colored ribbons along the course and plenty at all of the turns.

Q: Can I bring my dog?

A: No, our insurance policy does not cover dogs at any of our events. Thank you for understanding!

Q: Any aid stations?

A: WERK! WERK! Yup! We'll have a full station and a water-only aid station on the 17M course. There is a water-only aid station for the 10Kers. No aid stations for the 5K.

Q: I don't feel like reading the course description. Will the course be marked?

A: Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room? Soon that attitude may be your doom. It's always a good idea to be over-prepared. So read the course description and know that the course will be well-marked.

Q: Can I have a pacer?

A: As with all of our events, Squatchers over the age of 60 and AWD (athletes with disabilities) can have a pacer/guide at any time. Please fill out the pacer registration form ahead of time and be sure to pick-up a pacer bib during check-in! Pacers are not allowed for other runners and hikers without prior approval from the Trail Party Director.

Q: Me and my friend aren't registered for the race, but we're still planning on coming to run. We won't eat from the aid station or take a medal or swag. This is okay, right?

A: NO THIS IS NOT OKAY. This is called being a "race bandit" and it is stealing. Not paying for a race and running the race is stealing from the race organization (even if you're not taking food or swag). Don't do this at a Sassquad trail party or ANY other race. It's not okay. If you bandit a race, you will be banned from registering for any of our Sassquad events.

Q: Thanks for answering my questions... Do you have any other advice?

A: Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da da da dat dat da ya da! Da da da dat da dat da da da da ya da da da dat dat da ya da!A: Inconceivable... You fell victim to one of the classic blunders—the most famous of which is, “Never get involved in a land war in Asia”—but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line”! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha…........ But seriously, we are SO EXCITED that you are choosing a Sassquad event for your first trail race! This is the perfect intro event as the trails are not very difficult. Come ready to have a great time and meet some awesome people!

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