Last week, the Trails Foundation of Northern Utah announced in a press release the return of a weekend of trail races at the Northern Utah Trailfest, or The NUT, Oct. 2-4 at North Fork Park in Eden.

“The Northern Utah Trailfest invites participants, families, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts to spend the weekend at North Fork Park,” the release said. “Whether you’re racing or coming to enjoy the festival and everything North Fork Park has to offer, there’s something for everyone. Camping is available for the entire weekend and is open to all attendees, whether or not they are participating in the races. Every camping pass includes Friday and Saturday nights, with options ranging from tent and vehicle camping to group retreat campsites.”

TFNU Marketing and Communications Coordinator Kylie Thompson told the Standard-Examiner on Wednesday that the event has grown ever since its inception and that attendees can look forward to new races this year.

“Each year, it’s evolved over time and become bigger and better,” she said. “We actually have two new races this year. We have the duathlon which is a mixture between the bike race and the trail race. Then we have the Cutler Challenge which is a cutoff race for a trail race. It’s a three round cutoff-based trial running competition and it’s designed to test endurance.

The release notes that there’s far more activities than just trail races for attendees to enjoy.

“Festival activities scheduled throughout the weekend include s’mores, a musical petting zoo, flow painting, axe throwing, face painting, yoga, forest bathing, guided fossil hikes, stargazing, live music, and more,” the release said.

Thompson said it’s been exciting to see the growth over the years.

“The growth has been great,” she said. “There’s a lot of different ways for people to get involved, no matter their skill level. There’s something for everyone to try. … We just secured our live music for this year, which incorporates a lot of different genres of music. We’ve been securing vendors and food trucks and we’re just excited for everyone to come out and see it this year.”

She added the Northern Utah Trailfest has one asset that rises above everything else in helping people connect with outdoor activities.

“The best part of The NUT is the atmosphere,” she said. “People come for the races, but they stay for the camping, live music, activities, and everything happening throughout the weekend. It’s an opportunity to spend a few days at North Fork Park, enjoy the outdoors, and experience the park in a whole new way.”

For more information and to register for camping, visit https://www.northernutahtrailfest.com/.