For over 30 years, on a picturesque horse farm located in a rural valley below Western New York’s highest elevation point, hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts gather each third weekend of October for the annual RidgeWalk & Run. Exhilarated from a morning of refreshing exercise, with memorable aromas of forest ferns and falling leaves still fresh in mind, participants relax and enjoy some hot food and festive entertainment at the UR/Jones Memorial Hospital Finish Line Arena. Having grown to offer 5K and 10K trail runs, as well as a varied pallet of walking distances, RidgeWalk & Run annually draws participants from across New York State, and beyond.
Brief History of RidgeWalk & Run
Eight miles south of Wellsville, N. Y. Alma Hill rises a thousand feet above town, and usually offers up the area’s first frosts each fall. This glacially formed prominence flattens at the top as is common with all main ridges along the Allegheny Plateau. Being the highest elevation point in the Western New York peninsula, the locally renowned mountain and its surrounding township, consists mostly of remote privately held land parcels, some offering spectacular vistas looking nearly thirty miles into Northern Pennsylvania.
Finish Line -October 17th, 1993
In 1993, when a group of local trail runners were approached to help establish a health related fundraiser, their vision was to present an event that could link together some of these parcels to establish a “one day public access” network of unforgettable trails. In the thirty years since its inception RidgeWalk & Run has mushroomed from very humble beginnings (53 initial participants) to a full-fledged family fitness event. Each third weekend of October RW&R hosts hundreds of participants who select from a varied pallet of running/walking challenges.
In 2014, RidgeWalk & Run experienced significant transformation. After twenty-one years of stewardship by an all-volunteer committee and the Wellsville Area Chamber of Commerce, RidgeWalk & Run passed into the capable hands of UR/Jones Memorial Hospital. The hospital was in search of a signature event that would be outdoors, family affordable, and could be a funding source solely dedicated to health and wellness. UR/Jones Memorial has a 100 year history of commitment to the Wellsville community and moves into a second century with a solid vision for additional enhanced wellness initiatives.
You can be assured that UR/Jones will re-invest 100% of the net profits realized from the Annual RidgeWalk & Run.