Turkey Trot
Dale Hill, right, is an
original member of the
Pinedale trot and
participated again this
year. Courtesy photo.
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2025 Pinedale Turkey Trot News
by Craig Sheppard
November 30, 2025
This was the 34th running of the Pinedale Turkey Trot and with all the favorable comments it seems to have developed into a great annual tradition for the Pinedale community and their Thanksgiving guests. There were 184 registered turkey trotters toed the line for the 34th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot. The temperature was a balmy 32 degrees at the start of the race with no breeze. It was a beautiful, but cloudy day. Perfect conditions for getting through our original three mile over the river and through the woods course. The warming fires were again a big hit! Ellen Sheppard oversaw the hospitality garage where she had plenty of warm coffee and cold water ready for the early birds.
As usual there were all types of exercisers participating. We had participants from nine-month-old Pepper Fenn to eight trotters in their 70’s. Dale Hill (an original member of the Pinedale trot) was our only 80-year old. We had six participants from the original turkey trot in the field this year. We had bikers, walkers, runners, run/walkers, trotters, and baby strollers. There were people from ten different states (Utah, Montana, Washington, Maine, South Dakota, California, Colorado, Nebraska, West Virginia and Wyoming) and nine towns or cities in Wyoming. There were also plenty of dogs around to help pull their owners through the course.
Even though this is a fun run/walk we would like to recognize a few individuals. Sixteen-year-old Nyle Swenson of Pinedale came in first in the running division with a fantastic time of 18:11 followed by Sergio Anderson (also 16) in a time of 18:18. Kris Holmes (20:15) came in third followed by Erik Bailly in a time of 22:23. The female runners were led by Gwen McMillen in a time of 25:00. She was followed by Bethany Vrska (25:31). A couple younger runners need recognition they were Isaac Pearce (10) ran a 24:50 race and 12-year-old Olivia Snyder came in a time of 26:30. All of our hardy participants are winners for getting out and getting some exercise on such a perfect Pinedale morning.
The walking division is the hardest one to judge on whether they walked the entire course or ran and walked it and it is the largest division. Again, this year the first true walkers were Karen and Dan Stewart in 42:40.
This year there were a lot of school age participants. It is so good to see so many out doing physical activity. Many were in strollers when they first participated in this trot. Maybe someday they will be named as the winner of the Pinedale Turkey Trot. If not just being out and pushing their limits on a beautiful Pinedale morning will be a great Thanksgiving memory.
I know there are many names not mentioned in this article, but it is fun to see so many friends, families, school alumni, former band students and visitors gathering to take in the beautiful scenery and fresh air of Pinedale. Thanks go out to the Pinedale schools for use of their tables, bull horn and cones, Race to Raise (formerly the Pinedale Half Marathon) for use of their timer and to the Pinedale Roundup and Pinedale Online for advertising. A special thanks to the Bank of Jackson Hole for posting our event on their marquee. I especially need to thank my wife Ellen for putting up with my many passions of which one is hosting the Pinedale Turkey Trot.
The Hartwig family just moved this summer to Iowa and I just found out yesterday that their son, Garrett, started his own turkey trot there in Iowa last year. He and his family participated in many turkey trots in Pinedale as they were growing up, thus expanding the legacy of the Pinedale Turkey Trot to the Midwest.
Don’t forget it is never too late to get in shape for the 35th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot which will be held Thanksgiving morning 2026 at the Sheppard’s house at 9AM. See you then!
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