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Desert Orienteering Festival

Sat January 17 - Mon January 19, 2026 Borrego Springs, CA 92004 US Directions
Countdown to Race Day

Events

Sign-up for all 4 events and get a 10% discount!

The Adventure Trek

Price: $35
Date Range: 01/17
Time: 12:00PM PST 2:00PM PST
Price increases after November 15, 2025 at 11:59pm PST
Sign-up for all 4 events and get a 10% discount!

The Classic

Price: $35
Date Range: 01/18
Time: 10:00AM PST
Events: Classic - White Classic - Yellow Classic - Orange Classic - Brown Classic - Green Classic - Red Classic - Blue
Sign-up for all 4 events and get a 10% discount!

The Night Goat

Price: $35
Date Range: 01/18
Time: 5:00PM PST
Events: Night Goat - Beginner Night Goat - Borrego (Intermediate) Night Goat - Goat (Advanced)
Sign-up for all 4 events and get a 10% discount!

The Maze Middle

Price: $35
Date Range: 01/19
Time: 9:00AM PST
Events: Maze - White Maze - Yellow Maze - Orange Maze - Brown Maze - Green Maze - Red Maze - Blue

Race Website

Additional race information can be found at https://www.sandiegoorienteering.org/desertorienteering.

Place

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Borrego Springs, CA US 92004

Description

Please consider volunteering. All volunteers will receive an email with a $50 coupon toward registration per slot. 

REMINDER: DOF26 will not be offering OUSA categories. Run any race you want! 

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Saturday, Jan 17th

The Adventure Trek

12pm Mass Start

The festival kicks off with a 2-hour score orienteering Adventure Trek, where both experienced and beginner participants can chart their own path through the desert.

This year’s challenge takes place in the vast flatlands northeast of Buttes Pass, where navigational precision and overland speed will be the keys to victory.

Course Setter: Chris Day

 

Sunday, Jan 18th

The Classic

Starts 10am-11:30am

Measure your fitness and navigation skills against the best in a traditional 7-course classic orienteering competition that will span both technical and fast terrain.

Beginners can stick to the basic White course or use their newly built skills to take on the Yellow or Orange competitions.

Course Setter:  Matej Sebo

 

The Night Goat

5pm Mass Start

Are you ready to take on the desert at night? ​

This modified format will extend our Goat (8-10km), Borrego (4-5km), and Beginner mass start tradition, but with a dusk start time. Following is encouraged, but as night settles and the group splinters, you might face the dark desert alone to complete this point-to-point course. Beginners who want just a taste of the night can opt for a lighted guide.

Course Setter:  Mark Prior

 

Monday, Jan 19th

The Maze Middle

Starts 9am-11am

Navigate the slot canyons and steep slopes of the iconic "Maze" in a middle distance 7-course point to point competition. The distances will be short, but the complexity high, with numerous route options and physical challenges between controls in this three-dimensional wonderland.

Beginners will thrill to exposed ridges and memorable vistas while following a more straight-forward route. 

Course Setter: Julien Ouellet

Race Contact Info

If you have any questions about this race, please contact the race director at

Directions

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