The 1985 African Cross Country Championships was the first trial edition of the international cross country running competition for African athletes organised by the Confederation of African Athletics. It was held on 16 February in Nairobi, Kenya and would be the only African cross-country championship until its re-launch in 2011.
There were three races on the program: 12 km for senior men, 4 km for senior women, and 8 km for under-20 men. 72 athletes from eight countries participated, consisting of Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Tanzania, Somalia, Egypt, and Djibouti.
Kenya swept all team and individual gold medals. The competition was said to have attracted mostly Kenyans and other neighbors.