Trail, mountain, sometimes not even a marked course. These are the ones ultrarunners actually chase.
Real cutoffs, real elevation, and real risk of DNF. Train specifically for the terrain, not just the mileage, road marathon fitness doesn't automatically transfer to mountain trail.
The biggest names on this list (Western States, Javelina as a qualifier race) aren't open entry, expect a lottery, a qualifying race, or both.
Sorted soonest to furthest out.
"Race Across The Sky," 100 miles through the Colorado Rockies above 10,000 feet elevation. Aug 22, 2026.
Register / More Info →100 miles through the McDowell Mountain Preserve near Phoenix, famously Halloween-costumed, and a qualifier for Western States. Also offers 100K and shorter distances. Oct 31, 2026.
Register / More Info →Part of the global UTMB World Series, run near Auburn, CA, and a qualifier toward UTMB Mont-Blanc in France. Apr 23-24, 2027.
Register / More Info →The Super Bowl of ultrarunning, 100.2 miles through California's Sierra Nevada. Entry is by lottery through a qualifying race. Jun 26, 2027.
Register / More Info →135 miles through Death Valley in July heat, run point-to-point from Badwater Basin toward Mt. Whitney. Not on the usual lottery platforms, entry is invite-only through the race's own qualification process. Confirm current eligibility requirements before you build a training block around it. Jul 19, 2027.
Register / More Info →New to ultras? These courses have real cutoffs, real elevation, and real risk of DNF, train specifically for the terrain, not just the mileage.
