100 Mile Course

The estimated total elevation gain for the course is 7,850.

The start/finish line will be at the town park in Virgin. The race starts at 6am sharp on Friday, May 11th. Pre-race check in is Thursday, May 10th from 5-9pm at the Virgin town park. Racers will receive a voucher at check in for a wood-fired pizza that can be redeemed any time between Thursday evening and Saturday from the portable pizza oven that will be on site.

100 milers will begin with about two and a half miles of double track and then will start the steep ascent up the Flying Monkey trail to get up onto Hurricane Mesa (about 1 mile of rough singletrack, climbing over 1,000ft).

Once on top, you’ll follow the double track west for about a mile and then turn right onto a nice dirt road (Smith Mesa road). Hurricane Mesa transitions into Smith Mesa after about 3 miles (aid station #1 will be at about mile 8.5) and then you’ll continue on this road until aid station #2 at around mile 18.5. ( First drop bag will be here.) Shortly after aid station #2 you will be dropping off of the mesa on a little used trail through a steep wash which will be the most technically challenging section of the course including some boulder hopping. It would be wise to have gaiters for this section of the course as there is a lot of overgrowth and brush. There is an exposed ledge that will need to be traversed but we will have this section well marked and staffed with volunteers to make sure you get down safely. Plan on walking for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile, depending on your comfort level in very rough terrain. The rough and technical section pays off with several miles of amazing trail that rarely is seen due to its remoteness and difficulty to access. Ignore the “No Trespassing” signs as you approach Kolob Terrace road, we have been granted permission to pass through this area by the land owner.

At about mile 27 you’ll hit pavement (Kolob Terrace road.) Aid station #3 will be on the opposite side of the road along with drop bag #2.

Descend down Kolob Terrace road for about 4.25 miles (paved) until you hit a dirt road that veers right at mile 31.25. It will be marked with a water only station. Follow this dirt road 3.5 miles across the desert until you get to Sheep Bridge road. Aid station #4 will be waiting for you after you cross the highway, approximately mile 35. Your crew can visit you here.

About a half mile after leaving the aid station, you’ll take a right on a dirt road (after crossing the bridge and a cattle guard.) After a few hundred more yards, this road will turn into single track (the bottom portion of the JEM trail.) After about 3 miles of single track, you’ll take a left onto a double track road, marked with a water only station. Around mile 42.4 you’ll hit aid station #5 (called “Virgin Desert” aid station. Drop bag #3 is available here. About 3 miles after the aid station you’ll come to a crossroads with a green cattle trough and you’ll turn right. After a half of a mile or so you’ll start the steep scramble up onto the mesa, ascending over 1,500ft in less than a mile. You’ll reach the top of Gooseberry Mesa somewhere around mile 47. Another water only station will be in place here. The scramble up is brutal, even more so than the Flying Monkey trail that you took to get up onto Smith Mesa.

Take an immediate right once you are on the mesa and skirt the edge of the plateau until you reach the western most point of the mesa, mile 51.5. You’ll run a half mile out and back to the edge of the mesa, so aid station # 6 will be accessible to runners twice (miles 51.5 and 52.5). Drop bag #4 is here. The aid station is called “Gooseberry Point”. Don’t forget to get your hand marked at the turnaround!

Follow the trail along the south rim which will turn into the “Secret Harris Trail” after about 2 miles. This trail is a little tricky to find, and the next 8 miles will be a little more technical than the Gooseberry trail up until now, but we’ll have it well marked. You’ll emerge from the Gooseberry trail system at what’s known as the “Cattle Grate Trailhead” or main parking area at about mile 62.75. Turn right and aid station #7 will be about 100 yards down the road. Drop bag #5 will be here.

Follow the dirt road for about 4.5 miles to Smithsonian Butte road, where you’ll turn right after a water only station. Follow this wide dirt road straightaway for 2.5 more miles to aid station #8. Your crew can visit you here. This aid station is named “Smithsonian Butte Turnoff”. This is at approximately mile 69.75.

Cross over Hwy 59 and follow course markings up onto Little Creek Mesa. It is a gradual ascent with a water-only aid station after about 3.5 miles. Aid station #9 will be about 4 more miles down the road, just before you drop down from the mesa at mile 77. Drop bag #6 will be here. This aid station is named “Little Creek Mesa”.

The descent coming off of Little Creek is nearly as steep and rocky as the ascents going up onto Smith and Gooseberry mesas. At the bottom of the nearly 2 mile descent, you’ll pass through Kokapelli Golf Club onto a dirt road at which you’ll turn left and follow for just under 4 miles to aid station #10 at the Diamond Ranch Academy school. Your crew can visit you at this aid station.

After leaving aid station # 10, follow markers for about a mile to Gould’s Rim trail. You’ll stay on this trail for 6 miles (half of that being singletrack) until you hit Hwy 59 overlooking the town of Hurricane. Turn right and follow the highway for about 200-300 yards where you’ll cross over to a parking/overlook area and aid station #11 named “Hurricane View”. Your crew can visit you here. Drop bag #7 will be here.

Follow the Hurricane Rim singletrack for just over 4 miles, then you’ll turn out on a double track road which you’ll follow for about a mile to aid station #12 (named “Virgin Dam TH Turnoff)”. Crew can see you one last time here. You’ll take the same section of the JEM trail that you ran earlier in the race in the opposite direction (miles 35-39). Once you reach Hwy 59 you’ll take a right and head down the home stretch to the park (about 1 mile on the shoulder of Hwy 9 until the finish.)

Aid station and approximate mileage	Cutoff time	Crew accessible?	Drop bags available?
Smith Mesa#1 (8.5)		N	N
Smith Mesa#2 (18.5)		N	Y
Kolob Terrace Road (27)		N	Y
Sheep’s Bridge Road (35)		Y	N
Virgin Desert (42.4)		N	Y
Gooseberry Point (51.5/52.5)		N	Y
Cattle Grate TH (62.75)	8:00am (26 hrs)	N	Y
Smithsonian Butte Turnoff (69.75)	11:00am (29 hrs)	Y	N
Little Creek Mesa (77)	12:30pm (30.5 hrs)	N	Y
Gould’s Rim (82.75)	2:30pm (32.5 hrs)	Y	N
Hurricane View (90)	4:00pm (34 hrs)	Y	Y
Virgin Dam TH Turnoff (95.2)	5:00pm (35 hrs)	Y	N