Arches Ultra 50 Mile

Overall score 3.1Good
Thin evidence2 sources#47 of 71 ultras

Moab, Utah · 50 mi (80.5 km) · 1,379 m (4,520 ft) gain

Race day Sat 30 Jan 2027

Website (opens in a new tab)

Is it right for you?

Footing
Moderate2.5
Climbing
Gently rolling3.9
Overall cutoff
Normal2.8
Intermediate cutoffs
Reasonable2.7
Crew access
Good3.6

Footing and climbing are course traits: 5 is the smoother, flatter end, not a better race.

Watch out: Both athlete reports describe 2019; current operations may differ. All 5

Held back by cutoffs (2.7) and race (2.7).

Best for

Provisional: based on 2 sources. Why

Ran it? Your rating helps.

Score breakdown

Every score is out of 5, and 5 is always the better end.

Each bar is a range of 0.25 points; the light bar holds this race. The average race scores 3.4.

What does this score mean?

Why runners love it

  • Two full-distance historical accounts praise the scenery and their finishes.
  • The current organizer offers race-morning bib pickup.

Watch out for

  • Both athlete reports describe 2019; current operations may differ.
  • Prepare for prolonged hard slickrock and potentially muddy roads.
  • Follow flags and painted rock markings carefully.
  • Carry reusable drinking equipment and confirm the current cutoff chart.
  • The organizer describes deliberately tough cutoffs; confirm pacing against each intermediate check.

Latest or next race

Sat 30 Jan 2027

Official race site(madmooseevents.com, opens in a new tab)
Climbing
1,379 m (4,520 ft)
Cutoff
12 hours
Pace needed
14:24 per mi (8:57 per km)

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What runners say

Overall score 3.1 out of 5

2 reviews and race reports

2 reviews

  • Jeremy Lynch

    Raced 2019 · Team Run Run athlete race report

    Tone: Positive

    The 50 mi (80.5 km) finisher awarded eight out of ten and valued views, singletrack and dinosaur tracks. Long slickrock stretches strained his shins, and mud slowed jeep trails. He found runner operations sound but disliked passing the finish before a final loop. His wife’s reported volunteer concern is secondhand; the publisher sells coaching.

    Covers Support, Course, Conditions, Stay and travel

    Read on teamrunrun.com (Team Run Run athlete race report, opens in a new tab)

  • Ryan Goodman

    Raced 2019 · Ultrarunner Journal

    Tone: Positive

    The writer explicitly identifies his 2019 race as 50 mi (80.5 km), separate from the previous shorter edition. Snowmelt produced sticky mud, but he valued friendly, well-stocked aid and felt strong accomplishment. He mentions brief slickrock navigation errors; current supplies and routing may differ. The blog includes affiliate links and reader support.

    Covers Support, Course, Conditions

    Read on ultrarunnerjournal.com (Ultrarunner Journal, opens in a new tab)
Ran Arches Ultra 50 Mile? Rate it

Pick a score, then tell the next runner about the footing, cutoffs and aid stations.

Scores

Open a category for its ratings and the evidence behind them.

Good. How runners feel about it, how well it is run, and the community around it. Counts for 25% of the overall score.

Toughness for its distance: Very tough

  • Runner satisfactionLoved4.0

    Two historical runners valued their finishes; one explicitly awarded eight out of ten. · Low confidence

  • OrganizationWell run3.8

    Both historical accounts describe satisfactory runner support, with minor routing and finish concerns. · Low confidence

  • Community and vibeWarm3.8

    Historical feedback praises friendly volunteers and shared race experience. · Low confidence

Very good. Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.

  • Aid stationsGood3.8

    One historical runner praises well-stocked aid; the other describes standard supplies. · Low confidence

  • Crew accessGood3.6

    Current chart permits crew at three locations with repeated visits. · Medium confidence

  • Drop bagsMany stations3.5

    Current chart permits bags at Klonzo and Klondike, each visited twice. · Medium confidence

Good. Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.

  • Course markingMostly clear3.1

    One historical runner briefly lost the slickrock route; attentive navigation remained necessary. · Low confidence

  • ScenerySpectacular4.5

    Both full-distance accounts praise the red-rock scenery. · Low confidence

  • Trail experienceGreat3.7

    Scenic singletrack appeals, while hard slickrock and sticky mud reduced comfort in the reviewed edition. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • FootingModerate2.5

    Historical runners describe prolonged hard slickrock, trail and sticky mud. · Low confidence

  • RunnabilityMixed3.4

    Runnable roads and singletrack became slower where snowmelt produced heavy mud. · Low confidence

  • ClimbingGently rolling3.9

    Climbs 90 ft per mi (17 m per km), from the recorded elevation gain. · High confidence

Good. Race-day temperature and how predictable the weather is. Counts for 14% of the overall score.

  • Race-day temperatureWarm or cold2.8

    Both reviewed accounts describe a cold edition with snowmelt mud. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • AltitudeModerate3.0

    Current highest point is 1565 m (5135 ft). · Low confidence

Good. How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.

  • Overall cutoffNormal2.8

    The organizer explicitly describes deliberately tough limits; twelve hours must cover the rocky long course. · Medium confidence

  • Intermediate cutoffsReasonable2.7

    Four firm intermediate checks apply; the organizer warns that missing one requires shortening the race. · Medium confidence

Not part of the score

  • Getting inUsually open4.0

    Current organizer offers open and race-morning registration, subject to remaining places. · Low confidence

Very good. Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.

  • LogisticsSimple3.6

    One start and finish helps, while limited parking requires planning. · Low confidence

Course

Route, 50 mi (80.5 km)

One big loop

Surface
Mixed
Climbing
1,379 m (4,520 ft)
Climb rate
Rolling, 17 m per km (90 ft per mi)
High point
1,565 m (5,130 ft)
Start
06:30

Cutoffs and aid

Overall cutoff
12 hours
Pace needed
14:24 per mi (8:57 per km)
Longest gap
13 km (8.0 mi)
Drop bags
Some stations
Crew access
Some points

Getting in

Entry
Open

Checkpoint cutoffs

Current linked chart finishes 18:30; homepage starts 06:30. Organizer explicitly describes firm, deliberately tough intermediate cutoffs; missing one can require a shorter-distance finish.

CheckpointCutoff
Dalton: 22 mi (35.4 km)35 km (22 mi)11:15 local
Klondike: 27 mi (43.5 km)43 km (27 mi)12:45 local
Klondike: 35 mi (56.3 km)56 km (35 mi)15:00 local
Klonzo: 45 mi (72.4 km)72 km (45 mi)17:20 local

Footing, aid and entry notes in full

Similar races

Closest on distance, course shape, climbing, footing, region and season.

  • Antelope Canyon Ultras 50 Mile

    Overall score 3.4Page, AZ

    Also 40 to 60 mi · Point to point or one big loop · Similar climbing

  • Arches Ultra 50 K

    Overall score 3.1Moab, UT

    Point to point or one big loop · Similar climbing · Similar footing

  • Black Canyon 100K

    Overall score 4.1Mayer, AZ

    Point to point or one big loop · Similar climbing · Similar footing

Every ultra ranked by likeness to this one

Key facts

Checked against the 2027 edition on the official race site. Rules change, so confirm before you enter.

Location
Moab, Utah, United States
Region
Mountain West
Typical month
January
Surface
Current course combines trail, slickrock and sand beside Arches National Park. It does not enter the national park.
Aid and crew
Current official chart allows crew at Bar M, Klonzo and Klondike; bags at Klonzo and Klondike. Maximum listed gap 8 mi (12.9 km). Pacers unverified.

Sources

Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate ultras.

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