Cayuga Trails 50
Ithaca, New York · late May to early June · 50 mi
- Distance
- 50 mi (80.5 km)
- Loop course
- Climbing
- 3,110 m (10,200 ft)
- Mountain: 39 m per km (204 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 15 hours
- 18:00 per mi (11:11 per km) average
Why runners love it
- Dozens of waterfalls and gorges inside Robert H. Treman State Park, about 95% trail.
- Aid serves real food such as bacon, potatoes and soup; longest gap 6 mi (9.7 km).
- Drop bags left at Y Camp are shuttled to Buttermilk, so bags are available at most stops.
- Open entry with no qualifier; 2027 registration opens 17 October 2026 with a 400-runner cap across distances.
- Two laps of about 25 mi (40 km) bring you past the same three aid locations repeatedly.
Watch out for
- Gain is 3,110 m (10,200 ft) with long stone staircases and steep gorge climbs.
- Pacers are not allowed; crew parking is limited and extra crew cars are not permitted.
- Hard cuts at mile 35 (56 km, 10:15 elapsed) and mile 45 (72 km, 13:30 elapsed); soft cuts at mile 25 and 40.
- Mud and creek crossings after rain make grippy shoes worthwhile.
- The course changed in 2019 and the 6:44 course record dates from before that change.
Race
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 satisfactionLoved4.3
Reviewers praise the gorges and waterfalls and one RaceRaves reviewer gave 5 of 5; few recent narratives, and the course changed in 2019. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.4
A 2018 reviewer called it very well run and well marked, with clear drop bag rules; live tracking failed at the 2015 championship. · Medium confidence
- Community and vibeWarm4.2
Local volunteers greeted runners by name and runners helped each other in the 2015 and 2017 accounts. · Medium confidence
Support
Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
- Aid stationsGood4.0
Only three locations, but visited repeatedly; longest gap 6 mi (9.7 km), with bacon, potatoes, soup and PB&J reported. · Medium confidence
- Crew accessSome points2.8
Crew is allowed, but parking is limited, no extra crew cars are permitted and crews walk from the lower park lot to staging. · Medium confidence
- Drop bagsMany stations4.0
Bags at Y Camp (mi 10, 25, 35) and shuttled to Buttermilk (mi 15, 20.5, 40, 45.5), so bags are reachable at most stops. · Medium confidence
- PacersNot allowed1.0
The official page says pacers are not allowed. · High confidence
Course
Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Course markingClear4.2
A 2018 reviewer said it was marked well; the only wrong-turn report is the 2013 lead runner going off course. · Medium confidence
- ScenerySpectacular4.6
Waterfalls, gorges and stone stairs in Robert H. Treman State Park; every account highlights it. · High confidence
- Trail experienceGreat4.0
Technical gorge singletrack that runners enjoy, though repeated stone stairs and mud wear on the legs over two laps. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- FootingTechnical2.3
Roots, stone staircases, stream crossings and mud, though there are no boulder fields; Trail Runner called it mostly technical. · Medium confidence
- RunnabilityLots of hiking2.4
Constant climbs and descents with almost no flat running, per a 2017 recap. · Medium confidence
- ClimbingHilly1.9
Climbs 204 ft per mi (39 m per km), from the official elevation gain. · High confidence
Conditions
Race-day temperature and how predictable the weather is. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- Race-day temperaturePleasant3.5
Late May highs of 17 to 31 °C (62 to 87 °F) with some humidity; mornings are cool. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.2
Rain and mud in 2013 and 2015, cool dry days in 2017 and 2018; conditions swing year to year. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- AltitudeLow4.4
Finger Lakes gorges at modest elevation; the race does not publish a high point. · Low confidence
Cutoffs
How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Overall cutoffNormal3.4
15 h for 80.5 km (50 mi) with 3,110 m (10,200 ft) of gain on stairs and mud is about 18 min per mile (11:12 per km). · Medium confidence
- Intermediate cutoffsReasonable3.3
Four cuts, two hard: mile 35 (56 km) at 10:15 elapsed and mile 45 (72 km) at 13:30; the page does not say what 'soft' means. · Medium confidence
Intermediate cutoffs (2027)
| Where | Distance | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mi (soft cut) | 40 km (25 mi) | 13:00 clock, 7:00 elapsed |
| 35 mi (hard cut) | 56 km (35 mi) | 16:15 clock, 10:15 elapsed |
| 40 mi (soft cut) | 64 km (40 mi) | 17:50 clock, 11:50 elapsed |
| 45 mi (hard cut) | 72 km (45 mi) | 19:30 clock, 13:30 elapsed |
Not part of the score
- First timer friendlyDoable2.8
80.5 km (50 mi) with 3,110 m (10,200 ft) of gain, stairs and mud, a hard cut at mile 35 (56 km) and no pacers. · Medium confidence
- Getting inSells out3.4
Open entry with no qualifier, but the 400-runner cap is shared with the 50K and how fast it fills is not published. · Low confidence
Stay and travel
Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Travel easeFair2.7
Ithaca Tompkins airport is listed as nearest; the race does not give distances and larger airports are a drive away. · Low confidence
- Places to stayBook early3.3
Partner lodging list on the race page and car camping at staging; Ithaca fills up around college weekends, unconfirmed. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.3
One staging area with a drop bag shuttle, but parking is limited and crew cars are restricted. · Medium confidence
- ValueGood value3.5
Finishers get a cotton hoodie, a medal and post-race food; the entry fee is not on the race page. · Low confidence
Key facts
Checked against the 2027 edition on the official race site. Rules change, so confirm before you enter. Blank means the race does not publish it.
- Location
- Ithaca, Finger Lakes, United States
- Region
- Northeast US
- Typical month
- late May to early June
- Latest or next date
- 5 June 2027
- Start time
- 06:00
- First held
- 2013
- Distance
- 50 mi (80.5 km)
- Course shape
- Loop course, 2 laps of 40 km (25 mi)
- Surface
- Trail: About 95% trail and 5% paved per the race. Singletrack, gorges, historic stone stairs. Two laps of about 25 mi (40.2 km), inferred from the repeating aid station mileages (4 and 29, 10 and 35, 15 and 40, 20.5 and 45.5); the official page does not say 'lap' and mentions a few miles of out-and-back overlap with other distances.
- Footing
- Steep stone staircases, roots and stream crossings in gorges; mud after rain. Runners in 2017 reported at least a dozen stream crossings (not an official figure).
- Elevation gain
- 3,110 m (10,200 ft)
- Climbing rate
- 39 m per km (204 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 15 hours
- Pace to make the cutoff
- 18:00 per mi (11:11 per km)
- Cutoff notes
- Final finish cutoff 21:00 (15 h from the 06:00 start). Soft versus hard cut meaning is not defined on the page.
- Aid stations
- 3
- Longest gap between aid
- 9.7 km (6.0 mi)
- Drop bags
- Most stations
- Crew access
- Some points
- Pacers
- Not allowed
- Support notes
- Three locations, visited repeatedly: Treman Meadows (mi 4, 29), Y Camp staging (mi 10, 25, 35, 50) and Buttermilk (mi 15, 20.5, 40, 45.5). Longest listed gap is 6 mi (9.7 km). Drop bags left at Y Camp staging cover miles 10, 25 and 35 and are shuttled to Buttermilk for miles 15, 20.5, 40 and 45.5; Buttermilk bags only return to staging after that aid closes in the evening. Crew is allowed but parking is limited and no extra crew cars are permitted. Poles are allowed.
- Water crossings
- Many
- Water notes
- Creek crossings are shown on the race page; the dozen-plus count comes from a 2017 race recap, not the race.
- Night running
- None
- Entry
- Open
- Field size
- About 400 runners
- Entry notes
- Official cap of 400 runners is for the whole event, not just the 50 mi. Registration for 2027 opens 17 October 2026. Entry fee not listed on the page.
- Air temperature
- 5–31 °C (41–88 °F)
- Weather notes
- RaceRaves lists 30 May highs of 62 to 87 F (17 to 31 C) and lows of 41 to 56 F (5 to 13 C) for 2022 to 2026. Past editions saw rain and mud (2013, 2015) and cool dry mornings (2017, 2018).
- Nearest airport
- ITH (Ithaca Tompkins)
- Stay notes
- Official partner lodging list on the race page; car camping allowed on the staging access road Friday night.
- Course record (men)
- 6:44 Tyler Sigl (2016, before the course was changed in 2019)
- Course record (women)
- 8:06 Sabrina Little (2018, before the course was changed in 2019)
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What runners and reviewers say
- Scott Dawson Substack (2017 race)Raced 2017 · blog · Positive
A second finish after two years away, 2.5 hours faster than his first. Soft early singletrack, then steep rooty descents and several stream crossings. A long stair climb near Lucifer Falls and a stretch of ankle-deep mud broke the late miles. Aid had Tailwind, pickle juice, bacon and fruit, and friends and family met him at several stations. Mid-60s F (18 C) forecast felt near perfect.
“The second half of the race would prove to be the toughest.”
- Amy Dawson Substack (2015 volunteer report)Raced 2015 · blog · Positive
A volunteer view of the Old Mill aid station at mile 22 and 28 (35 and 45 km (28 mi)) in the 2015 national championship. Cool, rainy race morning after a hot, humid day. Volunteers greeted runners by name and served hot food and broth. Live tracking failed and volunteers logged runners on paper. Drop bag pickup at the Underpass station worked.
- RaceRaves (2018 review)Raced 2018 · aggregator · Positive
One racer gave 5 of 5 across difficulty, scenery and production. Waterfalls and gorges take your mind off tired legs, aid stations were plentiful and the course was well marked. Swag shirt was hard to read and ran small. Page notes the course has been changed several times and became more technical and hillier from 2019.
“Be prepared for lots of elevation gain, from long stone staircases to steep hills.”
- MassUltra Roundup (2017 race)Raced 2017 · article · Positive
Fifth annual running and the USATF 50 Mile Championship. Described as a double out-and-back with at least a dozen water crossings and eight big climbs for about 9,000 ft (2,740 m) of gain. 15 h limit and 163 finishers. Winners were 7:32 and 9:03.
- Trail Runner Magazine (2018 race)Raced 2018 · article · Positive
Partly overcast with a cool breeze, almost ideal summer racing. Two-lap course in Robert Treman State Park with about 9,000 ft (2,740 m) of climbing and mostly technical footing; roughly 121 finishers. Sabrina Little set the women's record of about 8:06.
Show 2 more
- MassUltra Roundup (2016 race)Raced 2016 · article · Positive
Out-and-back 50.4 mi (81 km) course with more than 9,000 ft (2,740 m) of gain and 248 starters. Tyler Sigl set the 6:43:41 course record that stands as the benchmark. Mid-pack times ran 9 to 15 hours.
- iRunFar (2013 results)Raced 2013 · article · Mixed
Inaugural race on a two-lap gorge loop after days of rain: muggy air, light showers and muddy trail. The early men's leader went off course and dropped, and a favorite fell and left at mile 25 (40 km).
Ran Cayuga Trails 50? Your notes on the footing, cutoffs and aid stations help the next runner decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings.
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