Ghost Train Rail Trail Race, 30-Hour Ultramarathon (100 mi mark)
Brookline, New Hampshire · October · 30 hours
- Distance
- 30 hours
- Timed loop
- Overall cutoff
- 30 hours
- Finish rate
- 21%
- of starters in 2025
Why runners love it
- Flat packed-dirt rail trail with about 91 m (300 ft) of gain per 24 km (15 mi) lap.
- 30 h timed event with no DNFs: every full 15 mi (24 km) lap counts.
- Crew and drop bags at both ends of every lap; aid never more than 6.4 km (4 mi) away.
- Halloween decorations, peak foliage and a famously supportive field.
- Pacers allowed after 30 mi (48 km) or after dark.
Watch out for
- Sold out in about 15 min in 2025; the 175-person waitlist probably will not clear.
- Cold nights near 0 °C (32 °F) and 13 h of darkness; 2021 had steady rain.
- The same 24 km (15 mi) lap repeats six times or more, and its one hill grows each lap.
- Roots hidden by fallen leaves caused falls in 2018 and 2024.
- Hard stop at 15:00 Sunday; distance after the last full lap is not recorded.
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: Moderate
- Runner satisfactionBucket list4.5
Runners call it a Halloween party disguised as a race and a popular first 100; a record 76 runners reached 100 mi (161 km) in 2025, though one 2024 runner found travel costly. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationFlawless4.5
A detailed 30-page handbook, chip timing, a 2018 finisher calling it extremely well organized and aid points never more than 6.4 km (4 mi) apart. · High confidence
- Community and vibeLegendary4.7
Costumes, decorations and cheering runners; the 2024 women's record holder said everyone on the course was supportive. · Medium confidence
Support
Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
- Aid stationsGood4.4
Only 3 stations, but the longest gap is 6.4 km (4 mi) and four reports praise the real food, fire pits and volunteers. · High confidence
- Crew accessEvery lap4.7
Crew sets up at Camp Tevya and the Milford DPW, with a crew point at each end of every lap. · High confidence
- Drop bagsMany stations4.2
Bags at both ends of the 12 km (7.5 mi) out-and-back, so you pass them every 24 km (15 mi) lap; Tevya bags can be carried to Milford. · High confidence
- PacersMuch of the race4.2
Allowed after 30 mi (48 km) or after dark for runners under 60, and any time for runners 60 and over, one at a time. · High confidence
Course
Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Course markingImpossible to miss4.9
One straight rail trail, out and back, with no junction decisions and flagging that the race calls easy to follow. · High confidence
- SceneryBeautiful3.6
Peak New England foliage, ponds and decorated tunnels, but a linear, wooded rail trail with little variety. · Medium confidence
- Trail experienceFine3.4
Fast, festive rail trail, but six or more laps of the same 24 km (15 mi) route, one repeated hill and long cold dark hours. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- FootingMostly smooth4.1
Packed dirt, gravel and pine needles with about 1.6 km (1 mi) of pavement per lap, but leaf-covered roots and one rooty hill caused falls in 2018 and 2024. · High confidence
- RunnabilityRunnable4.8
The race calls it fast and flat, and winners reach 100 mi (161 km) in about 14 to 17 h. · High confidence
- ClimbingFlat4.9
About 300 ft (91 m) per 24 km (15 mi) lap, roughly 3.8 m (12.5 ft) per km (20 ft per mi), under the 8 m (26.2 ft) per km (40 ft per mi) top of the scale. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Race-day temperature and how predictable the weather is. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- Race-day temperaturePleasant3.8
Mid-October: about 0 to 24 °C (32 to 75 °F), cold overnight with 13 h of darkness; 2022 and 2025 were near perfect, 2021 had steady rain. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.1
The handbook warns of freezing nights, fog or snow; recent years ranged from perfect (2022, 2025) to a rainy night (2021). · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- AltitudeSea level4.8
Southern New Hampshire rail bed at low elevation; the race publishes no high point. · Low confidence
Cutoffs
How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Overall cutoffVery generous4.6
30 h for 100 mi (161 km) on a flat course, with credit for every lap completed; one runner finished with under 4 min to spare in 2022. · Medium confidence
- Intermediate cutoffsRarely bite4.8
No intermediate cutoffs; the race says there are no DNFs and you keep credit for each full 15 mi (24 km) lap until 30 h. · High confidence
Not part of the score
- First timer friendlyIdeal first race4.6
Widely called a first-100 venue: flat, never more than 6.4 km (4 mi) from help, crew every lap, pacers from 30 mi (48 km) and no qualifier. · High confidence
- Getting inHard1.7
First-come registration sold out in about 15 min in 2025, and the race says the 175-person waitlist probably will not clear; no race-day entry. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Travel easeEasy3.8
Manchester-Boston (MHT) is the closest large airport and Boston Logan is within about 90 min by road, per one runner; the race gives no distances. · Low confidence
- Places to stayBook early3.2
Camping is allowed near the start; hotels in Milford and Nashua fill early, and one runner found rooms noisy. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.4
One base at Camp Tevya for start, finish, tents and crew, though one 2024 runner found parking crowded. · High confidence
- ValueGreat value4.5
$125 for 30 h of aid, timing and a finisher spike, with profits going to local conservation; swag is basic. · Medium confidence
Key facts
Checked against the 2026 edition on the official race site. Rules change, so confirm before you enter. Blank means the race does not publish it.
- Location
- Brookline, Hillsborough County, United States
- Region
- Northeast US
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 17 October 2026
- Start time
- 09:00
- First held
- 2009
- Course shape
- Timed loop of 24 km (15 mi)
- Surface
- Mixed: Granite Town Rail Trail: packed dirt and gravel, pine-needle singletrack sections, about 1 mi (1.6 km) of pavement per 15 mi (24 km) lap, all through Camp Tevya.
- Footing
- Official course page: about 300 ft (91 m) of gain per 15 mi (24 km) out-and-back, mostly one hill with roots and rocks; most of the trail is not technical. No total for the event is published. One runner's watch recorded about 2,600 ft (790 m) for 100 mi.
- Overall cutoff
- 30 hours
- Cutoff notes
- Timed 30 h event, 09:00 Saturday to 15:00 Sunday, on a 15 mi (24 km) out-and-back lap. The race says there are no DNFs if you complete one 15 mi out-and-back. You choose your distance on race day, in multiples of 15 mi or 100 mi and over. 100 mi is six 15 mi laps plus 10 mi. No intermediate cutoffs.
- Aid stations
- 3
- Longest gap between aid
- 6.4 km (4.0 mi)
- Drop bags
- Some stations
- Crew access
- Every lap
- Pacers
- Allowed after 30 mi (48 km) or after dark for runners under 60; any time for runners 60 and over or with a disability
- Support notes
- Three aid stations on the 7.5 mi (12 km) one-way trail: Camp Tevya (start, finish and main station), Power Lines (middle, about 4 mi / 6.4 km from Tevya, no crew or spectator access) and the Milford DPW turnaround, 3.5 mi (5.6 km) beyond Power Lines. Crew access only at Camp Tevya and the Milford DPW. Drop bags at either end; bags left at Tevya can be carried to Milford. One pacer at a time, no muling unless the pacer is also a registered participant. Handbook says a runner is never more than 2 mi (3.2 km) from an aid station.
- Water crossings
- None
- Water notes
- Ponds and streams are passed on bridges; two tunnels (9 ft and 6 ft high, 2.7 m (8.9 ft) and 1.8 m (5.9 ft)) and four road crossings.
- Night running
- Most runners run through one night
- Mandatory gear
- None required. Handbook recommends an emergency blanket or poncho, rain gear, spare headlamp batteries and hand warmers; a headlamp is needed for the 13 h of darkness.
- Entry
- Open
- Entry fee
- About $125
- Field size
- About 400 runners
- Sells out
- minutes
- Finish rate
- 21% of starters in 2025
- Air temperature
- 0–24 °C (32–75 °F)
- Weather notes
- Handbook warns of 100 percent humidity, freezing nights, fog or snow. 2024 report: 36 F (2 C) at the start, mid-70s F (24 C) by afternoon, 30s F (about 0 to 3 C) overnight. 2021 had rain through the night; 2022 and 2025 were near-perfect.
- Nearest airport
- MHT
- Stay notes
- Tents and crew camps are allowed along the Camp Tevya road from Friday afternoon. Race says nearby motels fill early; one 2024 runner found travel costly and the rooms noisy. Spaghetti dinner Friday at Brookline Community Church.
- Course record (men)
- 13:29 (as cited in a runner recap, not confirmed by the race)
- Course record (women)
- 15:34:50 (Lila Gaudrault, 2024, per MassUltra)
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What runners and reviewers say
- Lila Gaudrault, SubstackRaced 2024 · blog · Positive
Set a women's course record of 15:34:50 in 2024. Cold sunny start at 2 C (36 F), mid-70s F (24 C) later, 30s F overnight. Crew refilled bottles at Camp Tevya every lap; volunteers lit the course with pumpkins and a colored-light tunnel; one hill steepens each lap.
“Halloween party disguised as a race”
- Because Being Ordinary Is Boring (Becka)Raced 2024 · blog · Mixed
23rd 100-miler, finished in 28:04:43 with about half walking. Three well-stocked aid stations with toilets, drop bags at both ends, leaf-covered roots hard to see and a cold night needing tights and a puffy coat. Entry sold out in hours; felt parking was chaotic and travel pricey.
“I wouldn't do this again, just because travel was quite pricey”
- OneAverageRunner (2018)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
Personal best of 26:30:21, 39th of 76 hundred-milers among 396 registered. Near-perfect low 50s F (11 C) day, windy cold night; one quarter-mile (0.4 km) hill hit twice a lap; roots caused two falls on lap four; took a 40 min nap in his car.
“The GT100 is extremely well organized”
- OneAverageRunner (2021)Raced 2021 · blog · Mixed
Second Ghost Train, 28:51:42, 35th of 40 finishers (about 110 to 120 hundred-mile starters). Rain fell nearly all night after a mild day; aid stations never more than 4.5 mi (7.2 km) apart; a loose headlamp battery cost time in the dark.
- Early Morning Trails (Jay Gray, guest post)Raced 2015 · blog · Positive
25:26:00, 17th of 41. Started near 1 C (33 F), overnight rain and coyotes; drop bags at each end let him change shoes at mile 52.5; a pacer from mile 60. Calls it flawlessly put together with phenomenal volunteers.
“flawlessly put together”
Show 5 more
- MassUltra, 2025Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Near-perfect fall conditions; a record 76 runners covered 100 mi or more and four reached 115 mi (185 km). More than 600 runners across all races.
- MassUltra, 2024Raced 2024 · article · Positive
Two men completed 130 mi (209 km) for the first time and Gaudrault took the women's 100 mi record. Festive atmosphere with decorations, foliage and a supportive field; popular first venue for 100s.
“incredibly supportive and encouraging”
- MassUltra, 2022Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Dry, 60s F (about 16 C) highs, among the most comfortable conditions yet; 49 reached 100 mi. One runner finished with under 4 minutes to spare, the closest anyone has come to the cutoff.
- MassUltra, 2019Raced 2019 · article · Positive
11th edition; 59 runners reached 100 mi and two women and a man went beyond. Confirms the 30-hour time-based format lets runners keep going past 100 mi.
- Greenfield Recorder (Carole Gariepy)Raced 2022 · article · Positive
A 52-year-old's 25:39:29 hundred: ran the first 30 mi (48 km) alone, then five friends paced in 15 mi segments, with her husband refilling her pack at each check-in. Tickets sold out within two hours and 185 joined the waitlist.
“never a bad day in the woods”
Ran Ghost Train Rail Trail Race, 30-Hour Ultramarathon (100 mi mark)? 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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