Hinson Lake 24 Hour Ultra Classic

Rockingham, North Carolina · September · 24 hours

Distance
24 hours
Timed loop
Overall cutoff
24 hours

Why runners love it

  • Timed 24 hours on a certified 2.416 km (1.5 mi) lake loop; your result is the distance you cover.
  • Everyone who passes 100 km (62 mi) gets a 100K medal.
  • Entry is $35 and chip-timed, with no qualifier.
  • Reviewers describe hot food at the lap line, hidden gnomes and funny signs.
  • Sand and gravel trail with 16 small bridges, including a 91 m (300 ft) span over the lake.

Watch out for

  • Entry opens January 1 and usually sells out in a day or two; there is a waitlist.
  • Late September highs reach 30 °C (86 °F) with about 70% humidity.
  • Pacers must be registered entrants, so outside friends cannot join.
  • The race page gives no aid, crew or tent rules; details here come from past runners.
  • Hurricane season: the 2020 race was cancelled and 2018 needed trail repair.

Race

4.0Very 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: Moderate

  • Runner satisfactionBucket list4.6

    RaceRaves gives 5 of 5 from 4 repeat runners, one calling it a 24 hour running Woodstock party; few other write-ups exist. · Low confidence

  • OrganizationWell run4.2

    Chip timing, a USATF certified loop, a runners-only chute and a waitlist system; a 2018 hurricane left sand that volunteers repaired. · Low confidence

  • Community and vibeLegendary4.6

    Reviewers cite hidden gnomes moved each lap, funny signs and a party mood among 437 starters at the 18th race. · Low confidence

Support

4.3Very good

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

  • Aid stationsGood4.3

    Reviewers describe staffed aid beside the lap chute every 2.4 km (1.5 mi) with hot food; the race page says nothing on aid. · Medium confidence

  • Crew accessEvery lap4.7

    Reviewers describe crew and tents beside the lap line every 2.4 km (1.5 mi); the race page gives no crew rules. · Low confidence

  • Drop bagsEvery lap4.6

    Every lap passes the start and finish area, so gear is within 2.4 km (1.5 mi); the race page does not describe bag rules. · Low confidence

  • PacersLate race3.0

    Pacers must themselves be registered entrants, so outside friends cannot join, though a fellow entrant can run with you anytime. · Medium confidence

Course

2.6Good

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

  • Course markingImpossible to miss4.8

    One lake loop marked on race day with chem-lights at night; no reports of wrong turns. · Medium confidence

  • SceneryPleasant2.8

    RaceRaves scenery ratings of 2 to 4 for a wooded lake shore with 16 small bridges repeated for 24 hours. · Medium confidence

  • Trail experienceGreat3.5

    A runner with 42 laps said it was not boring thanks to variety and gimmicks, but a 2019 reviewer rated scenery 2 of 5. · Medium confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • FootingMostly smooth4.0

    Sand and gravel trail with small wooden bridges; reviewers mention no rocks or roots, though sand was added after a 2018 hurricane. · Low confidence

  • RunnabilityRunnable4.7

    Reviewers describe an easy, soft loop that runners can run almost continuously; the race gives no elevation figure. · Medium confidence

  • ClimbingFlat4.7

    No elevation listed by the race; reviewers and the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) lake loop imply little climbing. · Low confidence

Conditions

3.4Good

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

  • Race-day temperatureWarm or cold3.1

    Late September highs 24 to 30 °C (76 to 86 °F), lows 10 to 23 °C (50 to 73 °F), about 70% humidity. · Medium confidence

  • Weather reliabilityVariable2.9

    Hurricane season: 2018 needed trail repair after Florence and 2020 was cancelled, though most years were pleasant. · Low confidence

Course traits, not part of the score

  • AltitudeSea level4.9

    Rockingham sits in the low Sandhills of North Carolina; the race gives no elevation, so this is a general inference. · Low confidence

Cutoffs

4.8Excellent

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

  • Overall cutoffVery generous4.8

    No finish cutoff: it is timed, every lap counts and you may stop or walk whenever you like for 24 hours. · High confidence

  • Intermediate cutoffsRarely bite4.9

    No intermediate cutoffs; it is a timed event and your result is distance. · High confidence

Not part of the score

  • First timer friendlyIdeal first race4.6

    Easy footing, aid every 2.4 km (1.5 mi), no cutoff and a 100K medal for all who pass 100 km (62 mi). · Medium confidence

  • Getting inSells out2.9

    Open to all at $35, but the 500 spots usually sell out within a day or two of January 1. · Medium confidence

Stay and travel

4.4Very good

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

  • Travel easeFair2.9

    Small town in the North Carolina Sandhills; the race names no airport and runners likely drive from Charlotte, Raleigh or Fayetteville. · Low confidence

  • Places to stayBook early3.3

    Free RV spots at the Moose Lodge with donations; hotels near Rockingham were not checked and many runners camp by the loop. · Low confidence

  • LogisticsVery simple4.8

    One lake loop, one start and finish; park beside the trail, with entrance-road parking on one side only. · Medium confidence

  • ValueGreat value4.9

    $35 plus $3.10 fee for a certified 24 hour with chip timing and a 100K medal; food is described by reviewers. · Medium 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
Rockingham, North Carolina, United States
Region
Southeast US
Typical month
September
Latest or next date
25 September 2027
Start time
08:00
Course shape
Timed loop of 2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Surface
Trail: Sand and gravel maintained trail through woods around Hinson Lake, a USATF certified loop of 1.5012 mi (2.416 km) (code NC26022BDS); the 2026 listing gave 1.5032 mi (2.419 km). Crosses 16 small wooden footbridges including a 300 ft (91 m) bridge over the lake. Start at the dam footbridge in the main lot.
Footing
The race gives no elevation figure. Reviewers describe a soft, easy trail with bridges and some sand added after Hurricane Florence in 2018 (RaceRaves difficulty 1.3 out of 5). Not a technical course.
Overall cutoff
24 hours
Cutoff notes
Timed event: 24 hours from 8:00 AM Saturday to 8:00 AM Sunday, there is no cutoff and your result is distance. A 100K medal goes to everyone who passes 100 km. Partial laps count; a 'banana lap' after the horn is reported by runners (not on the official page).
Longest gap between aid
2.4 km (1.5 mi)
Pacers
Only registered entrants may pace
Support notes
The official page describes no aid, crew or drop-bag arrangements. Reviewers describe a staffed aid area with hot food (grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, pizza, soup, fruit) beside the lap-counting chute, so every lap passes aid and any tent or bag you set up near the loop. Pacers must be registered entrants to limit trail crowding. Runners staying overnight should park in the south lot, Crow Run or the Moose Lodge, which has free RV spots with donations.
Water crossings
None
Water notes
The loop crosses the lake on a 300 ft (91 m) footbridge and 16 small bridges; no wading.
Night running
Most runners run through one night
Entry
Open
Qualifier needed
none
Entry fee
About $35
Field size
About 500 runners
Sells out
days
Entry notes
$35 plus a $3.10 processing fee, unchanged since 2016. Cap 500 with a waitlist (48 hours to register when activated). No refunds, transfers or deferrals. A 2023 RaceRaves reviewer says it usually sells out within a day or two of the January 1 opening at 12:01 AM.
Air temperature
10–30 °C (50–86 °F)
Weather notes
RaceRaves history for the race date 2022 to 2026: highs 76 to 86 F (24 to 30 C), lows 50 to 73 F (10 to 23 C). A 2018 runner reported a warm muggy start and cooler cloudier conditions than 2017.
Nearest airport
not stated by the race (Charlotte, Raleigh and Fayetteville are the regional options)
Stay notes
Race is at Hinson Lake, 152 Hinson Lake Road, Rockingham. Moose Lodge on Crow Run has free RV camping (donations welcome). Hotels in or near Rockingham were not verified.

Official race website (runsignup.com)

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What runners and reviewers say

  • RaceRaves (reviewer missmac17224)Raced 2023 · aggregator · Positive

    Three reviews (first-timer 2021, repeat 2022 and 2023): difficulty 1 out of 5, production 3 to 4, scenery 3 to 4. Praised grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, pizza, soup and fruit, gnomes moved each lap, amusing signs, a banana lap after the horn and a 2022 shirt honouring a late runner. 2021 weather 'pretty much perfect'; registration opens at 12:01 AM on New Year's Day and sells out in a day or two.

    “Completing the same loop 42 times may sound boring but it really wasn't.”

    missmac17224
  • RaceRaves (reviewer 8istheman)Raced 2019 · aggregator · Positive

    2019 repeat runner: difficulty 2, production 4, scenery only 2 out of 5, but a happy crowd atmosphere.

    “24 hour running Woodstock party”

    8istheman
  • RunningAhead 1000K groupRaced 2018 · forum · Positive

    Second visit: ran well for the first hours, then his legs faded, but he kept walking and running to hour 22 and added a final partial lap with 20 to 30 minutes left, which counted. Cooler and cloudier than 2017, with Florence damage fixed by sand laid on the trail.

  • UltraRunning Magazine resultsRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive

    Read via search summaries because the page blocked automated access: 2025 results list about 239 runners, with a top woman at 111.5 mi (179.4 km) and the top man 102.8 mi (165.5 km); the course is described as flat.

Ran Hinson Lake 24 Hour Ultra Classic? 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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