Hyner View Trail Challenge 50K
Hyner, Pennsylvania · April · 50K
- Distance
- 50 km (31 mi)
- One big loop
- Climbing
- 1,981 m (6,500 ft)
- Mountain: 40 m per km (209 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 10 hours
- 19:18 per mi (12:00 per km) average
Why runners love it
- Five major climbs and about 1,981 m (6,500 ft) of gain in 50 km (31 mi), with Susquehanna views
- Humble Hill climbs about 400 m (1,300 ft) in just under 3 km (2 mi) early on
- Volunteer run with a finish party and cake; runners call it one of the funnest courses
- Part of the Rocksylvania Trail Series
Watch out for
- Hard cutoffs: mile 7.5 (12.1 km) 10:30 am, 17 (27.4 km) 1:00 pm, 25 (40.2 km) 3:15 pm
- Needs a trail finish of 50 km (31 mi) under 10 h; road races do not count
- Capped at 500 runners and sold out with a waitlist for 2027
- No parking on the course; crew reaches only Hyner View (mile 3) and Hyner Run (miles 10, 25)
- Official pages list few aid stations, drop bag or pacer rules
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 satisfactionLoved4.2
Runners call it a legend and one of the funnest courses; 50 km (31 mi) with about 1,981 m (6,500 ft) of climb. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.8
Volunteer run and deliberately simple, with zero-tolerance rules; a 2013 runner found one aid station with an almost empty water cooler. · Medium confidence
- Community and vibeWarm4.1
PA Trail Dogs volunteers, an after-party with cake and a loyal repeat field. · Medium confidence
Support
Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
- Aid stationsStandard3.0
The official page names only a few stations; older reports describe one with a longer gap than advertised. · Low confidence
- Crew accessVery limited2.4
Spectators can reach only Hyner View (mile 3) and Hyner Run State Park (miles 10 and 25); there is no parking on the course. · Medium confidence
- Drop bagsOne or two2.2
Not mentioned on the current race pages; a 2013 report mentions a drop bag at a cabin near mile 19 (31 km). · Low confidence
- PacersVery late only1.6
Pacers are not mentioned on the race pages, and bandits are not allowed. · Low confidence
Course
Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Course markingClear3.6
Few reports say anything about marking either way. · Low confidence
- SceneryBeautiful4.4
River gorge views from Hyner View and the cliffside Cliffhanger Trail over the Susquehanna. · Medium confidence
- Trail experienceGreat4.0
Runners rave about the course but also describe hike-only rocky and muddy stretches. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- FootingTechnical1.8
Rocky, rooty, muddy and steep, with some hike-only sections and many stream crossings. · High confidence
- RunnabilityLots of hiking2.0
Five major climbs and a near-vertical finish climb (S.O.B.); runners hike a lot. · High confidence
- ClimbingHilly1.8
Climbs 209 ft per mi (40 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 temperatureWarm or cold3.4
April in the Pennsylvania mountains is crisp to cold, with snow flurries reported in 2013. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.8
Reports include snow, mud and rain years; April weather varies. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- AltitudeLow4.4
The race gives no high point; the ridges are in the Pennsylvania Wilds. · Low confidence
Cutoffs
How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Overall cutoffNormal2.8
10 h for 50 km (31 mi) with 1,981 m (6,500 ft) of steep climb, about 19 min per mile. · High confidence
- Intermediate cutoffsTight2.2
Three hard cutoffs at 12.1, 27.4 and 40.2 km (7.5, 17 and 25 mi); miss the first and you are sent to the 25K. · High confidence
Intermediate cutoffs (2027)
| Where | Distance | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Mile 7.5, 25K and 50K intersection | 12 km (7.5 mi) | 2:30 elapsed (10:30 am); miss it and you are routed onto the 25K |
| Dry Run Rd aid, mile 17 | 27 km (17 mi) | 5:00 elapsed (1:00 pm) |
| Hyner Run State Park aid, mile 25 | 40 km (25 mi) | 7:15 elapsed (3:15 pm) |
Not part of the score
- First timer friendlyDemanding2.2
The race says this is not a beginner 50K, and everyone is expected to finish within 10 h. · High confidence
- Getting inHard2.0
Needs a 50 km (31 mi) trail finish under 10 h, and the 500-runner field sells out with a waitlist. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Travel easeAwkward2.2
Remote rural central Pennsylvania; the race gives no airport guidance. · Low confidence
- Places to stayBook early2.8
Little lodging on site, with Renovo and Lock Haven nearby. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.3
One start and finish near Hyner, but no parking on the course and bib pickup has no water or power. · Medium confidence
- ValueGood value3.9
$100 with volunteer aid and finish food; no course photographers are hired. · 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
- Hyner, Clinton County, Pennsylvania Wilds, United States
- Region
- Northeast US
- Typical month
- April
- Latest or next date
- 17 April 2027
- Start time
- 08:00
- First held
- 2007
- Distance
- 50 km (31 mi)
- Course shape
- One big loop
- Surface
- Trail: Mostly single track with a few fire roads, a little over a mile of pavement at the start and a short road section to the finish (2018 report).
- Footing
- Race page: 50K has five major climbs and about 6,500 ft (1,981 m) of gain; runners' Garmin files showed 7,232 ft (2,204 m) in 2018 and about 7,400 ft (2,255 m) before the 2021 course changes. Climbs include Humble Hill (about 1,300 ft or 400 m (1,310 ft) in just under 2 mi or 3 km (1.9 mi)), the Cliffhanger Trail cut into a steep slope above the Susquehanna, Johnson Run and the final S.O.B. climb that reporters describe as near vertical. Rocky, rooty, muddy and steep; some sections are hike-only. High point is not stated.
- Elevation gain
- 1,981 m (6,500 ft)
- Climbing rate
- 40 m per km (209 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 10 hours
- Pace to make the cutoff
- 19:18 per mi (12:00 per km)
- Cutoff notes
- All cutoffs are hard with no exceptions and are designed to ensure a 10 hour finish. Race says no refunds, deferrals, transfers or bandits.
- Crew access
- Some points
- Support notes
- The official page names Hyner View State Park (about mile 3), the mile 7.5 intersection, Dry Run Rd (mile 17) and Hyner Run State Park (miles 10 and 25) but does not list every station, gaps, drop bags or pacer rules. Spectator access for the 50K is only at Hyner View State Park (mile 3) and Hyner Run State Park (mile 10 and 25); there is no parking on the remote course and the mountain roads are narrow. Older reports mention a drop bag aid at a cabin near mile 19 (2013), a water-only drop with a longer gap than advertised, and a final aid at the S.O.B. summit (2018); these are not confirmed for the current course.
- Water crossings
- Many
- Water notes
- Multiple creek and spring crossings on Johnson Run and elsewhere; older reports mention deep, cold crossings and ankle-deep mud.
- Night running
- None
- Entry
- Qualifier
- Qualifier needed
- Show a 31 mi (50 km) trail finish under 10 hours; road races do not count.
- Entry fee
- About $100
- Field size
- About 500 runners
- Entry notes
- Registration opened Saturday 2 May 2026 at 8 pm on UltraSignup; the 50K is limited to the first 500 runners. 100 USD (110 USD with fees) for 2027, and the 2027 50K was sold out with a waitlist. PA Trail Dogs invite waitlisted runners who volunteer or have done other Trail Dog events first. Part of the Rocksylvania Trail Series.
- Weather notes
- Mid-April: reports range from crisp starts (2018) to cold, windy, upper 40s F (about 9 C) with intermittent snow (2013). Mud after rain.
- Nearest airport
- Williamsport Regional (IPT), 80 km (50 mi) away
- Stay notes
- Approximate road distance, not from the race. Bib pickup Friday 3 to 7 pm and race morning 6:45 to 8:00 am at the Hyner start (no electricity or water). Remote area near Renovo and Lock Haven, so book early. Parking is by landing strip per a 2018 report.
- Course record (men)
- 4:12:10 (Noah Dusseau, 2025)
- Course record (women)
- 4:54:44 (Deanna Doane, 2026)
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What runners and reviewers say
- Pennsylvania Wilds (Tyler Wagner)Raced 2018 · article · Positive
A repeat runner's account of three summits: Humble Hill (almost a mile with nearly 2,000 ft or 600 m (1,970 ft) of change), Johnson Run with about 1,100 ft (335 m) of climbing and many wet spring crossings, and S.O.B. Aid after Hyner View, after Johnson Run and atop S.O.B.; over 1,200 participants and registration sells out in hours. Calls the tough miles the reason people come back.
- Beast Coast Trail Running (Scott Snell)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
Second 50K, finished in 5:42:02 after 5:36:36 in 2017. Humble Hill gains about 1,300 ft (400 m) in just under 2 mi, followed by four more big climbs, with the final aid at the top of S.O.B. Starts with over a mile of pavement and ends with a short road section. Calls it a hard but useful lesson.
- RunningAHEAD Trailer Trash forum (FTYC)Raced 2013 · forum · Mixed
Finished the 50K in 7:42 on a cold, windy day in the upper 40s F (about 9 C) with snow flurries. About 7,400 ft (2,255 m) of gain, deep creek crossings and ankle-deep mud, a drop bag aid at a cabin near mile 19 whose water cooler was nearly empty, and a field capped at 175 for the 50K. Trashed her quads early on the first steep descent. This predates the 2021 course changes.
- RunningAHEAD Trailer Trash forum (Hyner 25K thread)Raced 2016 · forum · Mixed
25K report and replies. Three big climbs of 850 to 1,300 ft (260 to 400 m (1,310 ft)) and about 4,226 ft (1,288 m) per the race site; commenters call it among the toughest per mile they have run and complain about rocks. A 50K finisher in the thread ran 7:39:44. Advice: train on stairs and steep downhills.
- Slowtwitch forum (2014 Hyner 25K winner)Raced 2014 · forum · Positive
The 25K winner ran 2:10:54. Describes a rocky creek bed with dozens of stream crossings and a roughly 40% grade S.O.B. climb he took hand over foot. Praises volunteers and calls it an incredible race; a commenter called it the hardest thing he had done.
Show 3 more
- RaceRavesRaced 2015 · aggregator · Positive
One review (25K, 2015) praises the steep climbs, beautiful views, well stocked aid stations and great volunteers, with food and beer at the finish. The organizer text calls the 50K not a beginner race and says the event has little fluff.
- GoTrail event listingRaced 2027 · aggregator · Mixed
Listing states the 50K has five major climbs and about 6,500 ft (1,981 m) of gain, a cap of 500 on the 50K and 1,000 on the 25K, and that the route changed in 2021. Cites technical single track sections, vistas and stream crossings.
- PA Trail Dogs and UltraSignup (official)Raced 2026 · aggregator · Mixed
2027 page lists the hard cutoffs (mile 7.5 by 10:30 am, mile 17 by 1:00 pm, mile 25 by 3:15 pm), a 10 h finish design, the trail qualifier, spectator limits and no refunds, deferrals or transfers. 2026 winners were 4:24:27 (men) and 4:54:44 (women, a course record).
Ran Hyner View Trail Challenge 50K? 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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