Sonoma Fall Classic OG 50 Mile (formerly the Lake Sonoma 50)
Healdsburg, California · October · 50 mi
Note: The April Lake Sonoma 50 mile was last held in April 2025 and has ended; April now offers a 100K, 50K and women's half with no 50 mile. The 50 mile moved to October 2026 as the OG 50 in Aravaipa Running's Sonoma Fall Classic, first run on 17 October 2026.
- Distance
- 51.5 mi (82.9 km)
- Out and back
- Climbing
- 3,235 m (10,610 ft)
- Mountain: 39 m per km (206 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 16 hours
- 18:36 per mi (11:33 per km) average
- Finish rate
- 79%
- of starters in 2025
Why runners love it
- Original 2008 start at South Lake Trailhead, with a 16 h limit for 82.9 km (51.5 mi)
- About 98% trail and 2% road per the 2026 athlete guide, mostly singletrack above Lake Sonoma
- Open registration, $195 to $255 depending on when you sign up
- Free camping at the start and a festival finish in wine country
- Course records: Jim Walmsley 5:51:16 (2018) and Stephanie Howe 7:08:23 (2015)
Watch out for
- First October edition: April-race reports and cutoffs may not apply to this course or organiser
- No pacers. Island View and Warm Springs are reachable only by boat, so no dropping there after sunset
- 3,235 m (10,612 ft) of gain in short rolling hills, and poison oak reported
- October afternoons can reach 27 C (80s F) and up; carry at least 1 L (34 oz) between aid
- Longest gap between full aid stations is 13.5 km (8.4 mi), with water-only stops between
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 satisfactionLoved4.1
Past runners call it fast, tough and well run; the October format debuts on 17 October 2026, so no reports yet. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Earlier editions were praised as well organised; Aravaipa Running now produces it, and this October edition is its first. · Low confidence
- Community and vibeWarm4.3
Founder Tropical John Medinger still supports it; reports mention high fives on the out-and-back, free camping and a local running shop as host. · Medium confidence
Support
Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
- Aid stationsGood3.8
Five locations passed up to twice; longest gap between full stations 13.5 km (8.4 mi), and one 2018 runner ran short of water. · Medium confidence
- Crew accessSome points3.2
Crew can reach the start/finish, Liberty Glen and Lone Rock; the first Warm Springs visit is discouraged and is a 45 minute drive. · High confidence
- Drop bagsSome stations3.4
Bags go to the start/finish, Warm Springs, Liberty Glen and Lone Rock, one bag per station. · High confidence
- PacersNot allowed1.0
Pacers are not allowed in the 50 mile. · High confidence
Course
Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Course markingClear3.8
Runners reported no marking problems, but few reports say anything about it. · Low confidence
- SceneryBeautiful4.1
Oak, bay and madrone woods above Lake Sonoma in wine country during harvest season. · High confidence
- Trail experienceGreat4.0
Mostly singletrack with constant short hills that runners call tough but enjoyable. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- FootingMostly smooth3.5
Mostly smooth singletrack, with some rocky, rooty or slick sections, creek crossings in wet years and poison oak. · Medium confidence
- RunnabilityMixed3.4
Runnable but never flat; a 2022 runner said he was almost never running on the flats. · Medium confidence
- ClimbingHilly1.9
Climbs 206 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
Cool mornings, then afternoons that can reach the 80s F (27 C and up) in October. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.5
October is usually dry, but the athlete guide has a fire safety section and an April edition was cancelled for weather in 2011. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- AltitudeSea level4.9
High point 354 m (1,163 ft) and low point 71 m (232 ft). · High confidence
Cutoffs
How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Overall cutoffGenerous4.4
16 h for 82.9 km (51.5 mi) with 3,235 m (10,612 ft) of gain, about 5.2 km (3.2 mi)/h (3.2 mph); 79% finished in April 2025. · Medium confidence
- Intermediate cutoffsRarely bite4.6
The 2026 race page and athlete guide list only the 22:30 finish cutoff; the older April race had three mid-race cutoffs. · Medium confidence
Not part of the score
- First timer friendlyDoable3.3
Frequent aid and 16 h help, but 3,235 m (10,612 ft) of rolling gain wears on first 50-milers. · Medium confidence
- Getting inUsually open4.3
Open registration with no qualifier and no cap stated; the old April race used a lottery. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Travel easeFair3.0
Runners report San Francisco airport is about a 2 h drive; no closer airport was checked. · Low confidence
- Places to stayGood3.6
Healdsburg is 32 km (20 mi) from the start, and free camping is available at the start and finish. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.0
You park at the start with no shuttle in, finish at the Visitor Center, then shuttle back to your car. · Medium confidence
- ValueGood value3.5
$195 to $255 depending on sign-up date, for 82.9 km (51.5 mi) with five aid locations and a festival finish. · Low 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
- Healdsburg, California, United States
- Region
- West Coast
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 17 October 2026
- Start time
- 06:30
- First held
- 2008
- Distance
- 51.5 mi (82.9 km)
- Course shape
- Out and back
- Surface
- Trail: A few miles of road at the start, then mostly singletrack; the 2026 athlete guide gives 98% trail and 2% road. Earlier April editions listed 86% singletrack and 9% dirt road.
- Footing
- Official 2026 figures: 10,612 ft (3,235 m) gain, high 1,163 ft (354 m), low 232 ft (71 m). Runners describe mostly smooth singletrack with rocky or rooty bits and relentless short hills; slips on slick sections and poison oak reported.
- Elevation gain
- 3,235 m (10,610 ft)
- Climbing rate
- 39 m per km (206 ft per mi)
- High point
- 354 m (1,160 ft)
- Overall cutoff
- 16 hours
- Pace to make the cutoff
- 18:36 per mi (11:33 per km)
- Cutoff notes
- The 2026 race page and athlete guide give a 16 h limit (22:30 finish) and no intermediate cutoffs. The older April race (14 h limit) had mid-race cutoffs at No Name Flat, Warm Springs and Island View.
- Aid stations
- 5
- Longest gap between aid
- 14 km (8.4 mi)
- Drop bags
- Some stations
- Crew access
- Some points
- Pacers
- Not allowed
- Support notes
- Out-and-back with 9 aid passes at 5 locations: Island View (mi 5 and 45.4), Warm Springs (12.4 and 38), Wulfow water only (17.8 and 35), Liberty Glen (20.8 and 29.6), Lone Rock (25.2 turnaround). Longest full-aid gap 8.4 mi (13.5 km); water-only stops between. Drop bags at start/finish, Warm Springs, Liberty Glen, Lone Rock. Crew at start/finish, Liberty Glen, Lone Rock. Island View and Warm Springs are boat-access only, so no dropping there after sunset.
- Water crossings
- A few
- Water notes
- Official guide: up to 13 creek crossings in the wet season, fewer in dry years; October is typically dry. Earlier April reports describe 6 to 12 crossings.
- Night running
- Some
- Mandatory gear
- No mandatory list for the 50 mi; headlamp strongly encouraged for finishes over 10 hours. Recommended: 2 L vest, jacket, gloves, thermal blanket; carry at least 1 L between aid.
- Entry
- Open
- Entry fee
- About $195
- Fee notes
- 2026 tiers: $195 to 31 Mar, $215 to 31 Aug, $235 to 12 Oct, $255 race week
- Finish rate
- 79% of starters in 2025
- Air temperature
- 10–29 °C (50–84 °F)
- Weather notes
- Official guide: cooler mornings, October afternoons can reach the 80s F (27 C and up). April runner reports: start 7 to 10 C (45 to 50 F), afternoon about 27 C (80 F).
- Nearest airport
- SFO
- Stay notes
- Reports put SFO about 2 hours by car from Healdsburg; start is about 20 mi (32 km) from town. Free first-come camping at the start and finish. Bib pickup at Healdsburg Running Company.
- Course record (men)
- 5:51:16 Jim Walmsley (2018)
- Course record (women)
- 7:08:23 Stephanie Howe Violett (2015)
Races like this
See every race ranked by likenessClosest on distance, course shape, climbing, footing, region and season.
Montebello, VA
Also 40 to 60 mi · Out and back · Similar footing
What runners and reviewers say
- Team Run Run (Ashley Nordell)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
Finished 8:21 on a hot day. Calls it one of the best organized races she has run, with five full aid stations and four water stops, though she ran out of water a couple of times. Near-constant climbing, about 10,000 ft (3,050 m) of gain, rougher than photos suggest. Caught poison oak and a tick. Camping near the start.
“One of the best organized races I've run!!”
- Educated Guesswork (Eric Rescorla)Raced 2022 · blog · Positive
Finished 9:44. Mostly fire road and smooth singletrack, with 10,500 ft (3,200 m) of rolling gain that is never flat. Start 7 to 10 C (45 to 50 F) rising to about 27 C (80 F). Drop bags at No Name and Warm Springs; gels and drink ran short at times. Stayed in Healdsburg, 32 km (20 mi) away; parking filled early.
- Believe in the Run (Taylor Bodin)Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
Calls the course 'Death by a Thousand Hills' with mostly buffed trail and the biggest climb in the first 3 km (2 mi). Aid fully stocked every 6 to 8 km (4 to 5 mi), longest gap 11 km (7 mi). Low 20s C (low 70s F) by noon felt warm; conditions optimal versus muddy 2024. Fly into SFO, about 2 h drive.
“Death by a Thousand Hills”
- The Runner's Trip (Sarah Lavender Smith)Raced 2013 · blog · Positive
Finished 9:37. Out-and-back with over 10,000 ft (3,050 m) of gain and a hard stretch around mi 28 to 38. Smooth trails through oak and madrone, six creek crossings, warm with a cooling breeze. Field about 300 runners.
“The course felt tortuous, not torturous.”
- Trail Runner Magazine, 15 years of Lake Sonoma 50Raced 2022 · article · Positive
Describes about 90% singletrack, more than a dozen creek crossings, fast but tough, a useful Western States tune-up. Community built on volunteers, Healdsburg and a scholarship charity. Entry was a lottery split 50/50 by gender, field about 750.
Show 3 more
- Trail Runner Magazine, 2013 race recapRaced 2013 · article · Positive
Reports ideal conditions and record times; course has about 10,500 ft (3,200 m) of climbing, mostly singletrack with a couple of fire-road hills mid-course, six creek crossings each way. 266 of 311 starters finished (86%).
“relentless hills”
- Wikipedia, Lake Sonoma 50Raced 2024 · aggregator · Mixed
Gives April-format facts: 14 h limit, four mid-race cutoffs (13:15 No Name Flat, 16:45 Warm Springs, 19:10 Island View, 20:30 finish), lottery entry with 400 cap, 2011 weather cancellation. Useful as history only; 2026 course differs.
- Aravaipa Running official page and 2026 athlete guideRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Official 2026 facts: 51.5 mi (82.9 km), 3,235 m (10,612 ft) gain, 16 h limit, drop bags and crew points, no pacers, boat-only exits at Island View and Warm Springs, October afternoons up to the 80s F (27 C and up).
Ran Sonoma Fall Classic OG 50 Mile (formerly the Lake Sonoma 50)? Your notes on the footing, cutoffs and aid stations help the next runner decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings.
Training for Sonoma Fall Classic OG 50 Mile (formerly the Lake Sonoma 50)? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.