Crown King Scramble
Phoenix, United States • 28 Mar 2026
Event
The Crown King Scramble is a point-to-point trail footrace held on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The event covers 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Lake Pleasant Regional Park (Castle Creek Boat Ramp) to the Crown King Saloon in Crown King, Arizona. The race is organized on dirt and jeep roads and includes a gender-specific race shirt, a post-race barbecue included with entry, and beer available for purchase at the finish.
Course and logistics
The course climbs from roughly 1,700 feet to above 6,500 feet with a listed total elevation gain of 6,828 feet. Runners move from Sonoran Desert terrain through scrub and junipers onto rough 4x4 jeep trails and finish in ponderosa and ponderosa-pine country above Crown King. The route is marked with orange plastic ribbons and junction signage; some sections offer route choices described as "tangent" or "scramble."
There are five staffed aid stations on course (mile 8.5, 15.3, 19.1, 22.2, 27.3) plus the finish, supplying water, electrolyte drink, fruit and snacks; drop bags are allowed only at the mile 15.3 aid station and at the finish and must be labeled. Crews and pacers are not permitted on course. The event is cupless - runners must carry their own refill vessel. Chip timing and live split tracking are provided. Enforced cutoffs and an overall time limit apply. One-way shuttle service runs between the finish and the start; camping is permitted in Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.