Crown King Scramble
Phoenix, United States • 28 Mar 2026
Crown King Scramble : March 28, 2026
The Crown King Scramble is a point-to-point 50 kilometer (about 31 miles) footrace from Lake Pleasant Regional Park to the Crown King Saloon in Crown King, Arizona. The course gains about 6,828 feet in elevation, beginning near 1,700 feet and rising to approximately 6,520 feet before a final 600 foot descent into the finish. The event crosses several climate zones, from Sonoran Desert around Lake Pleasant into ponderosa pines in the Bradshaw Mountains.
Course, aid and logistics
The first half follows rolling, maintained dirt forest roads. The second half moves onto rough four-wheel-drive jeep trail with sustained, steep climbs and a final downhill into town. There are five aid stations on course - Cow Creek (Mile 8.5), French Creek (Mile 15.3, drop bags allowed), Silver Mountain (Mile 19.1), Fort Misery (Mile 22.2) and Oro Belle (Mile 27.3) - offering water, an electrolyte drink, fruit, sweet and salty snacks. Drop bags are permitted only at French Creek and the finish and will be returned to Crown King after French Creek closes. Crews and pacers are not allowed on course. The race is cupless; runners must carry their own container for refills. The course is marked with orange ribbons with black polka dots, yellow laminated turn signs, and WRONG WAY flagging. Shuttle service is offered for the one-way course. Awards go to top finishers and grandmasters, and all finishers receive a custom finisher award. Live split tracking is available. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.