Mesquite Canyon
Waddell, United States • 14 Mar 2026
Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs : Event details
The Mesquite Canyon Trail Runs are scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2026, at White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Waddell, AZ (20304 W White Tank Mountain Road). Distances offered include:
- 50 Mile
- 50K
- 30K
- Half Marathon
- 8K
- Kid's Fun Run (about 1.6 miles)
The event is part of the Desert Runner Trail Series and serves as a championship race in that seven-race series. Awards are given to top finishers by gender at each distance; all finishers receive a finisher award and 50 Mile finishers receive a custom award. Registration is managed through UltraSignup and closes on Monday, March 9.
Course, aid and logistics
Courses run on rugged single-track trails with rocks, large boulders, desert vegetation, significant climbs and steep descents. The 50 Mile and 50K routes include a hazardous Ford Canyon section that requires downhill rock scrambling over the White Tank rock formations and basic navigational skills.
Aid stations are spaced approximately every 1.8 to 8.8 miles and provide water, an electrolyte drink, sweet and salty snacks, and fresh fruit. There is an extended aid-free stretch of about 8.8 miles on some distances. Specific aid notes: the Waddell aid serves all distances; Mesquite aid is remote and will not have ice; Goat Camp aid serves the longer distances and accepts drop bags; Ford Canyon aid is water only. Crews are permitted at the start/finish and Goat Camp; pacers are permitted for 50 Mile runners once they have covered the 50K point or from Goat Camp. The race uses chip timing and offers live split tracking. The event operates as a cupless race with reusable cups available for purchase. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.