Bears Ears Ultra
Monticello, United States • 20 Jun 2026
Bears Ears Ultra - Monticello, Utah
Bears Ears Ultra is a high elevation trail race held in the Abajo Mountains near Monticello, Utah. The event on June 20, 2026 runs through portions of Bears Ears National Monument and passes through landscapes that are ancestral lands of several Indigenous nations including the Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Hopi Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni.
Distances offered include:
- 13K
- 30K
- 50K
- 50 mile
The course moves from canyon views into remote alpine terrain, rising near 11,000 feet on Robertson Pasture Trail. Runners gain expansive views of Bears Ears Buttes, Monument Valley, Dead Horse Point State Park, Six Shooter Peaks, the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area, and the La Sal Mountains. On clear days the San Juan Mountains of Colorado are visible.
Course statistics published for each distance include lowest and highest elevations and total elevation gain and loss. Examples from the published course data: the 50 mile route ranges from about 7,600 to 10,727 feet with roughly 10,400 feet of elevation gain, and the 13K route ranges from about 8,219 to 9,331 feet with roughly 1,339 feet of elevation gain.
The event operates cupless aid stations with water dispensers at the start/finish and at every aid station; runners are asked to bring a reusable cup or hydration vessel. The start and finish share the same location on Forest Road 5419 near GPS coordinates 37.91956, -109.47558. Packet pickup is scheduled the day before the race at Veteran's Memorial Park in Monticello. All finishers receive a custom race shirt, a BOCO Gear technical trucker, and a finisher medal. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.