Black Bear Trail Races
Waterville Valley, United States • 29 Aug 2026
Black Bear Trail Races - Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
Black Bear Trail Races take place in Waterville Valley and center on Town Square for race starts and finishes. The event offers multiple trail distances that run through White Mountain forests, streams, and trails beneath nearby 4,000 foot peaks.
The longest course, the Black Bear 50K, covers roughly 50 kilometers with about 7,700 feet of cumulative climb and travels over Snow's Mountain, East Osceola, Osceola, and Tecumseh. The 50K is supported by multiple aid stations and requires mandatory equipment because large portions of the course are exposed to mountain weather.
The Black Bear 23K follows routes on the oldest maintained trail network in the United States and includes three aid stations with hydration and nutrition. The Black Bear 4 Miler runs on singletrack and doubletrack through the valley with about 600 feet of climbing. The Bear Cub Fun Run is a scenic one mile route for families.
Mandatory equipment for 50K participants includes a headlamp with extra batteries, the ability to carry two liters of water plus two liters at the start, about 400 calories of food, a space or emergency blanket, and a windbreaker or rain shell. The event is cupless; aid stations will not provide disposable cups so participants must bring their own hydration system. Volunteers earn race credits toward future Aravaipa events. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.