Highball to Thurmond Ultra
Thurmond, United States • 17 May 2026
Event overview
The Highball to Thurmond Ultra & Relay is a point-to-point trail event on Sunday, May 17, 2026, through New River Gorge National Park, finishing in Thurmond, West Virginia. The race offers on-site and virtual options and provides an Amtrak train return from the finish to the 50 Mile start area in Montgomery. The course passes waterfalls, ridgelines, and historic rail bridges.
Distances and formats
- 50 Mile
- 50K
- 50 Mile Relay
- 50K Ruck
- Virtual 50 Mile
- Virtual 50K
Course and race details
The 50 Mile is a point-to-point course from Montgomery to Thurmond and includes about 12 miles of paved road plus mountain dirt roads and trails with approximately 5,000 feet of elevation gain. The 50K starts at Hawks Nest State Park and finishes in Thurmond with about 3,100 feet of elevation gain. Aid stations are well stocked and the courses are marked. The 50 Mile Relay may be run by teams of 2 to 4; each team member must run at least one leg and handoffs occur at official aid stations. There is an option to add a train ticket for the post-race return.
What registration includes and policies
Registration includes a finisher medal, a custom 2026 hoodie, race photos, age group and overall awards, and relay team awards. Refund policy: no refunds within 30 days of the event; requests made earlier than 30 days may be eligible for a 50% refund of the entry fee, excluding processing fees. Entries can be transferred to another person for a $5 fee; entries cannot be deferred to another year. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.