Pony Express Trail Run
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Pony Express Trail 50 and 100
The Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 is an ultramarathon in the west desert of Utah on the historic Pony Express Trail of 1860. The route is run entirely on dirt roads and has about 3,000 feet of total elevation gain and loss. The event offers two distances:
- 100 miles: out to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge and back, finishing at Simpson Springs.
- 50 miles: follows the same direction and finishes at the Blackrock Pony Express station site.
The course is remote and crew supported. Crews drive along the main Pony Express dirt road and leapfrog runners, stopping every few miles to provide food, water, and assistance. Sharing crews is allowed under strict rules; runners who separate beyond four miles or who change crews without approval face disqualification.
Pacers and bicycles are permitted. Water is available at mile 16.4 near Simpson Springs. Timing checkpoints are located at Simpson Springs, Dugway Topaz Well, Blackrock, and Fish Springs; checkpoints use ham radios and internet while general cell coverage along the route is spotty. There are bathrooms with no running water at Simpson Springs and Fish Springs and porta-potties at the start and Blackrock. A barbeque is provided at Blackrock for runners and crews. Finisher awards include belt buckles for 100 mile finishers and medallions for 50 mile finishers. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.