Red Rock Canyon Ultra

Event Overview

The Red Rock Canyon Ultra is an endurance foot race near Las Vegas, Nevada. It takes place in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The event offers three distances: 100 kilometers, 50 kilometers, and 17 kilometers. The 2026 edition is scheduled for November 14th.

Course Details

The courses start in front of the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center. They travel through ancient Aztec sandstone canyons, washes, quarries, and around limestone formations. Both the 100k and 50k routes pass through areas with names like Calico 1, Sandstone Quarry, Grand Circle Loop, and South Oak Creek before reaching the town of Blue Diamond. A trail section between miles 7 and 15 is known as "Dream Killer."

The 100k course spans the entire Red Rock Canyon and Cottonwood Valley. It includes a loop of Landmine, climbs over Hurl and through Black Velvet, and passes Late Night and Red Valley. The final remote section goes to Satan's Escalator before descending back to the finish in Blue Diamond. Pacers are allowed, with pick-up points at Late Night or Red Valley for the 100k.

The 50k route also goes to Blue Diamond, then features an ascent over Hurl through a Joshua Tree forest to the Mud Springs aid station. It finishes with a run across the north side of Landmine back to Blue Diamond.

A 17k course is also offered, with a map available online.

Logistics

Aid stations are positioned between 5.5 and 8.5 miles apart. They provide pre-packaged fruits, snacks, GU energy gels, and hydration mix. Due to group size mandates, registration is capped at 200 guaranteed spots, with a waitlist for subsequent registrants. Interactive course maps and downloadable files (KML, GPX) are available online. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.