Sam's Last Stand

Sam's Last Stand

Sam's Last Stand is a fatass-style trail race on February 28, 2026, organized by Ava's Trails. The race covers the entire Lone Star Hiking Trail from Trailhead 1 to Trailhead 15 near Cleveland, a distance of 96 miles. Entry is limited to 25 runners and the event uses gun time with a 36-hour cutoff for finishers. Registration opens on 2025-09-21.

Course, support and rules

The route follows the Lone Star Hiking Trail, which is marked with aluminum markers and wooden signs; colored-band markers for connecting trails should not be followed for this event. Minimal water caches will be provided at waypoints in 1-gallon jugs; water is for runners and pacers only, must be taken into a personal container, and may not be drunk directly from the jugs. Drop bags are allowed at waypoints with size limits: quart-sized freezer bags for small bags and up to 1.5 gal / 6 L for large bags. Waypoint supplies will not be under continuous supervision.

Pacing is allowed starting at mile 20 (Stubblefield); one pacer per runner at a time, no separate drop bags for pacers, and pacers may use waypoint water. Crewing is allowed with restrictions: one crew vehicle per runner, no crew contact before mile 20, and crews should use official waypoints for support. Leave No Trace rules apply; failure to comply may result in disqualification. Runners must load the route on their phone and show proof at bib pickup; GAIA GPS is the recommended app. Current supported fastest-known times for the route are about 19:13:05 (men) and 22:18:55 (women). Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.