Tarc Wapack and Back

Event overview

The TARC Wapack and Back is a trail race held on the Wapack Trail in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, with distances of:

• 21.5 mile
• 43 mile
• 50 mile

The event finishes at the DCR Mount Watatic Reservation entrance and uses the Wapack Trail corridor between Mt. Watatic (MA) and North Pack Mountain (NH). Registration is limited, the race has a no-refund policy, and online registration closes before race week. Entry fees are listed at $75 for the 43- and 50-mile distances and $60 for the 21.5-mile distance.

Course and logistics

The trail is technical and rocky with boulder fields, granite slabs, single track with roots and rocks, and some fire road. The route gains approximately 4,600 feet of elevation in each direction; the 50-mile option accumulates roughly 10,800 feet of elevation. The Wapack Trail is blazed with yellow triangles; participants are asked to follow those marks and to backtrack if they go off course.

Start/check-in locations differ by distance: 43/50 mile participants check in at the Mount Watatic trailhead; 21.5 mile participants check in at the Fitchburg Sportsmen's Club and are bused to the northern terminus. Trailhead parking is limited; spectators and runners are asked to use nearby parking across Old Pierce Road.

Support and rules

Several aid stations provide water and basic food, spaced no more than 7.5 miles apart. 43- and 50-mile entrants are required to carry headlamps and may use small, labeled drop bags for designated handoff points. Portable toilets are available at the parking areas and the 21.5 mile pickup location. The event follows Leave No Trace principles and allows adaptive athletes with appropriate equipment and coordination with race staff. Timing is manual and full results are posted after the event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.