Tarc Wapack and Back
Ashburnham, United States • 9 May 2026
Event overview
The TARC Wapack and Back is a trail running event held on the Wapack Trail in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, with race day scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026. The event offers three distances:
- 21.5 mile
- 43 mile
- 50 mile
Registration is limited and the event typically sells out. Entry fees are $75 for the 43 and 50 mile distances and $60 for the 21.5 mile distance. The event is organized by the Trail Animals Running Club, a nonprofit that donates event profits to land conservation.
Course and logistics
The route runs roughly from Mount Watatic in Massachusetts toward North Pack Mountain in Greenfield, New Hampshire. The trail is technical, with boulder fields, rocky ledges, granite slabs, single track with rocks and roots, and some fire road sections. Elevation is about 4,600 feet one way; the 50 mile course accumulates around 10,800 feet of elevation. The Wapack Trail is blazed with yellow triangle markers; additional course markings are minimal. Participants who go off course must backtrack. GPS files and course maps are provided by the organizer and may be used for verification of course compliance.
Aid stations: four water stations will supply water and Hyle Hydration; food offerings are basic and variable. Water stations are spaced no more than 7.5 miles apart. Binney Hill will have water only in the early morning. Bathrooms: porta potties at both parking lots and at the Fitchburg Sportsmen's Club.
Policies and support
The event uses manual timing and posts comprehensive results after race day. There is a no refund policy; transfers and deferrals are restricted, with specific pregnancy deferral provisions available for up to two years. Drop bags are allowed for 43 and 50 mile participants and must be labeled. Headlamps are required for the longer distances. Adaptive athletes are welcome; tethers, guides, prosthetics, crutches, braces, or poles may be used with approval. Volunteers are needed to support race operations. The event follows Leave No Trace principles and includes a land acknowledgement for the Wabanaki people. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.