The Big Schloss

The Big Schloss

The Big Schloss is a single clockwise loop trail run in the George Washington National Forest on the West Virginia side of the Virginia border, located south of Wardensville, West Virginia and west of Woodstock, Virginia. The course covers 33.3 miles with a total ascent and descent of 6,150 feet, starting and finishing at Trout Pond Picnic Pavilion A in the Trout Pond Recreation Area.

The route runs around Trout Run Valley on a mix of single-track trails and some dirt roads. There are three staffed aid stations with intermediate cutoffs located at Bucktail Trail Head (8.1 miles), Stony Creek Trail Head (18.8 miles), and Wolf Gap (24.7 miles). The prominent feature of the course is the ascent of Big Schloss roughly two thirds into the loop, which provides panoramic 360° views of surrounding ridges and valleys.

Event materials include a GPX course file, a turnsheet, a pocket reference, and maps of the trail network. Entry opens on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 9:00 am and is limited to 60 runners; a waitlist will be created if the field fills. The run concludes at Picnic Pavilion A where post-run food including grilled and vegan options is provided and camping at the adjacent Trout Pond campground is common.

This event takes place in remote terrain. Organizers state that no medical personnel or medical supplies are provided along the course and that participants are responsible for their own health and safety. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.