Walking Tall 50/25k

Walking Tall 50/25K - Big Hill Pond State Park

Held October 17, 2026 in Pocahontas, Tennessee, this trail event offers two distance options. Courses are made up almost entirely of single-track trail with only a small amount of park road.

• 50K (about 31 miles)
• 25K (about 15.5 miles)

The course includes a prominent fire tower that participants may climb; finishing at the top and having a bib punched there earns a special challenge coin. An alternate option allows completing the same number of stairs on the tower's first floor and still be scored as a finisher. The route also features a swamp boardwalk that stretches for over half a mile.

Aid stations and support differ by distance. The 25K has full aid at miles 6.5, 9.6, and 12.5. The 50K shares the 25K route through the first half and then continues on the park's other side; full aid and a drop bag location are provided at mile 15.5, with additional aid at miles 18.4, 23.0, 26.1, and 27.5.

Time limits are enforced: a nine hour cut for the 50K and an eight hour cut for the 25K. A course cut occurs at mile 26.1 at the inbound railroad tracks. The event is nonprofit; 100 percent of proceeds go to charity with 90 percent allocated to Big Hill Pond and 10 percent to the Tennessee Park Rangers Association. Year round camping is available at the park. Refunds and deferrals are not offered, though sold out bibs may be donated to the park or transferred by contacting the organizer. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.