Western States Endurance Run
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Western States Endurance Run (WSER)
The Western States Endurance Run is a 100.2 mile trail race held June 27-28, 2026, in California. The Run starts in Olympic Valley and finishes at Placer High School in Auburn. The course travels across the traditional lands of the Nisenan, Washoe, and other neighboring Indigenous Peoples.
Over the course, runners climb more than 18,000 feet and descend nearly 23,000 feet. The route passes Emigrant Pass, the Granite Chief Wilderness, the canyons of California gold country, and includes a crossing of the Middle Fork of the American River. The finish area uses historic reddish brown trails that led many travelers to Auburn.
The event offers time-based awards, including a silver belt buckle for finishes under 24 hours and a bronze belt buckle for finishes under 30 hours. More than 1,500 volunteers support race operations. Entry for 2026 involved a lottery process; applicants were required to have completed a qualifying race of 100k or longer within the prior year. The organization and partners are also engaged in trail stewardship projects, including a Granite Chief Wilderness reroute that will add over 7 miles of new and rehabilitated trail, with construction begun in 2023 and portions planned to open in 2026 and 2028. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
