What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — August 23, 2025

In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we highlight ultramarathons in Oregon, Wisconsin, Texas, Pennsylvania and British Columbia, Canada. Be sure to check out all 40 of this weekend’s events on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: Oregon Cascades 100 (Sisters, OR)

The fifth running of the Oregon Cascades 100 (100-mile and 50-mile races) kicks off on Saturday, August 23. The popular event showcases some of the best single-track trails in the Pacific Northwest as runners make their way from Bend to Sisters amidst the backdrop of the Central Oregon Cascade mountains. The 100-milers will run a point-to-point course featuring 10,700 feet of climbing and 11,200 feet of descent, 13 fully stocked aid stations and less than 2 miles on pavement. Participants have 32 hours, 1 minute and 18 seconds to finish the race and earn their custom belt buckles and 2026 Western States qualifiers. The 50-mile runners will have 16 hours to navigate their point-to-point race with 4,000 feet of gain and 6,500 feet of loss. The top three men and women in both events will earn their share of $5,000 in prize money. Live results here. Read more.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• Trail Run at Sly Park – Summer (Pollack Pines, CA)
• Gulch Countdown (Mukilteo, WA)
• Oregon 200 (Oakridge, OR)

Mountain

• Telluride Mountain Run (Telluride, CO)
• Continental Divide Trail Run (Steamboat Springs, CO)
• Rio Grande 100 (South Fork, CO)
• Westminster Night Trail (Westminster, CO)
• NoCo Urban Ultra and Relay (Greeley, CO)
• Harriman Park 50k (Island Park, ID)
• Night Crawler 12 Hour Endurance Challenge (Casper, WY)

Featured: Midwest States 100 (Westboro, WI)

The third annual Midwest States 100 features three ultra distances (100-mile, 100k and 50k). All events take place in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, with the majority of the course run on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a 1,200-mile footpath that traverses Wisconsin’s lakes, prairies, lush forests, unique geologic and glacial features and the historic ancestral lands of 15 tribes. While the elevation profile of the race may not match the big mountain ultramarathons in the US, the race will no doubt test participants due to the remote and rugged terrain. The 100-milers will have 34 hours to tackle approximately 6,700 feet of vertical gain. The 100k features 4,300 feet of climbing and the 50k just under 3,000 feet. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

• • ScoCo50 (Long Grove, IA)
  • Terra Sans Pave Trail Runs (Morton Grove, IL)
  • Shawnee Hills 100 (Ozark, IL)
  • Hell Creek Half & 50k (Sylvan Grove, KS)
  • The North Country Run (Grand Rapids, MI)
  • Moebius – Green, Monster Trail (Aurora, OH)
  • Nocterra Quitter’s Run (Powell, OH)
  • East Fork 100K and 50K (Bethel, OH)
  • Hell on Hogsback: Endurance Challenge (Lakewood, OH)
  • Run the Hawk Trail Runs (Middleton, WI)

Featured: Habanero Hundred (Cat Spring, TX)

Texas’s “hottest foot race,” the Habanero Hundred (100-mile, 100k and 50k ultramarathon races), blazes its way through Central Texas, August 23-24, 2025. Held at the 7IL ranch near Bellville, Texas, the race begins at high noon on Saturday and takes place on a flat and fast 10k loop course. The 100-mile runners will have 30 hours to complete 16 counterclockwise loops to earn their buckles, with the top three men and women earning additional prize money. The 100k entrants must finish 10 laps, and 50k participants must run five laps. Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Jackrabbit Jubilee (Buckeye, AZ)
• Groovin in the Aspens (Flagstaff, AZ)
• Fiesta Night Run (San Antonio, TX)

Southeast

• One Mile With a Smile 12 Hour Endurance Run (Chesapeake, VA)
• Terrible Twelve (Williamsburg, VA)
• Wild Turkey Trail Runs (Fairmont, WV)
• Moonlight on the Falls Distance Challenge (Davis, WV)

Featured: Baker Trail UltraChallenge (Godfrey, PA)

Established in 2005, the Baker Trail UltraChallenge is a 50-mile ultramarathon that takes place on the south section of Pennsylvania’s Baker Trail, a 134-mile state-designated hiking and backpacking path. Runners will begin near Godfrey at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and have 14 hours to reach Smicksburg, where they’ll cross the finish line at a private farm. Along the way, they’ll have to overcome 7,800 feet of climbing on a mix of trails and roads that traverse the Amish farmland. Each finisher will receive one piece of a three-piece medal that represents the section of the Baker Trail they completed. Runners who come back and complete all three sections are awarded a commemorative holder to display all three medals. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

• Jug End Loop Ultra (Egremont, MA)
• Firebird Trail Races (Windham, ME)
• Green Lakes Endurance Runs (Fayetteville, NY)
• Thacher Park Trail Running Festival (Voorheesville, NY)
• Dirty Dozen 50K (New York, NY)
• Winona Forest Backyard Ultra (Mannsville, NY)

Featured: Black Spur Ultra (Kimberley, BC)

The 10th annual Black Spur Ultra (108k and 54k races) takes place this weekend on the beautiful trails of Kimberley Alpine Resort in the Purcell Range of the Canadian Rockies. Participants can expect a true mountain running experience, with big climbs, steep descents, technical single-track trails (zero miles of pavement) and incredible vistas. The 108k participants will have 24 hours to conquer 4,460 meters of elevation gain and loss, while 54k entrants have 12 hours to navigate 2,230 meters. The course is split into three different loops, with each loop beginning and ending at the resort. Read more.

Other Events in Canada and Mexico:

• The Devil’s Key Trail Race (Duntroon, ON)
• Ultra Trail Sayam (Val-Brillant, QC)

Email corys@ultrarunning with questions about adding your event to the UltraRunning Magazine calendar.