What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — July 11, 2026

The second weekend of July features 48 North American ultramarathons on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we highlight races in Colorado, Wisconsin, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Vancouver, British Columbia. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: Hardrock 100 Endurance Run (Silverton, CO)

The Hardrock 100 Endurance Run returns to Silverton, Colorado, this weekend for its 31st running. One of the country’s ultimate 100-mile high-elevation mountain running tests, Hardrock sends runners on an epic journey through the San Juan Mountains, where they’ll battle thin air, rugged terrain, extremely steep climbs and descents, 13 mountain passes over 12,000 feet, and more than 66,000 feet of total elevation change. This year’s participants will run the loop course clockwise, beginning in Silverton at 6 a.m. on Friday, July 10, and must make it back to the historic mining town within 48 hours to kiss the rock and earn their Hardrock 100 buckles. Tune in to Mountain Outpost’s 2026 live race coverage here.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• AKtive’s Backyard Ultra (Palmer, AK)
• TACP Memorial Run – Team JBER (Palmer, AK)
• San Lorenzo River Trail Run (Santa Cruz, CA)
• Siskiyou Out Back (Ashland, OR)
• Mt. Hood Trail Runs (Timothy Lake, OR)
• Devil’s Gulch (Wenatchee, WA)

Mountain

• Silverheels Trail Runs (Fairplay, CO)
• Beaverhead Endurance Runs (Salmon, ID)
• Devil’s Backbone (Bozeman, MT)
• Yellowstone 50K Trail Race (West Yellowstone, MT)
• Laramie Peak Endurance Challenge (Douglas, WY)

Featured: Dances with Dirt – Devil’s Lake (Baraboo, WI)

The 16th running of the Dances with Dirt 50k and 50-mile ultramarathons takes place Saturday, July 11, at Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin. On the course, runners can expect a mix of rocky, rooty, and hilly trails set against a backdrop of dramatic bluffs and Ice Age geologic formations. The 50-milers will have 13 hours to navigate a course with 8,500 feet of climbs and descents, while 50k runners will have 10 hours to tackle 5,400 feet of gain. After the race, participants are invited to stick around for free beer and a post-race meal. Read more on the Dances with Dirt race website.

Other Midwest Events:

• 8 Hour Dream Endurance Race (Indianapolis, IN)
• Honey Badger 100 (Kingman, KS)
• Dirty Burg (Belmont, MI)
• Run the Keweenaw (Eagle Harbor, MI)
• Waugoshance Trail 50K (Mackinaw City, MI)
• Dawg Gone Long Run (Waynesville, OH)

Featured: Vol State (Sand Mountain, GA)

Established in 2006 by the legendary Gary Cantrell, aka Lazarus Lake, Vol State is a unique 500k road ultramarathon that sends runners on a “journey, an adventure and an exploration of inner space,” as they attempt to make their way 314 miles on foot, minus a ferry ride across the Mississippi River, from Missouri, through Tennessee to northeast Georgia. Along the way, they’ll pass through small towns along highways and rural backroads, battle extreme heat and humidity, and figure out their own logistics, including where to eat, find water and get some sleep. This year’s Vol State adventure begins on July 9, 2026, and participants have until July 19 to complete the journey. Read more.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Stunner Night Runs (Mesa, AZ)
• Dark and Dirty Miles (Wilburton, OK)
• Midnight Madness (Tulsa, OK)
• Rise in the Pines (Smithville, TX)

Southeast

• Vero Beach Octopus Ultra (Vero Beach, FL)
• Summer Sizzle 8 Hour Challenge (Naples, FL)
• Merrill’s Mile (Dahlonega, GA)
• Slow and Tired’s Bad Idea (Enoree, SC)
• Mad Mallard 3, 6 and 12 HR NIGHT TIME trail race (Chapel Hill, TN)
• Windsor Castle 10-Hour (Smithfield, VA)

Featured: Ironstone 100K (Hollidaysburg, PA)

The Ironstone 100K kicks off Saturday at Canoe Creek State Park in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, and finishes 63.4 miles later at Greenwood Furnace State Park in Huntingdon County. First run in 2022, the challenging point-to-point course tests runners with relentless rocky, technical, and remote trails through the Allegheny Mountains, where they’ll face 7,994 feet of climbing, 8,169 feet of descent, limited aid, and the likelihood of extreme heat and humidity. In the race’s four-year history, only 10 runners have completed the rugged course in under 16 hours, while the average finish rate, under the 23-hour cutoff, has hovered between 50% and 61%. Learn more about the race here.

Other Northeast Events:

• The Revolution (Redding, CT)
• Notchview Ultra (Adams, MA)
• Back Cove Backyard Ultra (Portland, ME)
• Spaulding Woods 50K (Northfield, NH)
• Viaduct Trail (Lanesboro, PA)
• Coal & Coke Fireworks 30/10 Miler (Mt Pleasant, PA)
• Ragnar Trail Vermont Individual (Brownsville, VT)

Featured: Knee Knacker (North Vancouver, BC)

Designated as one of UltraRunning’s 2026 Old School Ultras, the Knee Knacker is a challenging 50k that runs along the Baden-Powell Centennial Trail from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to Deep Cove in North Vancouver, BC. After its start in 1989, it quickly became one of the largest ultras in North America. The course includes city, mountain and ocean views with 8,000 feet of climbing and 8,300 feet of descent.  Finishers will be greeted with a “party in the park” after their race, with food, drinks and door prizes to cap off the day. Knee Knacker is produced by the Northshore Ultra Trailrunning Society, a small group of dedicated runners from the Metro Vancouver area, who has raised $204,000 for various charities since its inception. Read more here.

Other Events in Canada & Mexico:

• Sinister 7 Ultra (Crowsnest Pass, AB)
• Devil’s Ladder Ultra (Cumberland, BC)
• First Blaze Trail Race (Milton, ON)
• Summit 700 Trail Runs (Blue Mountain, ON)

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