What’s Up in Ultra This Weekend — July 18, 2026

The third weekend of July features 43 North American ultramarathons on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we highlight races in Washington, Michigan, Arkansas, Vermont and British Columbia, Canada. If you’re a race director and would like your event to be featured in the calendar, register here.

Featured: Cascade Crest (Easton, WA)

Our first Old School Ultra of the weekend, the 27th annual Cascade Crest 100, kicks off Friday, July 17, at 9 a.m. in Easton, Washington. Known for its “tall trees and tough trails” and low-key grassroots vibe, the race showcases the rugged yet beautiful trails of the Pacific Northwest and the North Cascade Mountains. The 100-mile loop course has 23,000 feet of elevation gain and loss on 96% single-track trails and forest roads, including 32 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), 2.3 miles in the darkness of the Snoqualmie Tunnel and 5 miles on the notorious “trail through hell.” Participants have 34 hours to make it back to Easton to earn their 2026 Cascade Crest 100 buckles and a qualifier for the 2027 Hardrock and Western States lotteries. Read more on the Cascade Crest 100 race website.

Other West Events:

Pacific

• Harding Hustle (Modjeska Canyon, CA)
• ROGUE//13 (SPOKANE, WA)

Mountain

• Silverton Alpine (Silverton, CO)
• Power of Four Trail Run (Aspen, CO)
• High Lonesome 100 (Salida, CO)
• Thumbs Up Summer Slam (Estes Park, CO)
• Bob Marshall Trail 50K (Seeley Lake, MT)
• Tahoe Rim Trail (Carson City, NV)
• McCoy Flats Death Race (Vernal, UT)
• Crawlin with the Cougars (Spanish Fork, UT)
• Skunk Hollow Sneaker Chase & Backyard Ultra (Casper, WY)

Featured: Ode to Laz Michigan Backyard Ultra (Holly, MI)

First run in 2019, the Ode to Laz is a last person standing event that follows the official Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra format, inspired by the one and only “Lazarus Lake,” where participants must complete a 4.167-mile loop every hour on the hour until only one runner remains. The race begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, in Holly, Michigan. Runners will set out on the daytime trail course with 350 feet of elevation gain on 2/3 technical single-track trails and 1/3 hiking path. At night, they’ll transition to the closed out-and-back park road with 250 feet of gain. The 2026 Ode to Laz is a Big Dog’s “Silver Ticket” race, with the winner (US residents only) having the opportunity to join the USA national backyard team. Read more.

Other Midwest Events:

• Lake Macbride Trail Races (Solon, IA)
• Cry Me a River! (Chillicothe, IL)
• Road Warrior 50k (Carol Stream, IL)
• Pinetum Mind Games Endurance Event (Dixon, IL)
• Quail Ridge Farm Backyard Ultra (Albion, IL)
• CMAR Trail Races (Chillicothe, IL)
• Miola Madness – Hot Summer Nights (Paola, KS)
• Get Your Butt Kicked @ Route 66 (Eureka, MO)
• Ultra Sweaty Santa (Devils Elbow, MO)
• Crazy Bear Ultra (Sioux Falls, SD)
• NCTRaces: Palmers (Solon Springs, WI)

Featured: Full Moon 50K (Perryville, AR)

Full Moon 50K is a popular nighttime 50k ultramarathon held in Perryville, Arkansas, on rolling forest roads through the Ouachita National Forest. Established in 1992, the race has developed a reputation for a fun, party-like atmosphere and enthusiastic volunteers. Race highlights include fun, fully stocked aid stations, finish-line food and festivities, handcrafted finisher keepsakes and “infinite high fives.” The race starts at 7 p.m., and runners must complete the course by 4 a.m. Race proceeds help support local organizations, including the Arkansas Ultra Running Cross Country Fund, Faulkner County HAM and Williams Junction FD. Read more on the race website.

Other South Events:

Southwest

• Eastern Legend (Gilmer, TX)
• Dead Night Pines Trail Run (Tyler, TX)

Southeast

• Sombrero Sizzler (Jacksonville, FL)
• The Inferno (Lehigh Acres, FL)
• Survive the Night Relays (Lexington, KY)
• Big Butts (Jackson, MS)
• Carolina Reaper Challenge (Greenville, SC)
• Hell Mary (Pegram, TN)
• The Cherokee (Tellico Plains, TN)
• Catherine’s FA 50K (Luray, VA)

Featured: Vermont 100 (West Windsor, VT)

Our second Old School Ultra of the weekend, the Vermont 100 Endurance Run, celebrates its 35th anniversary this weekend in Windsor, Vermont. One of the country’s original 100-milers and the third leg in the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, Vermont 100 is one of the sport’s true classic events and takes runners on a tour of the Green Mountain State’s scenic backroads and trails, where they’ll be challenged by rolling hills, 17,000 feet of climbs and descents, and the high probability of sun exposure, heat and humidity. The 100-mile runners have 30 hours to complete the race to earn their Vermont 100 buckles, with sub-24-hour finishers taking home the coveted “large” belt buckle. In addition to the 100-mile race, Vermont 100 also hosts a 100k race where competitors have 20 hours to navigate a course with 9,000 feet of gain. Vermont 100 is a fundraiser for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, which supports adaptive sports programming for people with disabilities. Read more.

Other Northeast Events:

• Endless Summer 6-Hour Run (Annapolis, MD)
• 12 Hours of Lawrence Woods (Medford, MA)
• Wakely Dam Ultra (Piseco Lake, NY)
• CandleLight 12/24 Hour (Honeoye Falls, NY)
• Rise & Run (Wellsboro, PA)
• The Aliza Lapierre Fan Club 50k (Richmond, VT)

Featured: Broken Goat (Rossland, BC)

One of British Columbia’s most scenic and challenging mountain ultramarathons, the Broken Goat 50K returns to Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, British Columbia. The race is known for its extremely challenging and rugged point-to-point course, which traverses several high-alpine peaks and ridges, including Old Glory, the highest peak in the range at 2,376 meters, along the Seven Summits Trail in the Rossland Range. Runners will have 11 hours to tackle 2,492 meters of elevation gain and 2,906 meters of descent to earn their Broken Goat 50K finish. Read more on the Broken Goat website.

No other events in Canada & Mexico this weekend.

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