The 10 Most Anticipated US Trail Races of 2026
January 8, 2026 · GoWild Team
The US trail scene keeps getting deeper, and 2026 is stacked. Whether you’re chasing a Golden Ticket or just want a once-in-a-lifetime day in the mountains, here are the ten races we’re most excited about — with links to the full calendar for each region.
1. Western States 100 (California)
The granddaddy of them all. 100.2 miles from Olympic Valley to Auburn, through the Sierra high country and the infamous canyons. If you want to run it, you’ll need a qualifier and a lot of luck in the lottery. Browse more California trail races.
2. Hardrock 100 (Colorado)
33,000 feet of climbing on a high-altitude loop through the San Juans. Brutal, beautiful, and unlike anything else. See the rest of the Colorado calendar.
3. Leadville Trail 100 (Colorado)
The “Race Across the Sky” — a fast, high, out-and-back over Hope Pass that draws thousands every August.
4. Bandera 100K (Texas)
Where the season opens. Sotol, cactus and Hill Country limestone in January. A great early-year objective — see more Texas trail races.
5. Zion Ultras (Utah)
Red rock, slickrock and mesa-top views above Zion. The desert running doesn’t get much more photogenic. More Utah races here.
6. White River 50 (Washington)
A Cascades classic with old-growth forest and Mt Rainier views. The Washington calendar has more PNW gems.
7. Mount Marathon (Alaska)
Three thousand feet straight up and straight back down on the 4th of July. Short, savage, legendary.
8. Vermont 100 (Vermont)
Rolling Green Mountain dirt and one of the original Grand Slam 100s, still shared with horses.
9. Marin Ultra Challenge (California)
Headlands singletrack with the Golden Gate as a backdrop. A perfect spring objective near San Francisco.
10. Leadville’s little sibling races
Don’t sleep on the shorter regional series — they’re where most runners actually build toward the big days.
Ready to find yours? Use the race finder to filter by distance, climb and terrain, or set up an alert so you never miss a registration window.
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