100K
62 mi · 7,992 ft of climb
- Start
- Sat June 5 · 6:00 AM
- Route
- Erlanger Park to Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA
- Time limit
- 18 hours
- Running Stones
- 3
ULTRA TRAIL
CHATTANOOGA
Race-week guide · June 4–6, 2027
The UTMB World Series comes to Chattanooga for the first time in June 2027: a 100K from downtown to the rim of Cloudland Canyon, a 50K up Lookout Mountain and back, and a 20K to the bluff. Here's the weekend, the ground it covers and where to run the rest of your trip.
The race director is Ginny Smith, who also runs Bad Beard Events.
THE RACES
All three start at Erlanger Park
50K
31.4 mi · 3,816 ft of climb
- Start
- Sat June 5 · 7:00 AM
- Route
- Loop from Erlanger Park
- Time limit
- 10 hours
- Running Stones
- 2
20K
12.7 mi · 1,345 ft of climb
- Start
- Sun June 6 · 8:00 AM
- Route
- Loop from Erlanger Park
- Time limit
- 5 hours
- Running Stones
- 1
From the official race pages, checked Oct 26, 2026. Courses are still subject to land-manager permits, so check there before you plan a training block around a climb. Top three men and women in the 100K and 50K get automatic entry to CCC and OCC at Mont-Blanc.
WHERE THE COURSES GO
The 100K runs point to point on most of the River to Clouds route. You leave downtown with the 50K field, climb Lookout Mountain to Covenant College, drop through the Moonshine Trails into Lula Lake Land Trust past Lula Falls, then take the Cloudland Connector through the Five Points and Durham Mine trails. The last miles are Cloudland Canyon's East and West Rim trails. You finish at the canyon, 62 miles from where you started, and ride a shuttle back.
The 50K is a loop. You climb from the river on Far Enough, Guild and Upper Gum, past the sandstone bluffs, turn at Covenant College, then come back down through St. Elmo to finish inside the ballpark.
The 20K follows the river onto Far Enough, climbs to the bluff in the National Military Park, drops to Cravens House and comes home on Guild.
THE WEEKEND
Official schedule, subject to change
Friday, June 4
- 10 AM – 6 PM
- Basecamp (the expo) and the UTMB store, Erlanger Park
- 12 PM & 4 PM
- Runner briefings
Saturday, June 5
- 5 – 6:50 AM
- Race-morning bib pickup, 100K and 50K
- 6 AM
- 100K start
- 7 AM
- 50K start
- 11 AM – 5 PM
- Basecamp open
- 2 PM – midnight
- Shuttles from Cloudland Canyon back to Erlanger Park
- 3 PM
- 50K awards
- 4 PM
- Runner briefing
Sunday, June 6
- 6:30 AM
- Race-morning bib pickup, 20K
- 8 AM
- 20K start
- 11 AM
- 100K and 20K awards
GETTING HERE
Come in Friday if you can. Bib pickup on race morning closes ten minutes before your start, and the briefings are Friday at noon and 4. Erlanger Park is on South Broad, a short drive from downtown and the foot of Lookout Mountain. The official site points to Visit Chattanooga for hotels on the Southside and up on Lookout Mountain.
Crewing the 100K? The finish is across the state line in Georgia. Crew access points and parking come out with the Crew & Spectator Guide, which isn't published yet. UTMB's North America rules allow pacers only in 100-mile races, so plan on running this one without one.
THE HEAT
Plan for it. NOAA's 30-year normals for the Chattanooga airport put June 4–6 at a high of about 85°F and a low of about 65°F, and June averages around 4 inches of rain. The organiser can call a hot-weather kit a few days out: sunglasses, SPF 50 and 2 liters of water minimum.
THE REST OF THE TRIP
A shakeout close to town
Stringers Ridge is seven miles of shaded single-track ten minutes from downtown, with an overlook straight down the river. Easy to fit in on Friday without spending your legs.
Staying longer
The Run Chattanooga guide has the trails and swimming holes we run, with distances, climb and route files. Want another start line while you're here? The race calendar has every trail race around town.
QUICK ANSWERS
When is Ultra Trail Chattanooga?
June 4–6, 2027. Basecamp opens Friday, the 100K and 50K start Saturday morning, and the 20K runs Sunday.
Where does it start?
All three races start at Erlanger Park, the Lookouts' ballpark on South Broad Street. The 50K and 20K finish there too.
Where does the 100K finish?
At Cloudland Canyon State Park in Rising Fawn, Georgia. It is point to point. Runner shuttles back to Erlanger Park run from 2 PM to midnight on Saturday.
Who is the race director?
Ginny Smith, who also runs Bad Beard Events, the Chattanooga trail race company behind this guide.
Can I still sign up?
Registration is first come, first served, with no lottery and no waitlist. Online entry closes May 30, 2027, or sooner if a race sells out, and there is no race-day registration. Check the official site for what's left.
What's the weather like in early June?
Warm. NOAA's 30-year normals for the Chattanooga airport put race weekend at a high around 85°F and a low around 65°F, and the organiser can call for a hot-weather kit with 2 liters of water.