Trailflatcrushed gravelsoft trail

Brazos Bend 100

Waco, TX

The flattest, fastest 100-miler in America — ideal for first-time trail runners chasing a 100M finish or a WSER qualifier ticket.

When: December 5, 2026
Distances: 100 Mile · 100K · Marathon (26.2M) · Half Marathon (13.1M) · Brazos Kids Kilometer
Surface: Trail
Course: Multi-loop
Elevation gain: 200 ft
Altitude: 40 ft–45 ft
Weather: Mild
Nearest airport: AUS
Suggested trip: 2 nights

Score breakdown

6.7/10

Trade-offs. Real appeal, but with meaningful trade-offs we explain on the page.

Scenery / setting6.5· 20%

Course character5.0· 15%

Weather appeal7.5· 15%

Destination appeal5.5· 15%

Logistics practicality7.0· 15%

Difficulty clarity9.0· 10%

Data confidence8.0· 5%

Editorial judgment7.5· 5%

Also worth knowing (not weighted)

Non-runner appeal4.5

Remoteness3.5

Editorial score (v0.1) — full method on How we score. Never affected by sponsorships.

Weather

Month	Avg high / low	Band
December	48–67°F	Cool

Moderate cold risk~0.58 in typical precipVery humid — average ~80% relative humidity. 23% daily chance of rain; ~0.58 in on days it rains. Typically 40–70°F race-day range per RD.

Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.

Route & course

100 Mile

Multi-loop · Trail · starts 6:00 AM

Elev gain: 200 ft
Elev loss: 200 ft
High point: 45 ft
Low point: 40 ft

Repeated loops from a basecamp
Easy crew and drop-bag access

Start · 43 ftFinish · 43 ftParking

Five loops of ~20M each on crushed rock, soft hiking trail, and horse trail. Virtually no elevation — the only 'hill' is a 10-ft rise over 0.1 mile. No cups at aid stations; mandatory hydration carry. WSER qualifier: sub-32h finish earns a lottery ticket. 119 qualifiers in 2024, 133 in 2025.

100K

Multi-loop · Trail

Elev gain: 125 ft
Elev loss: 125 ft
High point: 45 ft
Low point: 40 ft

Repeated loops from a basecamp
Easy crew and drop-bag access

Same loop as other distances. Finish line closes Sunday at 2 PM.

Marathon (26.2M)

Multi-loop · Trail · starts 7:30 AM

Elev gain: 50 ft
Elev loss: 50 ft
High point: 45 ft
Low point: 40 ft

Repeated loops from a basecamp
Easy crew and drop-bag access

Two loops of ~13.46M each. Finish line closes Sunday at 2 PM.

Half Marathon (13.1M)

Loop · Trail · starts 8:00 AM

Elev gain: 25 ft
Elev loss: 25 ft
High point: 45 ft
Low point: 40 ft

Start and finish in the same area
Easier spectating and repeated aid access

Single loop of ~13.46M. Finish line closes Sunday at 2 PM.

Brazos Kids Kilometer

Loop · Trail

Elev gain: —
Elev loss: —
High point: —
Low point: —

Start and finish in the same area
Easier spectating and repeated aid access

Travel

Base town: Waco
Nearest airport: AUS · 40 min
Rental car: Recommended
Rideshare: Limited
Lodging: Good
Facilities: Good
Trip length: 2 nights
Travel complexity: 3.5/10

HOU is close (~45 min drive) and well-served by major carriers. A rental car is essential — no public transit reaches the park. Rideshare at 4–5am race morning is unreliable. Lodging in Sugar Land or Rosenberg fills up; book early.

Getting around

Parking — Nature Center Parking
Main parking area; 1/4–1/2 mile walk to Elm Lake start. Shuttles run to start. Overflow parking near main park entrance also uses shuttle.

IAH is also an option but adds ~75–90 min drive. Park camping exists but fills fast for race weekend. Main parking at Nature Center with shuttles to start.

Best for / avoid if

Best for

Road runners transitioning to trail ultras
Runners chasing a WSER qualifier
PR hunters on a flat, fast surface
Houston-area locals wanting a low-travel destination race
PR chasers
Western States qualifiers
first time ultrarunners
runners seeking a flat ultra

Avoid if

You want technical singletrack or significant elevation
Repetitive loops mentally break you down
You need crew-accessible trail variety
seeking technical trails
wanting major elevation change

First-timer mistakes

Treating the flat course as easy and going out too fast — the challenge is entirely mental and time-on-feet across identical loops. Also, aid stations have NO cups; you must carry your own hydration.

Where to stay, eat & explore

Local picks for the weekend.

Brazos Bend State Park Wildlife Viewing Activity
The park hosts American alligators, over 300 bird species, and the George Observatory — compelling non-runner activity.
George Observatory (Brazos Bend SP) Activity
Public stargazing on Saturday evenings inside the park — great pre-race night activity for crew or spectators.

Happening nearby

Brazos Bend 50 (Spring Edition) Nearby event
Sister TROT event held in April at the same venue — shorter distances (50M and below); good tune-up race.

Runner reports

No runner reports yet — ran it? Share the first.

Race history

2026
December 5, 2026
Unknown

Race-trip notes

Fly into HOU (Hobby) for the shortest drive (~45 min). A rental car is essentially required — no public transit reaches the park. Book Sugar Land or Rosenberg lodging early; the park itself has camping but fills fast for race weekend.

About this race

Produced by Trail Racing Over Texas (TROT), the Brazos Bend 100 is held on the first or second Saturday of December each year. All distances share the same loop over hard crushed rock, shaded hiking trail, and smooth horse trail — with less than 200 ft of total gain across the full 100M. The race is renowned as one of the fastest trail 100s in the world; the top 3 finished under 16 hours in 2024.

Last verified June 25, 2026. Race details can change — always confirm with the official race website.