Cloudcroft Ultra 2026
Cloudcroft, NM
Registration open
- Entry price
- $20–$105
Weather
| Month | Avg high / low | Band |
|---|---|---|
| August | 69–87°F | Warm |
Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.
Route & course
4.75 Mile
Out-and-back · Trail · starts 8:30 AM- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
- Turnaround at the midpoint; the second half retraces the first
- Aid stations seen twice
Out-and-back on Rim Trail (T105). Accessible for trail-fit runners; altitude at 8,600 ft is the primary wildcard.
1-Mile Kid's Dash
Loop · Trail · starts 8:00 AM- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
- Start and finish in the same area
- Easier spectating and repeated aid access
Loop around Zenith Park; designed for ages 13 and under.
9.5 Mile
Out-and-back · Trail- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- 9,368 ft
- Low point
- 7,953 ft
- Turnaround at the midpoint; the second half retraces the first
- Aid stations seen twice
Out-and-back on Rim Trail (T105); two aid stations. Whatever you descend on the way out, you climb back on return. Altitude at 8,600 ft base is the primary challenge.
53K
Lollipop · Trail- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- 9,400 ft
- Low point
- 7,900 ft
- A shared stem leads into a loop
- Note the loop direction
Out-and-back with a lollipop loop near the summit on the Rim Trail (T105). Six aid stations; drop bags permitted at two. Crew access at Aid 1/6 (~mile 1, Sunspot Hwy) and Aid 3/4 (Alamo Peak Rd). Cut-offs: 11:00 am ~mile 13, 2:00 pm ~mile 20, 4:30 pm ~mile 26, 6:00 pm ~mile 30. Median finish ~8 hrs men / ~8:30 hrs women.
Travel
- Base town
- Cloudcroft, NM
- Nearest airport
- ELP · 90 min
- Rental car
- Recommended
- Rideshare
- Poor
- Lodging
- Limited
- Facilities
- Limited
- Trip length
- 2 nights
- Travel complexity
- 6/10
Small mountain village with limited lodging and no rideshare; a rental car from ELP is essentially required. The 90-min drive on mountain roads is straightforward but add elevation acclimation time.
Book lodging very early — Cloudcroft is a small tourist village and summer weekends fill fast. Parking at Zenith Park is limited; arrive well before your start window. No race shuttle mentioned for the Cloudcroft Ultra (unlike the Trails & Rails event in the series).
Best for / avoid if
Best for
- altitude-acclimated trail runners
- fans of historic singletrack
- runners seeking cool summer mountain racing
- family groups (Kid's Dash + multiple distances)
- trail runners
- mountain running
- high elevation training
- families
Avoid if
- altitude-sensitive runners who can't acclimate
- those expecting flat or fast road courses
- runners who need generous cut-off windows
- you struggle with altitude
- you require urban amenities
First-timer mistakes
Underestimating altitude at 8,600 ft base; arrive at least 1–2 days early to acclimate. Also, parking near Zenith Park is limited; arrive well before your start window.
Photos
Tap a photo to enlarge.
Community reports — 2026
No reports for this edition yet.
Reports for this edition aren't open yet.