Grand Mesa, CO, United States · Saturday, July 25, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Grand Mesa 50 Mile Trail Race

Race completed
80 km Distance
1,200 m Climbing
5.8 Grit · Challenging
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39.1131° N, 108.0128° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 15 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.
Time limit 14 hours 10:30 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. About average for a 50 mi. Measured against 455 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →
Field size ~42 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (24h 50mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, July

Daytime high 31°C
Night low 14°C
Rainfall Mostly dry
Daylight 14 h 26 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for July — NASA POWER, grid elevation 2198 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert
👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 80 km of trail with 1,200 m of ascent.

  • Trail Running Shoes80 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
  • Race Nutrition80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
  • Hydration VestsFlask capacity for 80 km, without the bounce.
  • HeadlampsA 14 h limit puts you out there after dark.
  • GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Ultra Glide 4

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.6

Salomon

Aero Glide 4 Grvl

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.5

Skratch Labs

Sport Hydration Mix

Clean electrolyte drink mix with real fruit flavor. Low sugar.

$20 ★★★★★ 4.5

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nitecore

UT32

Dual-beam trail running headlamp (1100 lumens) with spot and flood beams.

$100 ★★★★★ 4.5

COROS

APEX 2 Pro

GPS running watch with 75-hour GPS battery, topo maps, and training metrics.

$500 ★★★★★ 4.7
All gear guides →

Course Notes

This race takes place on the Grand Mesa (near Grand Junction, CO), known as the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. The terrain varies from rocky ridges, smooth single track, grassy meadows and pine/aspen forests with views galore!

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.