Leona Divide

About the Event

The Leona Divide, a legendary fixture in the Southern California trail running scene, is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Lake Hughes. Starting from The Lakes Community Center, the event features a wide array of distances including a 100-miler, 100k, 50-miler, 50k, and 30k. Both the 100-mile and 100k distances serve as official qualifiers for the Western States 100, requiring finishing times under 33 hours and 20 hours, respectively. The course is renowned for its scenic stretches along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), offering runners a mix of rolling fire roads and technical single-track with significant elevation changes characteristic of the Sierra Pelona Mountains.

Race Distance	Start Time	Qualifying Status
100 Mile	5:30 AM	Western States Qualifier
100k / 50 Mile	6:30 AM	100k only (WS Qualifier)
50k / 30k	7:00 AM	N/A

Lake Hughes is an unincorporated community in the northern Los Angeles County mountains, with a local population of approximately 650 residents. The broader demographic profile of the surrounding Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley region is approximately 45.2% White (Non-Hispanic), 38.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Black or African American, and 5.4% Asian. The median annual household income in the area is roughly $78,000. Geographically, the race is situated within the Angeles National Forest, featuring a Mediterranean climate and chaparral ecosystems. Mid-April weather in Lake Hughes typically sees average lows of 8°C (46°F) and highs of 22°C (72°F). High exposure on the ridges means runners should prepare for direct sun and potential wind gusts throughout the afternoon.

Registration for the 2026 Leona Divide is currently closed. For those looking to manage logistics, an optional bib pickup is held on Friday afternoon from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM at the community center. Visitors are encouraged to explore lodging in the nearby city of Palmdale, which partners with the race to provide travel and stay options for athletes and their families. The event, directed by Keira Henninger, has a history dating back to 1992, making it one of the oldest and most respected ultramarathons in the United States. Athletes are provided with comprehensive guides for each distance to ensure they are prepared for the specific technical requirements and aid station locations of their chosen course.

Races Offered

100 Miler

Apr 18, 2026

straighten

Distance — 160.9K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

05:30

sell

$400.00

100K

Apr 18, 2026

straighten

Distance — 100K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

06:30

sell

$285.00

50 Miler

Apr 18, 2026

straighten

Distance — 80.5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

06:30

sell

$200.00

30K

Apr 18, 2026

straighten

Distance — 30K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

07:00

sell

$145.00

50K

Apr 18, 2026

straighten

Distance — 50K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

07:00

sell

$165.00

Weather Overview

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for April in Lake Hughes.

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

thermostat 6.7° / 19.5°

wb_sunny 2.7° / 15.5°

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

air 13.8 /

water_drop 59.4%

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

thermostat 6.7° / 19.5°

wb_sunny 2.7° / 15.5°

air 13.8 km/h

water_drop 59.4%

About Lake Hughes

Learn more about the host city, Lake Hughes.

Lake Hughes is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, northwest of Palmdale and north of the Santa Clarita Valley, in the Angeles National Forest. It is on the sag pond waters of Lake Hughes and Elizabeth Lake. The community is rural in character, with a population of 544 at the 2020 census, but also has a strong recreational element centered on the three lakes in the vicinity. The community of Elizabeth Lake is located just east of Lake Hughes, sharing the same ZIP code.