Ridge to Rails Half & 10k

The Ridge to Rails 50k, Half & 10k will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, starting at Old Fort Gateway Trailhead in Old Fort, NC. Start times are 7:00 AM for the 50 km, 8:30 AM for the half marathon, and 9:15 AM for the 10 km. The 50 km is a single loop through Mill Creek Valley using trails including Star Gap, Bernard Mountain, and Kitsuma. The half marathon is a point‑to‑point net downhill race from the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains back down the Old Fort Gateway Trail system (2,600 ft loss over 13 miles). The 10 km is a figure‑8 loop through the Old Fort Gateway system on smooth, beginner‑friendly trails.

All participants must follow race rules: stay on marked trails (do not cut switchbacks), check in at all aid stations, use proper trail etiquette, be courteous to other trail users (bikes), no littering, obey race officials, and inform an official and turn in bib if dropping out. No pacers are allowed. Spectators are not allowed at the half marathon start; they may view runners along Jarrett Creek Road (requires a 1‑mile hike from finish/parking) and at the finish line only.

• Packet pickup: Friday at Hillman Brewery in Old Fort, NC from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, or race morning starting at 6:00 AM at the race start.
• Half marathon runners must ride the free shuttle to the start at 7:40 AM. There is no parking at the half marathon start line.
• Parking for all participants is at Camp Grier.
• Aid stations: 2 on the half course (miles 5.6 and 9.5), 1 on the 10 km course (mile 3), and 5 on the 50 km course (mileages to be announced).
• Registration must be completed by May 25 to guarantee a race t‑shirt. Refunds: 75% refund until March 1, 50% refund until April 15, no refunds after April 15. Transfers and deferments are not allowed for any reason.

The half marathon course starts at Point Lookout Trailhead, follows Bernard Mountain Road, then Bernard Mountain Trail (new downhill trail built by G5 Trail Collective), connects to Point Lookout Trail (paved), then Copper Ridge Trail, passes through Camp Grier property by the lake, and finishes on the Old Fort Gateway Trail system. The 50 km course uses Jarrett Creek Road, Star Gap Trail, Mill Creek Road, Bernard Mountain Road, Bernard Mountain Trail, Point Lookout Trail, Kitsuma Trail, Copper Ridge Trail, Rostan Trail, and Salt Gap Trail. The 50 km map is still under USFS review and will be released in early spring.

• Lodging options: AirBnBs nearby, hotels in Marion, NC and Black Mountain, NC.
• Contact: Tanawha Adventures via UltraSignup.
• Registration opens December 6.
• Results from 2023–2025 are available.

The Ridge to Rails event in Old Fort, NC on June 6, 2026, offers a 50 km single loop on classic and new trails, a net‑downhill point‑to‑point half marathon from the Blue Ridge crest (2,600 ft loss), and a beginner‑friendly 10 km figure‑8 loop, with shuttle required for half marathoners and no pacers allowed.