Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 Mile Endurance Run

Friday October 17, 2025, 5:00-7:30 a.m. staggered start times.

Registration is open for 2025. Register here with ultrasignup.com

 Download the Runner Handbook

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2024 Split Times

 

Here’s your chance to run in the wild west on the historic Pony Express Trail in western Utah. This is a 100 mile and 50-mile run. The course is VERY remote, and a support crew is required to provide support along the way. The course is 100% dirt road and only has about 3,000 feet elevation gain/loss.

This race is ideal for first-time 50 and 100-milers and the “elderly” runner. Each year half of the finishers are usually first-time finishers of that distance. This is a very fast course.

Course

The course for both races will start at Lookout Campground west of Faust, UT. The 100-mile race will go out 58.2 miles to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge and then head back, finishing at Simpson Springs (16 miles west of the start).

The 50-mile course heads the same direction but finishes at Blackrock Pony Express station site.

The course is remote, but the roads are good if you don’t drive too fast. Crews are required! You must have a crew or share a crew with another runner. Your crew drives along and “leapfrogs” you, stopping every few miles for you to catch up and provides all your food and drink. The course is easy to follow and always stays on the main Pony Express dirt road. In general, it is: “head west.” There are signs that point the way for the Pony Express Trail at major intersections. Pacers are allowed to join in and run with you at any point. Bicycles may ride along.

For the 50-mile race. A crew is still required. The 50-mile race also starts Friday morning.

For more information see: detailed course description. Take a visual tour of the course.

Register

Registration is open for 2025. Register with ultrasignup.com

Start Time

To reduce the congestion of crew cars, we will have a staggered start. The start times are assigned by the race director and posted on the entrants list. You are not able to choose your start time, they are assigned. Slower runners earlier and faster runners later. The start times are 30 minutes apart, starting at 5:00 a.m. with the last group at 6:30 a.m. One benefit of an earlier start is a greater likelihood of seeing wildlife in the early morning and watching a spectacular sunrise from the desert floor. There will be a 30-hour cutoff for 100-mile finishers. For those 60 years and older, the cutoff is 32 hours, but they must start at 4:00 a.m.

Runner and Crew Handbook

Download here Everything you need to know.

Pacers

Pacers are allowed at any point. Share the experience with your friends and family. Bikes are allowed to pace too.

Caution

This year the race will start on the day before the Utah deer hunt. This means we will share the dirt road with speeding trucks heading west hauling ATV trailers for the first 35 miles. They don’t slow down for runners. There are usually less than 20 that go by, but you must use caution. Some reflective gear is required. Reflective tape for your back is available at check-in. Be careful using headphones for the first 16 miles. Crews stop on the right side of the road. Runners try to keep to the left.

Crews

What really makes this race different from others, is the ability to involve crews. Your family and friends can watch you and help you for the entire race. They are welcome to drive along and give aid along the way.

Crews, please make sure you have a good jack, wrench, and spare tire. There are no gas stations directly along the course, so start with a full take before you leave civilization. There are gas stations at these points. Eagle Mountain (35 miles before the start), Tooele/Stockton (30 miles before the start). You can drive the course with a regular car, taking care in a few spots with potholes. Using a high clearance vehicle will be easier to get around. Be mindful of kicking up dust with your vehicle around the runners. Be especially cautious and watchful for runners on the steep, narrow climb to Dugway Pass. Do not crew your runner on the steep road up to the pass. Water: Bring plenty for you and your runner. Water is only available at mile 16.4 (Simpson Springs).

Sharing crews with another runner is possible, however we have strict safety rules. Runners sharing crews must stay together or within four miles of each other. If that distance is exceeded, or if the crew driver is driving back and forth on the road to provide support to the separated runners, the runner in front will be disqualified from the race. Also, any runner who switches crews “on the fly” during the race without approval of the race staff will be disqualified from the race.

Cell Coverage

Cell coverage is spotty.  There are good signals at the start for some reason.  Some signals near Simpson Springs and Fish Springs. The Checkpoints have ham radios and internet connections.

Timing Checkpoints

You must check in with the timer at: Simpson Springs, Dugway Topaz Well, Blackrock, and Fish Springs. There are cut-offs for the checkpoints but they are very generous.  50-milers must finish by 12:30 a.m. regardless of start time (that is 19.5 hours for a 5:00 a.m. start).  100-milers must reach Fish Springs turnaround by 10:00 p.m. and return to Blackrock by 12:30 p.m. regardless of your start time.  100-mile runners must return to Dugway Topaz Well by 6:00 a.m. The cutoff for an official 100-mile finish is 30 hours from your start time, 32 hours for those 60 years and older AND who take the special early start.

Aid Stations

The race is crew-supported so there are no aid stations along the way, but we do have a big barbeque for runners and crews at Blackrock (50-mile finish).
There are bathrooms (no running water) at Simpson Springs and Fish Springs. We will have porta-potties at the start and at Blackrock.  All crews should consider getting a Luggable Loo (bucket toilet).

Awards

Finisher awards include belt buckles for 100-mile finishers and medallions for the 50-mile finishers.

100-mile entrants are not eligible to receive medallions if they go 50-miles, nor will they be listed as 50-mile finishers. They need to complete the entire 100-mile course to receive their finish time or prize.

Why the Friday Start?

This race is scheduled on a day when the kids in Utah don’t have school. This makes it much more practical for families to participate in the crewing experience which is a major feature of this race. Wasatch 100 and Bear 100 also have Friday starts, making it easier in Utah to attract volunteers and runners who make Sundays a day of rest.

Lodging

The closest lodging to the start is either in Tooele or Lehi, Utah, 50-60 miles from the start. For those coming from the South, Delta or Nephi would be an option. There is no lodging open at Dugway, that is a Army base. Camping in encouraged at the start area.  Usually about half of the runners with their crews camp out and we have a good time around campfires on Thursday evening. No fee or reservation needed.  We will have porto-potties there.  This is BLM land. Check the weather. If recent rain, some areas of the campground can be muddy/boggy. We will direct you to good spots.

Weather

Weather is typically ideal for running. Highs in the 60s, lows in the 30s. We have yet to have any rain or snow during this event. Every year we have had clear skies at night. However, each year there was bad weather within a few days of the race.

Questions

Contact the race director, Davy Crockett at ultracrockett@gmail.com The Pony Express Trail 50 and 100 is owned and operated by Utah Ultras LLC.