Black Canyon Ultras

Black Canyon Ultras guides runners point-to-point through the Sonoran Desert on the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail in Arizona. The race weekend includes a 100K from Mayer High School in Spring Valley to Emery Henderson Trailhead in New River, and a 50K finishing at Deep Canyon Ranch in Black Canyon City. The 100K runs in waves on Saturday, and the 50K runs in waves on Sunday. The course features desert singletrack built for speed, but runners must still navigate exposed Arizona terrain over a long day. The 100K is significant beyond its own finish line as a Western States 100 qualifier: runners must finish under 17 hours for lottery eligibility, and the top three women and top three men earn automatic Western States entries. Black Canyon is also part of the World Trail Majors, and with 1,200 spots in each distance, it attracts international contenders and ultrarunners seeking a desert race with significant stakes.