HKY 100 Mile Ultra Trail Race

The HKY 100 Mile Ultra Trail Race is a 100-mile trail ultra in Hickory, North Carolina, built around repeated laps of a 4-mile route. Runners can enter solo or as relay teams of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 people, so the race is as much about pacing and handoffs as raw endurance. The format runs through the night, with cones, arrow signs, and reflective tape marking the course after dark. About 70% of the route is on double-track and single-track trail, with the rest on pavement. The loop uses old farm trails believed to be moonshine roads, single-track hiking trails, the Aviation Trail, Winkler Park, and a start-finish area at the Hickory Crawdads stadium. Across the full 100 miles, runners climb more than 15,500 feet, including many short steep pitches and two longer climbs of about .65 miles each, with roots, rocks, hills, and tight turns keeping the pace honest.