Patapsco Valley 50K

The Patapsco Valley 50K is a fall trail race held in the Avalon Area of Patapsco Valley State Park, near Baltimore, Maryland. Participants can select either a 25K or 50K distance. The 50K race consists of two circuits of the 25K loop. The event has a runner limit of 225, positioning it as a small, park-based ultra rather than a large road race. The majority of the course is unpaved, featuring natural singletrack trails with a few brief paved bike-trail segments. The course winds through the Patapsco River valley on trails that present a challenge yet remain runnable. Expect small creek crossings and potential muddy sections. Runners will pass Cascade Falls, the Captain John Smith historical marker, the Orange Grove Flour Mill ruins, and the Avalon Nail and Iron Works ruins, offering a historical perspective of the Maryland park beyond a standard forest loop. The 25K option covers the same terrain once, while the 50K requires completing the hills, creek crossings, and trail footing twice.