Join us in Calistoga for the Calistoga Mountain Run—four races that embody the true spirit of mountain running. Whether you choose the 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, or 10k, you’ll experience what mountain running really means: running, walking, and scrambling through rugged terrain, applying the most efficient technique to each section …
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Join us in Calistoga for the Calistoga Mountain Run—four races that embody the true spirit of mountain running. Whether you choose the 50k, 35k, Half Marathon, or 10k, you’ll experience what mountain running really means: running, walking, and scrambling through rugged terrain, applying the most efficient technique to each section as you climb toward Mt. St. Helena. Each distance offers its own equally challenging and visually spectacular journey through natural mountain landscapes.
Formerly known as Napa Valley Endurance Run, this race is as close as you’ll come to a skyrunning experience in California. The 50k is often talked about as the hardest race around—and for good reason. The 35k delivers skyrunning intensity in a slightly shorter package. The Half Marathon is truly one of a kind: a mountain half that climbs relentlessly through some of the most stunning terrain in Northern California. And the 10k offers a perfect introduction to the demands and rewards of mountain running. This is an incredible challenge, a bucket-list mountain run, not a day trip to the spa. You’ll find the Calistoga Mountain Run to be fulfilling in its own right, the kind of course that sets you up for a great racing year. Broken Arrow, UTMB, and Western States runners all pass through Calistoga Mountain.
UTMB Index
As in past years, Calistoga Mountain Run is a UTMB Index Race for the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc. The 50k, 35k, and Half Marathon are all UTMB Index races.
Course and Aid
These are challenging mountain runs that take you up the Oat Hill Mine Trail, then along the Palisades Trail, the Table Rock Trail, and finally, the Mount St. Helena Trail—a journey through natural mountain landscapes where steady, rapid forward progress demands both fitness and mountain sense. The 50k features over 7,500 feet of elevation gain as shown in the elevation profile. Click on COURSE at the top of this page to see the data for all races.
This out-and-back course is all trail—single track and fire road—with one highway crossing. The terrain shifts constantly, requiring you to adapt your technique: running the runnable sections, power-hiking the steeps, and occasionally using your hands on technical terrain. 50k runners hit fully stocked aid stations 6 times during the run, with stations positioned along the trail and at the intersection with Hwy 29. 35k runners have 3 aid station stops. The Half Marathon follows the same route and turns at a point just beyond the aid station.
While aid is plentiful, limited access to the Palisades Trail means there is at least one 6-mile stretch between stations. Navigation and self-sufficiency are key skills here—we recommend all runners carry 40oz of water.
Cutoffs and Conversions
While there are no hard cutoffs for this race, 50k runners who do not reach the Highway 29 aid station by 11:45 AM will be converted to the 35k race. This ensures that everyone will be back to the start safely by 6:30 PM. 50k runners converted to the shorter distance will not be eligible for Age Group or overall awards.
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