2026 edition
Entry options are not yet confirmed for this edition. Check the organiser before making plans.
Decision summary
36:00:00 total limit divided by distance. Check gun/chip timing and intermediate limits; allow time for stops.
Historical race-date favourability, not a forecast
Stored GPS route
Quick answers
raceindex.org has a GPS course file for Eastern States 100 Ultramarathon, so runners can inspect the route line on the map. Elevation charts and ascent figures appear only when that file includes usable elevation data.
The Eastern States 100 Ultramarathon is described as mountainous. The course listing puts the climb at 6,096 m.
The Eastern States 100 Ultramarathon route starts at Little Pine State Park, Pavilion #2 (between the parking lot and the lake), Waterville, Pennsylvania; gun start 5:00 AM Saturday, August 8, 2026 and finishes at Little Pine State Park, Pavilion #2 (same as the start); the course is a loop. Cutoff is 5:00 PM Sunday, August 9, 2026. Underfoot, expect singletrack trail, old logging roads and abandoned stone quarries; rocky and technical throughout. Approximately 48.8% uphill and 45.3% downhill. It passes West Rim Trail, Pine Creek (a Pennsylvania Scenic River), Tiadaghton State Forest, Mid State Trail and Black Forest Trail. Since 2014 the average finish rate over nine races is 49.8%, reflecting the course's difficulty.
Drop bags accepted Saturday morning only, staged at five designated aid stations: Lower Pine Bottom, Hyner Run, Tomb Flats, Blackwell, and Barrens. No duffel bags, suitcases, 5-gallon buckets or coolers. One pacer permitted per runner. Pacers may join at AS7 Hyner Run, AS10 Tomb Flats, and/or AS12 Blackwell, and assist to the finish. Pacers are for safety and encouragement, not to carry the runner's gear, and must complete an emergency-contact and waiver form online.