Bears Ears Ultra
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Event overview
Bears Ears Ultra is a trail race held June 20, 2026, in the Abajo Mountains near Monticello, Utah. Distances offered include:
- 50 mile
- 50K
- 30K
- 13K
The course runs through Bears Ears National Monument and adjacent public lands. The route passes over alpine terrain on Robertson Pasture Trail and offers long-range views of Canyonlands National Park, Monument Valley, Bears Ears Buttes, Dead Horse Point State Park, Six Shooter Peaks, the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area, and the La Sal and San Juan Mountains. The Bears Ears region includes ancestral lands of the Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Hopi Tribe, and Pueblo of Zuni.
Course and logistics
Recorded course statistics vary by distance. Example figures include:
- 50 mile: lowest 7,600 ft; highest 10,727 ft; elevation gain about 10,400 ft; elevation loss about 10,404 ft.
- 50K: lowest 8,211 ft; highest 10,525 ft; elevation gain/loss about 6,854 ft.
- 30K: lowest 8,209 ft; highest 10,524 ft; elevation gain/loss about 3,215 ft.
- 13K: lowest 8,219 ft; highest 9,331 ft; elevation gain about 1,339 ft.
The start/finish area is on Forest Rd. 5419 near Monticello (GPS 37.91956, -109.47558). Packet pickup is scheduled the day before at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Monticello; a photo ID is required to receive a packet. The event operates cupless aid stations; runners must bring a reusable cup or container to fill at water dispensers located at aid stations and the start/finish. Camping is not allowed at the start/finish or along the immediate access road. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.