Turquoise Trail Ultra
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Event details
The Turquoise Trail Ultra is a trail race in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, held on February 21, 2026. The start/finish area is at the Gutierrez Canyon Open Space parking lot, 12216 NM-14, Cedar Crest. The event offers the following distances:
- 13k - 1 lap, ~1,023 ft gain
- 26k - 2 laps, ~2,046 ft gain
- 52k - 4 laps, ~4,092 ft gain
Participants receive a custom hoodie for each distance. New for 2026, finishers will receive socks instead of a medal.
Course and logistics
The course is roughly a 13k loop with just over 1,000 feet of climbing per lap. It is 100% single track and includes smooth single track sections, rock gardens, and juniper trees. There are two aid stations: at the start/finish and an on-course station at about 4.6 miles. Aid station offerings include water and Skratch, chips, cookies, bananas, vegetable soup or broth, and assorted salty and sweet snacks; locally made burritos will be available at the finish.
The event is cup-less; runners should bring a personal cup or bottle. A reusable cup is available for purchase during packet pickup for $5 (cash or Venmo). Overflow parking is at Mountain Christian Church about 0.25 miles north; parking is not allowed at local businesses. The race proceeds in rain, snow, or sunshine. Course cutoff is 10 hours for all distances, with a 7.5-hour cutoff for lap 4 of the 52k. Packet pickup is scheduled the day before the race and on race morning, with final details provided by the organizer. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.