Course map, elevation profile & surface
Fly the course
Follow the route over 3D terrain, mile by mile.
Race-day light
For a 13:35 finish (85% of the cutoff) · starting 5:30 AM May 1 · dark at the start until mi 2.1. Dark means the sun below civil twilight.
Climbs
7 climbs · 5,915 ft totalbiggest firstElevation gain, measured two ways
| Source | Gain | vs lidar |
|---|---|---|
| Course file (GPX) | 6,351ft | -10% |
| USGS lidar, 1 m | 7,086ft | reference |
They differ because a GPS file picks up noise on every wiggle and often takes its heights from a coarse terrain model, while lidar maps the ground itself to about a metre. We sampled this route every 98 ft against USGS 3DEP and counted each rise of 10 ft or more, on Oct 23, 2026. The planner still uses the course file.
Cutoffs can you make it? pick a goal
What would your day look like? Pick a goal finish.
| Checkpoint | mi | Cutoff | Your ETA | Clock | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Creek (crew)mi 15.6 | 15.6 | — | — | — | |
| Little Laurelmi 21.3 | 21.3 | — | — | — | |
| Skulls Gap (cutoff only, no aid, crew)mi 25.7 | 25.7 | — | — | — | |
| Little Laurel (2nd pass)mi 30.4 | 30.4 | — | — | — | |
| Fox Creek (2nd pass, crew, drop bag)mi 35.6 | 35.6 | — | — | — | |
| Seed Orchardmi 42.3 | 42.3 | — | — | — | |
| Camp Storemi 48.5 | 48.5 | — | — | — | |
| Finishmi 50.0 | 50.0 | — | — | — |
ETAs use the Run Planner’s effort model: climbs slow you, descents give a little back. Margins under 30 minutes are red, under 90 amber. Confirm cutoffs with the race.
Aid stations as published on the course file
| Aid station | Mile | km |
|---|---|---|
| A Fox Creek (crew) | 15.6 | 25.1 |
| A Little Laurel | 21.3 | 34.2 |
| A Skulls Gap (cutoff only, no aid, crew) | 25.7 | 41.4 |
| A Little Laurel (2nd pass) | 30.4 | 48.9 |
| A Fox Creek (2nd pass, crew, drop bag) | 35.6 | 57.4 |
| A Seed Orchard | 42.3 | 68.0 |
| A Camp Store | 48.5 | 78.1 |
Badge colours match the markers on the map above — always confirm locations and cutoffs with the race organizer.
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Conditions typical race-day weather for May 1 at the start
Typical = the median of 2016–2025 for May 1 ±3 days at the start line; a wet day has 1 mm of rain or more. Historical weather from Open-Meteo.
Race almanac the sky on race day
Next race day Sat, May 1, 2027 · 5:30 AM start
First and last light are civil twilight, the sun 6° below the horizon. The moon is lit as at midnight after the start; headlamp hours count a typical finish from the start while the sun is below civil twilight. Worked out for the start line.
Reviews what runners who have been there say
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About this course
Grayson Highlands 50 Mile covers 50.0 mi (80.5 km) with 6,351 ft of elevation gain through Virginia, United States. That is about 127 ft per mile of climbing, and 6,317 ft of descent. The course tops out at 5,404 ft and bottoms out at 3,074 ft. The surface is 73% trail, 23% gravel and 3% paved. There are 7 aid stations on course; the longest stretch between aid is 15.6 mi. The profile has 7 sustained climbs; the biggest is the climb to Little Laurel (2nd pass), +1,473 ft over 5.5 mi at 5.0% on average (steepest stretch 11%). Race day is May 1, 2027, starting at 5:30 AM; the sun rises at 6:33 AM and sets at 8:14 PM. The finish cutoff is 16 hours. Typical race-day weather at the start: a high of 63°F and a low of 45°F, with a 47% chance of a wet day. The interactive map above shows the full route with its elevation profile and aid stations, built from the course's GPS file.
Load the course in the TrailGoat Run Planner for grade-adjusted pacing, climb-by-climb splits, hourly weather and a full hydration & fueling plan — free, no account needed.
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Course history
- Jul 22, 2026Added to the catalog
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