Ultra Marathon Races in California
Browse 141 ultra marathon trail running and hiking routes in California. Distance range: 26.3 mi to 540.2 mi. Elevation gain: 10 ft to 73,411 ft. Each route includes terrain analysis, elevation profiles, and pacing recommendations.
Key Takeaways
Total Routes
141
Races / Routes
10 / 131
Distance Range
26.3 mi - 540.2 mi
Elevation Range
10 ft - 73,411 ft
Surface Type
99% Trail
| Route Name | Location | Distance | Elevation Gain | Type | Race Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California International Marathon | Folsom, California | 26.3 mi | 115 ft | race | Dec 7, 2026 |
| Big Sur Marathon | Monterey County, California | 26.3 mi | 2,054 ft | race | Apr 26, 2026 |
| Lake Sonoma 50k | Sonoma County, California | 31.1 mi | 6,459 ft | race | Apr 11, 2026 |
| Western States 100 | Tahoe National Forest, California | 99.8 mi | 16,772 ft | race | Jun 27, 2026 |
| Way Too Cool 50K | Auburn State Recreation Area, California | 31.1 mi | 4,287 ft | race | — |
| Miwok 100K | Mount Tamalpais State Park, California | 61.0 mi | 10,019 ft | race | — |
| Canyons 100K | Foresthill, California | 61.2 mi | 11,792 ft | race | — |
| Kodiak Ultra | San Bernardino National Forest, California | 61.4 mi | 10,038 ft | race | — |
| Angeles Crest 100 | La Cañada Flintridge, California | 100.6 mi | 10,125 ft | race | — |
| Badwater 135 | Death Valley National Park, California | 134.9 mi | 15,768 ft | race | — |
| Triple Divide From Slab Lakes to Turner Lake Loop | Madera County, California | 26.4 mi | 5,935 ft | route | — |
| Tioga - Tenaya - Clouds Rest Picnic (Round Trip) | Tuolumne County, California | 26.4 mi | 3,504 ft | route | — |
| Half Dome - Glacier Point Loop (CA) | Mariposa County, California | 27.0 mi | 7,605 ft | route | — |
| McGee Creek to Coldwater Creek Campground | Fresno County, California | 27.4 mi | 6,599 ft | route | — |
| Devils Postpile - Mammoth TH (CA) | Madera County, California | 28.1 mi | 8,025 ft | route | — |
| MacClure High Route | Tuolumne County, California | 28.8 mi | 6,266 ft | route | — |
| White Mountains Range Traverse (CA, NV) | Mono County, California | 28.9 mi | 8,366 ft | route | — |
| San Bernardino 9 Peaks Traverse (CA) | San Bernardino County, California | 29.0 mi | 7,818 ft | route | — |
| Desolation 7 Summits (CA) | El Dorado County, California | 29.1 mi | 10,177 ft | route | — |
| Gabrielino | Los Angeles County, California | 29.6 mi | 4,664 ft | route | — |
| Telescope Peak (CA) | Inyo County, California | 29.7 mi | 11,727 ft | route | — |
| Maze Loop Trail | Joshua Tree, California | 29.8 mi | 4,983 ft | route | — |
| Los Angeles County: Schabarum-Skyline Trail (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 29.8 mi | 5,295 ft | route | — |
| Upper San Leandro Reservoir Loop | Alameda County, California | 30.1 mi | 5,724 ft | route | — |
| Ohlone Wilderness Trail (CA) | Alameda County, California | 30.1 mi | 8,363 ft | route | — |
| Mini Mineral King Loop (CA) | Tulare County, California | 30.2 mi | 9,211 ft | route | — |
| Carquinez Bridge to Bridge Loop (CA) | Contra Costa County, California | 30.2 mi | 3,141 ft | route | — |
| Mt Williamson (CA) | Inyo County, California | 30.3 mi | 10,822 ft | route | — |
| Bay Area Two Bridges (CA) | Marin County, California | 30.6 mi | 1,953 ft | route | — |
| Monterey Loop | Carmel, California | 30.8 mi | 7,763 ft | route | — |
| Glass Mountains Traverse (CA) | Mono County, California | 30.8 mi | 8,054 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail: Devil's Slide TH to Hwy 10 (CA) | Riverside County, California | 30.8 mi | 3,973 ft | route | — |
| Cove to Grove Traverse (CA) | Riverside County, California | 30.8 mi | 5,768 ft | route | — |
| Umunhum and El Sombroso (CA) | Santa Clara County, California | 31.1 mi | 5,741 ft | route | — |
| Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley (CA) | Mariposa County, California | 31.3 mi | 5,259 ft | route | — |
| Bolinas Ridge to Bridge (CA) | Marin County, California | 31.6 mi | 4,486 ft | route | — |
| Avenue of the Giants (CA) | Humboldt County, California | 31.6 mi | 1,029 ft | route | — |
| Cottonwood Marble Loop (Death Valley, CA) | Inyo County, California | 31.6 mi | 4,288 ft | route | — |
| East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail (CA) | Contra Costa County, California | 31.7 mi | 5,369 ft | route | — |
| Rae Lakes Loop | Kings Canyon National Park, California | 31.8 mi | 7,192 ft | route | — |
| Mt. Clark (CA) | Mariposa County, California | 31.9 mi | 9,256 ft | route | — |
| San Diego Pier to Pier (CA) | San Diego County, California | 31.9 mi | 1,250 ft | route | — |
| San Dieguito River Trail (CA) | San Diego County, California | 32.0 mi | 1,241 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section L | Tahoe National Forest, California | 32.4 mi | 4,949 ft | route | — |
| White Mountain Traverse from the Owens Valley | Mono County, California | 32.4 mi | 14,594 ft | route | — |
| Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail (American River Bike Trail) (CA) | Sacramento County, California | 32.5 mi | 752 ft | route | — |
| San Dimas to Glendora Ridge Road (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 33.1 mi | 6,880 ft | route | — |
| Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne (CA) | Tuolumne County, California | 33.4 mi | 6,136 ft | route | — |
| Big Sur Loop (CA) | Monterey County, California | 33.5 mi | 7,313 ft | route | — |
| South Bay Skyline Route (CA) | San Mateo County, California | 34.2 mi | 5,720 ft | route | — |
| Yosemite Rim Linkup | Mariposa County, California | 34.5 mi | 9,106 ft | route | — |
| Sonoma County 4 Peaks (CA) | Sonoma County, California | 35.0 mi | 6,778 ft | route | — |
| Mineral King Loop (CA) | Tulare County, California | 36.3 mi | 11,009 ft | route | — |
| Bay to Mt Umunhum (CA) | Santa Clara County, California | 36.4 mi | 4,855 ft | route | — |
| Point Reyes Loop (CA) | Marin County, California | 36.4 mi | 6,613 ft | route | — |
| Tuolomne Meadows - Reds Meadow (on the JMT) (CA) | Mono County, California | 36.5 mi | 5,242 ft | route | — |
| Skyline To The Sea Trail | Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California | 36.8 mi | 5,113 ft | route | — |
| Joshua Tree Traverse (CA) | Riverside County, California | 36.8 mi | 3,074 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Hwy 80 to 49 (CA) | Sierra County, California | 37.2 mi | 5,245 ft | route | — |
| Sacramento River Trail (CA) | Shasta County, California | 38.1 mi | 1,290 ft | route | — |
| Lassen Peak (CA) | Shasta County, California | 38.2 mi | 4,966 ft | route | — |
| Orange County Pier to Pier (CA) | Orange County, California | 38.3 mi | 1,566 ft | route | — |
| Trans-Catalina Trail (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 38.5 mi | 7,625 ft | route | — |
| San Francisco Border (CA) | San Francisco, California | 39.2 mi | 1,779 ft | route | — |
| Mt Baldy 10 Peaks Traverse | San Bernardino County, California | 39.6 mi | 12,047 ft | route | — |
| Emigrant Wilderness Traverse (CA) | Tuolumne County, California | 39.7 mi | 4,858 ft | route | — |
| I'll Be Dammed (CA) | Shasta County, California | 39.7 mi | 1,706 ft | route | — |
| High Sierra Trail | Sequoia National Park, California | 39.9 mi | 10,408 ft | route | — |
| Death Valley Descent: Dante's View to Badwater Basin (CA) | Inyo County, California | 40.3 mi | 305 ft | route | — |
| Death Valley - Rim 2 Rim - Duathlon (CA) | Inyo County, California | 40.3 mi | 5,433 ft | route | — |
| Bolinas or Bust (CA) | Marin County, California | 40.5 mi | 5,800 ft | route | — |
| Mono Lake Circumnavigation (CA) | Mono County, California | 41.4 mi | 1,000 ft | route | — |
| Folsom Lake Circumnavigation (road) (CA) | El Dorado County, California | 43.6 mi | 3,790 ft | route | — |
| Los Padres Traverse (CA) | Santa Barbara County, California | 44.2 mi | 5,627 ft | route | — |
| Castle Dome Triathlon from Mt. Shasta (Castle Crags St. Park, CA) | Siskiyou County, California | 44.4 mi | 5,559 ft | route | — |
| Agnemite Traverse | Madera County, California | 44.4 mi | 7,828 ft | route | — |
| Anza-Borrego Traverse (CA) | San Diego County, California | 45.1 mi | 3,791 ft | route | — |
| The Sisquoc Loop | Santa Barbara County, California | 45.1 mi | 5,678 ft | route | — |
| San Jacinto Peak (CA) | Riverside County, California | 45.2 mi | 15,912 ft | route | — |
| Camino Cielo Loop (CA) | Santa Barbara County, California | 46.4 mi | 12,707 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section K | Tahoe National Forest, California | 47.5 mi | 8,582 ft | route | — |
| Garner Valley Loop | Riverside County, California | 47.6 mi | 8,051 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section Q | Siskiyou County, California | 47.9 mi | 6,103 ft | route | — |
| Orange County Mountain Traverse (CA) | Orange County, California | 48.0 mi | 8,432 ft | route | — |
| Santa Rosa Traverse (CA) | Riverside County, California | 49.1 mi | 17,854 ft | route | — |
| Death Valley Rim-to-Rim (CA) | Inyo County, California | 49.4 mi | 18,839 ft | route | — |
| Skyline to the Sea Trail (CA) | Santa Cruz County, California | 49.5 mi | 6,947 ft | route | — |
| Bay to Ridge to Skyline to Sea (CA) | San Mateo County, California | 50.4 mi | 6,244 ft | route | — |
| Ojai Valley Loop (CA) | Ventura County, California | 50.4 mi | 8,383 ft | route | — |
| Thorn Point Sespe Loop (CA) | Ventura County, California | 50.5 mi | 8,844 ft | route | — |
| Marin High 5 (CA) | Marin County, California | 50.7 mi | 10,600 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section R | Siskiyou County, California | 51.0 mi | 11,350 ft | route | — |
| Evolution Loop (CA) | Fresno County, California | 52.8 mi | 8,990 ft | route | — |
| Yosemite - Red Peak Pass Loop | Mariposa County, California | 53.4 mi | 10,820 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Hwy 18 to Hwy 10 (CA) | San Bernardino County, California | 54.3 mi | 6,033 ft | route | — |
| Trans Sierra via Mt. Whitney | Tulare County, California | 55.0 mi | 10 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section J | Stanislaus National Forest, California | 55.2 mi | 11,467 ft | route | — |
| Lost Coast Trail (CA) | Mendocino County, California | 56.1 mi | 9,196 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section I | Yosemite National Park, California | 58.1 mi | 12,008 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section O | Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California | 59.1 mi | 10,087 ft | route | — |
| Mt. Shasta Infinity Loop (CA) | Siskiyou County, California | 60.4 mi | 23,304 ft | route | — |
| San Francisco Round (CA) | San Francisco, California | 61.9 mi | 9,611 ft | route | — |
| PCT CA Section K - Echo Lake to Hwy 80 | Placer County, California | 62.1 mi | 10,658 ft | route | — |
| Santa Ana River Trail (CA) | Riverside County, California | 63.7 mi | 1,062 ft | route | — |
| Folsom Lake Perimeter (trail) (CA) | El Dorado County, California | 64.1 mi | 5,337 ft | route | — |
| Yosemite Valley Circumnavigation (CA) | Mariposa County, California | 64.5 mi | 15,800 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section M | Plumas National Forest, California | 64.5 mi | 12,596 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section B | Riverside County, California | 64.7 mi | 15,065 ft | route | — |
| Tam to Diablo (CA) | Contra Costa County, California | 65.5 mi | 11,103 ft | route | — |
| Backbone Trail (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 66.7 mi | 11,506 ft | route | — |
| Silver Moccasin Trail (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 68.5 mi | — | route | — |
| Palo Alto to Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz County, California | 70.2 mi | 9,573 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section D | Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness, California | 71.4 mi | 16,893 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section A | Cleveland National Forest, California | 72.3 mi | 9,884 ft | route | — |
| PCT CA Section J - Sonora Pass to Echo Lake | Alpine County, California | 73.3 mi | 13,087 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Angeles National Forest (CA) | Los Angeles County, California | 77.1 mi | 12,087 ft | route | — |
| PCT - California Section P | Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California | 79.1 mi | 13,392 ft | route | — |
| Joshua Tree E/W Crossing (CA) | Riverside County, California | 79.4 mi | 10,179 ft | route | — |
| Santa Ynez Traverse | Santa Barbara County, California | 83.1 mi | 15,226 ft | route | — |
| Anza-Borrego S/N Crossing (CA) | San Diego County, California | 89.6 mi | 10,092 ft | route | — |
| Western States 200 (CA) | Placer County, California | 99.4 mi | 17,561 ft | route | — |
| Yosemite Picnic (CA) | Mariposa County, California | 100.5 mi | 14,027 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Hwy 18 to Hwy 2 Vincent Gap (CA) | San Bernardino County, California | 102.2 mi | 13,262 ft | route | — |
| Marin County 100 Miler | Marin County, California | 108.1 mi | 22,566 ft | route | — |
| Mojave Road (CA, NV) | San Bernardino County, California | 134.1 mi | — | route | — |
| Badwater to Whitney (CA) | Inyo County, California | 139.2 mi | 20,850 ft | route | — |
| Tahoe Rim Trail (CA) | El Dorado County, California | 139.4 mi | 28,943 ft | route | — |
| The California Desert Four | Inyo County, California | 154.4 mi | 2,888 ft | route | — |
| Death Valley N-S Crossing (CA) | Inyo County, California | 154.4 mi | 2,888 ft | route | — |
| San Diego Trans-County Trail (SDTCT) | San Diego County, California | 155.5 mi | 20,302 ft | route | — |
| California Sierra Triple Crown | El Dorado County, California | 166.5 mi | 27,513 ft | route | — |
| Tahoe Yosemite Trail (CA) | Alpine County, California | 170.8 mi | 33,868 ft | route | — |
| Pacific Crest Trail - Section A | San Diego County, California | 179.6 mi | 18,795 ft | route | — |
| Anza-Borrego Loop (CA) | San Diego County, California | 211.1 mi | 36,291 ft | route | — |
| So Cal Triple Crown (CA) | San Bernardino County, California | 216.0 mi | 37,272 ft | route | — |
| Cottonwood Pass - Mt Whitney - Happy Isles | Fresno County, California | 237.4 mi | 46,264 ft | route | — |
| Sierra High Route (CA) | Fresno County, California | 243.2 mi | 59,460 ft | route | — |
| Great California Loop | Siskiyou County, California | 267.3 mi | 47,314 ft | route | — |
| Sierra Nevada Granite Ascent Trifecta | Fresno County, California | 268.5 mi | 55,787 ft | route | — |
| Bigfoot Trail | Siskiyou County, California | 349.8 mi | 73,411 ft | route | — |
| American Discovery Trail, CA section (CA) | Sacramento County, California | 540.2 mi | — | route | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many trail races are in California?
There are 10 organized races and 131 self-supported routes available in California.
What is a Ultra Marathon race?
A Ultra Marathon race is approximately 26.2 to 100+ miles in distance.
What is the average elevation gain in California?
The average elevation gain is 10,912 feet, with routes ranging from 10 to 73,411 feet.
Can these ultra marathon routes in California be used for hiking?
Yes. 99% of these routes are on trail surfaces, making them suitable for both trail running and hiking. The terrain analysis and elevation profiles help hikers plan their adventures just as effectively as runners.
Are Ultra Marathon races beginner-friendly?
Ultra Marathon race difficulty varies widely. Use the elevation gain and terrain analysis to assess each route. Races with lower elevation gain relative to distance and higher runnable percentages tend to be more beginner-accessible.
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