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Duncan Ridge Trail race photo

Duncan Ridge Trail

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USNov 21, 202650km
Race date in 45 days
Nov 21, 2026 Sat
City · Distance
Blairsville · 50km
Entry fee
$95Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenTBD ~ Sun, November 15, 2026See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 7, 2026
Duncan Ridge Trail race photo
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Duncan Ridge Trail — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

With over 10,000 feet of elevation gain, it's considered one of the toughest 50Ks in the American Southeast.

Events include 50K and 30K, both course courses.

Uses Duncan Ridge Trail, considered one of Georgia's toughest routes, and Coosa Backcountry Trail.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Duncan Ridge Trail runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2
Brandon SmithRan in 2013 · Finish time 6:49
“I made it back to the start line in 6hrs, 49minutes.”

In a cold, windy mountain course, the runner made their way through wet leaves, mud, and steep climbs, finishing their first 50K in 6 hours 49 minutes and placing sixth overall.

Read the original on Adventure Geek Productions
Mike Baker
“I can learn from my mistakes. I can get smarter about my choices.”

Mike Baker endured steep climbs, descents, and rocks hidden under wet leaves at the Duncan Ridge Trail 50km, but exceeded time limit and ended the race. Though unable to finish, lessons about preparation and gear renewed his determination to try again.

Read the original on Gulf Winds Track Club

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog

Neemor’s Acre · Finisher vlog

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Duncan Ridge Trail — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

Ultra

Entry cost $95

until Nov 15, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Trail

Entry cost $65

until Nov 15, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Duncan Ridge Trail course map and elevation

The 50km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30
Time limit5 hours
Show more

5 hours until turnaround point, 9 hours until final deadline

EventStartTime limit
Ultra07:309h
Other30km07:30—

50K $95 / 30K $65

START

Vogel State Park, Blairsville, Georgia

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

Vogel State Park

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

50K returns from turnaround point along the same road, and except for the road section of about 400m, it is all trail.

Duncan Ridge Trail 50K/30K starts near Lake Trahlyta in Vogel State Park in northern Georgia and proceeds on an out-and-back course course linking the Coosa Backcountry Trail and Duncan Ridge Trail.

The Duncan Ridge Trail section is considered one of Georgia's most challenging,

and the 50K event demands over 10,000 feet (approximately 3,050m) of cumulative elevation gain,

making it one of the most difficult 50K course in the American Southeast.

The 30K covers approximately half of the same trail with about 5,000 feet of elevation gain.

Typical race-season temperature: around 7°C (44°F)
Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start
Elevation gain
50K about 10,000 ft / 30K about 5,000 ft

Participant benefits

Aid stations

Where and when to collect your Duncan Ridge Trail race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Packet pickup information has not yet been announced.
For small trail races, race-morning on-site pickup is common; check the registration page announcement for details.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

None — remote North Georgia mountain state park, no train/bus/subway.

Start/finish is Vogel State Park at Lake Trahlyta, starting in front of cabin 20, near Blairsville, GA.

Course uses the Coosa Backcountry Trail and Duncan Ridge Trail, one of the toughest trails in the Southeast.

Deep North Georgia mountain state park venue;

no public transit exists, car access only.

Getting to the finish

Same as start (Vogel State Park, Lake Trahlyta area).

No public transit or shuttle information found for the park.

Stations & transport near the venue

Duncan Ridge Trail race takes place in the north Georgia mountains near Blairsville, a rural area with no public transit.

No dedicated transit card system exists;

a car is required for the mountain roads leading to the venue.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The start time is 7:30 a.m., and course remains open for a total of 10 hours, but the sectional time limit are enforced very strictly.

The 15.5-mile point (No. 4 aid station), the turnaround point of the out-and-back course, must be passed by 12:30 p.m., five hours after the start.

The 27.5-mile point (No. 7 aid station) must be passed by 4:30 p.m., nine hours after the start;

runners will not be allowed through after those cut-offs.

Aid station passes through four locations seven times in total, including three out-and-back locations that are visited twice.

If you notify a volunteer at No. 2 aid station, you may drop down from the 50K to the 30K and finish that distance.

Entry fee are $95 for the 50K and $65 for the 30K, and registration closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the Sunday before race week.

Times are local to Blairsville. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Duncan Ridge Trail start line in Blairsville

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

16 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Atlanta 5 Hour City Tour By Air Conditioned Bus

5-hour air-conditioned bus city tour · $74

View on GetYourGuide

Atlanta: Martin Luther King Historical Park Walking Tour

Martin Luther King Historical Park Walking Tour · $42

View on GetYourGuide

Atlanta: Black History & Civil Rights City Bus Tour

Black History & Civil Rights Bus Tour · $73

View on GetYourGuide

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta Admission Ticket

$28

View on Klook
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Blairsville with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Blairsville.

Total cost and budget for Duncan Ridge Trail

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Duncan Ridge Trail

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Blairsville runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Duncan Ridge Trail

FAQ
When does Duncan Ridge Trail 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sat, November 21, 2026 in Blairsville, GA, United States.

How much is the Duncan Ridge Trail 2026 entry fee?

The main event costs $95.

What is the time limit for Duncan Ridge Trail 2026?

5 hours until turnaround point, 9 hours until final deadline.

What distances does Duncan Ridge Trail 2026 offer?

Ultra.

What time does Duncan Ridge Trail 2026 start?

The race starts at 07:30.

Where does Duncan Ridge Trail 2026 start?

Vogel State Park, Blairsville, Georgia.

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