pacertrip.Races
PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE
HURL Elkhorn race photo

HURL Elkhorn

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

HURL Elkhorn race photo
HURL Elkhorn race photo
Helena
US
University of Essex · flickr (CC BY)Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domainLarry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
Race date Aug expected
August 2027
City · Distance
Helena · 50M
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
2027Date August 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Aug 1, 2026 · Start 05:00
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 10, 2026
HURL Elkhorn race photo
University of Essex · flickr (CC BY)
HURL Elkhorn race photo
Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain
HURL Elkhorn race photo
Larry D. Moore · CC BY 4.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About HURL Elkhorn — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

A demanding race through the Montana backcountry.

The course consists of 37 miles of technical singletrack, 13 miles of rough jeep roads, and 1 mile of maintained forest road.

Total elevation gain is approximately 13,400 feet, and the highest point is just under 9,000 feet above sea level.

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.

HURL Elkhorn runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 2
Norb LyleRan in 2011 · Finish time 7:05
“I was glad I finished somewhat strong, and felt an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.”

At HURL Elkhorn 50 km, severe cramps in both legs around mile 14 made the steep climbs a battle on foot. Family cheers near the finish helped the runner finish in 7 hours 5 minutes and place 4th in the 50–59 age group.

Read the original on RunRace
Brian Story
“I had a great run at the HURL 50 mile race.”

In the HURL Elkhorn 50-mile race, a slow start kept the runner strong late on. A wrong turn near mile 40 cost roughly 15 minutes, but they still finished fourth.

Read the original on MT Adventures

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.

Full recap

yngbadger · Full recap

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 HURL Elkhorn — 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.

From the 2026 edition

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

HURL Elkhorn course map and elevation

Your 50M

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

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 5:00
EventStart
Ultra07:00
Half Marathon08:00 AM
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Willard Creek Trailhead, Forest Service Road 4014

FINISH

Willard Creek Trailhead

Show more

Runners start · local time — 50M 5:00 AM · 50K 7:00 AM · 13.1M 8:00 AM

The HURL Elkhorn Endurance Runs are Montana's oldest trail ultramarathon.

First held in 1989 by the Helena Ultra Runners League (HURL),

the race takes place every year on the first Saturday in August in the Elkhorn Mountains near Helena.

The event offers 50-mile, 50K, and 13.1-mile distances, with most of course consisting of technical singletrack,

primitive doubletrack jeep roads, and unmaintained National Forest roads, with virtually no paved surfaces.

The 50-mile course combines approximately 37 miles of technical singletrack, 13 miles of jeep roads,

and 1 mile of maintained forest road, with approximately 13,000-13,400 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Its high point is close to 9,000 feet.

The 50K is shorter but still includes approximately 7,400 feet of elevation change, so it is far from an easy course.

The rugged, primitive setting means it lacks the polish of a large commercial race,

but its strengths include the raw mountain scenery of the Montana backcountry and the strong community atmosphere of a long-established local running event.

Organizer
Helena Ultra Runners League (HURL)
Aid stations
50K 5 (max gap 8mi) · 50M 8 (max gap 7mi) · 13.1M 2 (max gap 6mi)

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your HURL Elkhorn 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 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Fri 4-6:30PM, Montana City Volunteer Fire Department; briefings 4:30 & 5:30 PM
Fri 4-6:30PM, Montana City Volunteer Fire Department; briefings 4:30 & 5:30 PM

Willard Creek Trailhead

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit; the trailhead is reached only by car via gravel Forest Service roads, roughly 45-60…
  • Transit cardHelena's local Capital Transit bus system does not reach the Elkhorn Mountains trailhead, so no transit…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit; the trailhead is reached only by car via gravel Forest Service roads, roughly 45-60 minutes from downtown Helena

Map

Transit card

Helena's local Capital Transit bus system does not reach the Elkhorn Mountains trailhead, so no transit card is relevant here. Fly into Helena Regional Airport and rent a car, ideally one comfortable on gravel/forest roads, for the drive to the trailhead.

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 50-mile race starts at 5 a.m., the 50K at 7 a.m.,

and the 13.1-mile race at 8 a.m. Aid stations are placed at 8 locations for the 50-mile race, with a maximum spacing of 7 miles;

5 locations for the 50K, with a maximum spacing of 8 miles;

and 2 locations for the 13.1-mile race, with a maximum spacing of 6 miles.

Plan your personal fueling and hydration accordingly.

BIB pickup and the course briefing take place on Friday, the day before the race, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Montana City Volunteer Fire Department.

Briefings are held twice, at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The start is at Willard Creek Trailhead on Forest Service Road 4014.

Allow at least 45 minutes to drive from downtown Helena, and plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start.

Camping is available at the trailhead, but tow-behind trailers are not permitted.

Times are local to Helena. 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.

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

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

Helena Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Helena Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq
Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on mapEating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Helena with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Helena.

Total cost and budget for HURL Elkhorn

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about HURL Elkhorn

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Helena runners' room

Frequently asked questions about HURL Elkhorn

FAQ
When does HURL Elkhorn 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in August 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, August 1, 2026.

What distances does HURL Elkhorn 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does HURL Elkhorn 2027 start?

Willard Creek Trailhead, Forest Service Road 4014. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does HURL Elkhorn 2027 finish?

Willard Creek Trailhead. (From the 2026 edition)

PacerTrip connects you to races, stays, flights and tours. You book and pay on each service; when you go through these links we earn a commission.