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Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race race photo

Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USSeptember 202750km · 21.1km · 10km
Ron Shawley · CC BY 3.0
Race date Sep expected
September 2027
City · Distance
Claysburg · 50km · 21.1km · 10km
Entry fee
$50From the 2026 edition
2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Sep 12, 2026 · Entry fee $65 · Start 06:00
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 16, 2026
Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race race photo
Ron Shawley · CC BY 3.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

This is the 14th edition, held on September 12, 2026.

It is described as taking place at the highest point in Pennsylvania.

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.

Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 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: 1
Derek ClarkFinish time 3:12:44
“There was a moment of doubt as to whether I could actually get my legs to work well enough to get up that hill.”

In Rock 'N The Knob's 20-mile race, the runner rolled an ankle early and battled calf and thigh cramps on steep slopes late on. Grabbing small trees to climb, they held on to win in 3 hours 12 minutes 44 seconds.

Read the original on Derek Clark

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.

ROCK'N THE KNOB - PA's Highest Trail Race

David Walker (Iron Forged Runners)

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 Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race — 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

Half

Entry cost $50

Medium Distance Course atop Blue Knob (20K to 25K) · until Apr 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Ultra

Entry cost $65

Ultramarathon atop Blue Knob (50K) · until Dec 30, 2025 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

10K

Entry cost $47.50

The Short Course Spruce Knob (10K-ish) · until Apr 30, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

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

RACE WEEK

Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race course map and elevation

Your 50km

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

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 06:00
Time limit7 hours
Show more

10K: 7 hours (5PM cutoff); 50K: 10 hours

not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START · FINISH

1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA

Start · Google Maps

The Ultramarathon atop Blue Knob (50K) and The Short Course Spruce Knob (10K-ish) are held together.

Start line is at 1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA, and the start time is 6 a.m. local time.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 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

Pennsylvania's highest-elevation trail race, a course with repeated climbs to the summit of Blue Knob.
Bib is handed out on race morning at the pavilion beside the clubhouse.
Based on previous editions — from 07:00 on race day

Pavilion next to Blue Knob Clubhouse Restaurant & Conference Center

start/finish at 1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA 16625

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNone - no public transit serves this venue
  • Transit cardNo dedicated transit card system; Claysburg, PA is a rural Allegheny Mountains trail venue with no local…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

None - no public transit serves this venue

Start/finish at Blue Knob All-Season Resort, 1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA. Bib pickup at the pavilion beside the Blue Knob Clubhouse Restaurant.

Car access only. Remote mountain resort venue in rural Bedford County, PA (PA's highest trail race, 3,100+ ft elevation) with no public transportation; on-site lodging at Blue Knob Resort is offered as the practical alternative to driving in same-day.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same as start (loop course from the resort)

Same venue as start.

Map

Transit card

No dedicated transit card system; Claysburg, PA is a rural Allegheny Mountains trail venue with no local bus network. Standard car access applies for race day; cash/card accepted for any parking fees.

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 race is held at Blue Knob All-Season Resort in Claysburg and is described as the highest trail race in Pennsylvania,

passing points above 3,100 feet elevation.

Elevation gain and loss totals about 456m for the 10K, 1,040m for the half marathon,

and 2,270m for the 50K, so runners without mountain course experience should manage their pace carefully.

Race-day registration is not available;

sign-up closes at 11:59 PM on September 8.

The time limit is 7 hours for the 10K and 10 hours for the 50K.

Times are local to Claysburg. 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.

Top (Third) Floor Loft Condo. Full Resort Access.

Apartment · 2.6km

9.9/10(13)
View on Booking.com

Pittsburgh Penguins Ice Hockey Game at PPG Paints Arena

$79

View on Klook

Hotels near the Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race start line in Claysburg

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

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.

Top (Third) Floor Loft Condo. Full Resort Access.

Apartment · 2.6km

9.9/10(13)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

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.

Pittsburgh Penguins Ice Hockey Game at PPG Paints Arena

$79

View on Klook

Where runners eat in Claysburg

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

Seeing Claysburg 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 Claysburg.

Total cost and budget for Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race

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 Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Claysburg runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race

FAQ
When was Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2026 held?

It was held on Sat, September 12, 2026. The next race is September 2027.

When does Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 12, 2026.

How much is the Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $65.

What is the time limit for Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027?

10K: 7 hours (5PM cutoff); 50K: 10 hours. (From the 2026 edition)

What distances does Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 offer?

Half · 10K · Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 start?

The race starts at 06:00. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 start?

1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA. (From the 2026 edition)

What is the Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 course like?

The Ultramarathon atop Blue Knob (50K) and The Short Course Spruce Knob (10K-ish) are held together.

Start line is at 1424 Overland Pass, Claysburg, PA, and the start time is 6 a.m. local time.

Where can I book a hotel near the Rock 'N The Knob Trail Challenge – PA’s Highest Trail Race 2027 start?

You can compare live prices for hotels around the start in Claysburg in the STAY section of this page.

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