pacertrip.

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Sheep Mountain Trail Runs

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Fairplay
US

CC BY-SA 3.0Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0420 Photography, CC0

Race date in 305 days: Aug 7, 2027 Sat
City · Distance: Fairplay · 53.1M · 33M
Entry fee: $120Varies by event and entry period
Status: SoonTue, December 1, 2026 ~ Tue, August 3, 2027See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 6, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

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

This high-altitude ultra in Fairplay, Colorado, averages more than 3,200 m (10,600 ft).

The 50-mile course gains around 3,000 m and follows a lollipop course around Sheep Mountain and Sheep Ridge.

It embodies the Human Potential Running Series philosophy that “easy has already been done,” making it a beautifully difficult race.

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.

Stories from those who ran it first.

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

Race reports: 2

David YarianRan in 2020 · Finish time 6h 19m

“It felt really good to operate as a team for one of these races.”

The runner and a companion ran together at the Sheep Mountain 50K, receiving help uphill and leading the pace on flatter sections. Breathlessness at altitude and a difficult final climb gave way to a joint 6th-place finish.

Read the original on Exploring the Rockies

Dave Munger

“I had gotten my first official finish at a trail ultra.”

The runner missed an early junction at the Sheep Mountain 50K and ran extra distance. Altitude and rocky trails caused mostly walking late on, but reaching the finish on foot still meant a first official trail-ultra finish.

Read the original on Mungerruns

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.

2026 Sheep Mountain Trail Runs Pre Race Meeting

Human Potential Running Series' HPTV

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 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.

50k

Entry cost $120

until Dec 8, 2025 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

50-Mile

Entry cost $150

until Dec 8, 2025 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Trail

Entry cost $70

until Dec 8, 2025 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 53.1M I'll run

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

Runners start · local timeFrom 06:00

Time limit16 hours

City center · not the start line

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

Runners start · local time — 06:00 50-mile · 50K · 08:00 half marathon

There are three events: 50 miles, 50K and half marathon.

The 50-mile and 50K races start at 6:00 a.m., while half marathon starts at 8:00 a.m. (based on the previous year).

The course follows a lollipop course linking forest roads and singletrack southeast of Fairplay.

It shares the first and final 18 miles, with a central 33-mile loop around Sheep Mountain, Sheep Ridge and Round Hill.

The course is generally runnable, with gradual climbs and descents, but includes rocky sections.

The average elevation above 3,200 m is the biggest challenge.

Field size: 300 participants
Typical race-season temperature: around 12°C (53°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

To the start line,
step by step.

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

Pick up your bib at the expo

Friday 17:00–19:00 · Race day 04:30–08:00 check-in
2027-08-06~2027-08-07

Town of Fairplay Events Flat

Platte Drive, Fairplay, CO

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

No public transit — car access only

Start/finish is Town of Fairplay Events Flat (Beach), Platte Drive, Fairplay, CO 80440, a small rural mountain town (pop.

~700, elev.

~10,000 ft).

No public transit serves Fairplay.

Note: the official race page currently shows 'Saturday, August 7, 2027' — the race follows a first/second-Saturday-of-August pattern;

reconfirm the exact date on the official page.

Getting to the finish

No public transit — car access only

Same venue as start, Town of Fairplay Events Flat.

More details

None mentioned; designated parking areas will be mapped closer to race day.

Stations & transport near the venue

No dedicated transit card system for this rural trail venue near Fairplay, Colorado;

this is a high-altitude, car-access race with parking at the trailhead, cash or card only needed for any local services.

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.

Fairplay is a mountain town about two hours by car from Denver, with no public transportation, so you will need to drive.

If you are coming from low altitude, arrive several days early to allow time to acclimatize.

Even in midsummer, be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms and rapid temperature changes with suitable wind protection.

Registration is handled through RunSignup.

Times are local to Fairplay. 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 that make race morning easy

6 places

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

A Riverside Inn Travelodge By Wyndham

Hotel · 1.1km

7.5/10(118)

View on Booking.com

The Western Inn Motel And Rv Park

Motel · 871m

7.8/10(201)

View on Booking.com

Creekside Home in Fairplay

Accommodation · 1.4km

9.8/10(4)

View on Booking.com

Abandoned Rail Cabin -19 miles to Breckenridge! Hot Tub!

Accommodation · 2.0km

View on Booking.com

Silverheels Mountain Lodge w hot tub

Accommodation · 2.1km

View on Booking.com

Lucky Bear's Lair

Accommodation · 4.2km

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

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

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Yesim Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

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

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Fairplay runners' room

FAQ

When does Sheep Mountain Trail Runs 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sat, August 7, 2027 in Fairplay, CO, United States.

How much is the Sheep Mountain Trail Runs 2027 entry fee?

The main event costs $120.

What is the time limit for Sheep Mountain Trail Runs 2027?

16 hours.

What distances does Sheep Mountain Trail Runs 2027 offer?

Ultra.

When does registration for Sheep Mountain Trail Runs 2027 open?

Registration runs from Tue, December 1, 2026 to Tue, August 3, 2027.

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.

Sheep Mountain Trail Runs

About Sheep Mountain Trail Runs — what makes it special

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

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run