PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

The Barkley Fall Classic

Name: Barkley Fall Classic 2025 - Chasing the Croix at BFC
Uploaded: 2025-11-04
Description: This event was created to give a taste of what the Barkley Marathons are like.

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Frozen Head State Park
US

Michael Hodge · CC BY 2.0Gmrunner · CC BY-SA 4.0jacobresor · flickr (CC BY)

Race date Sep expected: September 2027
City · Distance: Frozen Head State Park · 50km
Entry fee: $215From the 2026 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon

2026Date Sep 19, 2026 · Entry ~ Sep 18, 2026 · Entry fee $215 · Start 07:00

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 9, 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 event was created to give a taste of what the Barkley Marathons are like.

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

BrittRan in 2020 · Finish time 12 hrs, 49 minutes, and 6 seconds

“I was glad I had my garden gloves on me!”

The runner lost time after taking a wrong turn at Barkley Fall Classic and climbed Rat Jaw twice. They accelerated in the dark just before the time limit, crossing the finish as the last finisher.

Read the original on Britt Miller Kelly Art

Ed SheltonRan in 2018 · Finish time 12:13:09

“I took one tumble and had a lot of near misses.”

The runner endured steep climbs and stomach trouble at Barkley Fall Classic. Staying focused through the later stages, they finished the course in over 12 hours.

Read the original on Fox-Runner

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.

Barkley Fall Classic 2025 - Chasing the Croix at BFC

Crushing Trails and Drinking Ales

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.

From the 2026 edition

Ultra

Entry cost $215

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Registration platform UltraSignup

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 50km I'll run

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

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00

Time limit13 hours 20 minutes

13 hours 20 minutes — 7 a.m. start, 8:20 p.m. course closure (tentative, per the 2027 schedule)

USD 215–225
$215 through November 30 ($232.47 with taxes and fees), then $225 ($243.12) · 80 percent refund if you cancel before June 1; no deferrals or transfers

not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

Frozen Head State Park, 964 Flat Fork Rd, near Wartburg, Tennessee

Start · Google Maps

Cut-off
There's a cutoff at the marathon/50K split (the decision point), though the time hasn't been officially announced. To continue in the 50K, you must have a working flashlight at this point.

The race starts at Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Tennessee.

The course follows the Brushy Mountain Trail through Frozen Head State Park,

with repeated steep climbs and descents and long runnable stretches, before returning to the finish at the penitentiary.

It isn't marked throughout—signs appear only at major junctions—so staying on the course without GPS comes down to your own route-finding.

The race is designed to give runners a taste of the rugged trails and format of the Barkley Marathons, and new twists are added to the course every year.

At the decision point where the marathon and 50K split,

you choose whether to keep going for the 50K or drop down a descent of less than a mile and take a marathon finish.

Once you continue, you can't switch back to the marathon: it's a 50K finish or a DNF.

More than half of starters don't finish the 50K.

The official course isn't revealed until the night before the race.

The men's and women's winners get guaranteed entry to the following spring's Barkley Marathons.

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.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Camping is available at Solomon Park, the Friday pickup location.
On race day, the parking lot opens at 05:00 and the race starts at 07:00, leaving only a one-hour window for same-day pickup.
9/18 (Fri) through 19:00 (start time to be announced later; dinner served from 16:00) · 9/19 (Sat) 05:30–06:30

Solomon Park (advance pickup and pre-race event) / Frozen Head State Park entrance, Wartburg, TN, on race day

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startNo public transit.
Getting to the finishSame trailhead area at Frozen Head State Park (964 Flat Fork Rd) — exact finish-line layout not detailed beyond the start · venue address.
IC cardNo dedicated transit card system; The Barkley Fall Classic is held in Frozen Head State Park, a remote area…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit. 964 Flat Fork Rd, near Wartburg, TN, coordinates approx. 36.1223, -84.5147. Gates open 5:00 AM, race starts 7:00 AM.

Official Ultrasignup race page states the venue address as 964 Flat Fork Rd, Frozen Head State Park, TN, with a Google Maps pin provided. Remote state park trailhead, no public transit — car access only.

Course itself is kept secret until the day before race day, a signature Barkley tradition. Packet pickup is Friday evening at Solomon Park in Wartburg, not at the venue itself (per official page).

Map

Getting to the finish

Same trailhead area at Frozen Head State Park (964 Flat Fork Rd) — exact finish-line layout not detailed beyond the start/venue address.

Official page does not give a separate finish address; per web search (Team RunRun race report, secondary source, not from official site) the finish area is where the local Cattleman's Association serves food near the trailhead.

Map

Start shuttle

No shuttle bus service mentioned in official race materials.

IC card

No dedicated transit card system; The Barkley Fall Classic is held in Frozen Head State Park, a remote area of rural Tennessee with no public transit anywhere nearby. This is strictly a car-access venue; cash/card is fine for any park or camping 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.

This race takes you along a sparsely marked mountain course without GPS. Check the prohibited items and what you need to carry for the decision point before race day.

Get your bib and wear the extra bib

On race day, the parking lot opens at 5 a.m., and you can pick up your bib at the start from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. (tentative, per the 2027 schedule).

The additional bib you receive at Packet Pickup must be attached so it is fully visible on your back.
To receive your finisher's souvenir, you must have your bib punch record checked at the finish awards table. If a punch is missing, you cannot receive it.

GPS devices, poles and drop bags are prohibited

GPS devices, trekking poles, drop bags and caching are prohibited. GU-style packaging is also not allowed, so put similar products in a flask.

Running with a pacer isn't allowed, and neither is bandit running.
Posting the course or the official map online gets you disqualified and banned from future races.
Crews can't hang around at any aid station or bring food or drinks there.

Navigating sections without course markings

Markers are placed only at major junctions. In the section beneath the power lines, do not enter the forest; follow the power lines.

Make way for faster runners.
Put trash in the aid station trash bags or carry it out in your pocket.

Bring a flashlight and always report if you drop out.

You need a working flashlight to go beyond the decision point.

If you drop out, tell a member of staff or a ranger, and you must also report to the finish timing tent. If you fail to report, you will be charged for the cost of the search.

Race ends at 8:20 p.m.

The race starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 8:20 p.m. (tentative, per the 2027 schedule).

Times are local to Frozen Head State Park. 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.

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

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

Knoxville Sweet Dessert Tour: Beignets, Biscuits & More

$74

View on GetYourGuide

Seeing Frozen Head State Park with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Tennessee River Sightseeing Cruise

$25

View on GetYourGuide

Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on map

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com 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

Frozen Head State Park runners' room

FAQ

When does The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 19, 2026.

How much is the The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $215.

What is the time limit for The Barkley Fall Classic 2027?

13 hours 20 minutes — 7 a.m. start, 8:20 p.m. course closure (tentative, per the 2027 schedule).

(From the 2026 edition)

What distances does The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:00. (From the 2026 edition)

What time should I arrive at the The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 start area?

Parking lot opens 5 a.m. · same-day Packet Pickup 5:30–6:30 a.m. · 7 a.m. start (tentative, per the 2027 schedule).

(From the 2026 edition)

Where does The Barkley Fall Classic 2027 start?

Frozen Head State Park, 964 Flat Fork Rd, near Wartburg, Tennessee.

(From the 2026 edition)

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The Barkley Fall Classic

About The Barkley Fall Classic — 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