From China Wall, runners take Mitchell Mine Rd and drop into Eldorado Canyon then climb the Western States Trail to Deadwood and on past the Pump to the Swinging Bridge. From Devil’s Thumb the route goes left on Loop 6 for a second visit to the Deadwood aid station, then back on the Western States Trail towards Auburn: a fast descent to Eldorado Bridge, up to Michigan Bluff, through Volcano Canyon to Foresthill and along Cal Street beside the American River, up to Driver’s Flat, on to Mammoth Bar and the Confluence Trail to No Hands Bridge, then the final climb to Robie Point and across Ann Trason’s White Bridge to finish in historic downtown Auburn. The top three women and top three men earn a Golden Ticket to the Western States Endurance Run, and every finisher under 20 hours earns a Western States qualifier.
Four distances on the canyons of the American River and the Western States Trail, all of them finishing on High St in downtown Auburn. The 100 mile and the 100K start high up at China Wall and run the trail down to town; the 50K and the 25K start in Auburn and go out and back. It is the spring race on the Western States course: the 100 mile and 100K are Western States qualifiers, and the top three women and top three men in the 100K take a Golden Ticket straight into Western States. Auburn calls itself the Endurance Capital of the World and closes its main street for the finish.
The race began as The Canyons 50k, an inaugural trail race through the canyons section of the Western States Trail run out of Foresthill on 3 May 2014 by race directors Charles Sheya and Tim Madden. It grew into a four-distance weekend based in Auburn, joined the UTMB World Series, and now runs a 100 mile, a 100K, a 50K and a 25K over one weekend in late April. The 25K moved to Friday evening for 2026.
| Mile | Station | Cutoff | Crew access | Bag | Pacer | Med | To next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | China Wall - Start | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 11.20 |
| 11.20 | Deadwood - 1 | ? | · | ? | ? | ● | 2.30 |
| 13.50 | Swinging Bridge - Turnaround | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 2.30 |
| 15.80 | Deadwood - 2 | 11:30am | · | ? | ? | ● | 6.80 |
| 22.60 | Michigan Bluff | 12:45pm | ● | ? | ? | ● | 5.90 |
| 28.50 | Foresthill | 2:30pm | ● | ● | ? | ● | 8.20 |
| 36.70 | Cal 2 | ? | · | ? | ? | ● | 9.30 |
| 46.00 | Drivers Flat | 7:45pm | ● | ? | ? | ● | 7.90 |
| 53.90 | Mammoth Bar | 10:15pm | · | ? | ? | ● | 3.70 |
| 57.60 | Confluence | ? | · | ? | ? | ● | 4.00 |
| 61.60 | Downtown Auburn - Finish | 1:00am | ? | ? | ? | ● | ? |
Parking. Crew parking for Michigan Bluff is signed from the runner guide's map link.
Parking. Crew park at Foresthill Elementary School.
Parking. Crew park at the Drivers Flat trailhead.
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