Single loop course of Mammoth Lakes that starts/ends in the Village plaza designed for maximum beauty, experience, and challenge. With 7,000ft of vertical gain and an average elevation over 9,000ft, this is a true mountain running event that will leave you equally exhausted and inspired to return year after year. Whether you hike, jog, or shred, appreciate paradise as you meander through dense forest, around the Lakes Basin, and past umpteen alpine lakes, then summit Mammoth Mountain via the world famous Dragon's Back Trail.
Nearly 7,000 feet of vertical gain, an average elevation over 9,100ft, a low of 8,050ft and a high of 11,053ft at the summit of Mammoth Mountain. The surface is a mix of buttery singletrack, rocky technical trails, soft pumice, and bike path, and seven alpine lakes sit along the way. The race describes it as designed to showcase the beauty of Mammoth in a challenging but sensible course, with speed and flow prioritized over contrived difficulty or vertical gain. Aid stations are roughly 3 to 5 miles apart, except between Main Lodge and Canyon Lodge, which is 7 miles.
Mammoth Trail Fest is a three day trail running festival in Mammoth Lakes, high in California's Eastern Sierra. The races that start and finish in the Village Plaza are a Friday night 10K run under headlamps, a 32 mile 50K on Saturday, a kids 1K, and a 16 mile 26K on Sunday. The 50K and the 26K are each a single loop with no reused trail, and both climb to the 11,053 foot summit of Mammoth Mountain before dropping back into town. The same weekend also holds the Dragon's Back Ascent, a 3 mile hill climb that starts at Twin Lakes and finishes on the summit. Around the racing there is free live entertainment, storytelling and local food in the Village, open to family, friends and fans.
The first Mammoth Trail Fest was run in September 2022. It was built by Tim and Linds Tollefson and the community they live in, and the 50K has grown every year since: 234 finishers in 2022, then 417, 540 and 637 through 2025. The race describes itself as a multi-day experience designed to increase access to trail running through opportunity, education, and trail stewardship.
| Mile | Station | Cutoff | Crew access | Bag | Pacer | Med | To next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | Village | 7:50am | ● | ● | ? | ● | 5.10 |
| 5.10 | Twin Lakes | 9:50am | · | · | ? | ● | 3.50 |
| 8.60 | Duck Pass TH | 11:20am | · | · | ? | ● | 4.60 |
| 13.20 | Horseshoe Lake | 1:20pm | · | · | ? | ● | 4.50 |
| 17.70 |
Summit
11,053 ft
|
2:50pm | ● | ● | ? | ● | 3.80 |
| 21.50 | Main Lodge | 4:05pm | ● | · | ? | ● | 7.10 |
| 28.60 | Canyon Lodge | 6:35pm | ● | · | ? | ● | 3.10 |
| 31.70 | Village | 7:50pm | ● | ● | ? | ● | ? |
Parking. Eagle Lodge, at about mile 1.65 of the 50K and the 26K, has free parking.
Parking. Limited parking is available at Horseshoe Lake and recommended to carpool if you attempt to catch your runner there to cheer
Parking. Crew park at Main Lodge, which has free parking, and ride the gondola up.
Parking. Main Lodge has free parking, and it is where crew catch the gondola to Summit aid.
Parking. Canyon Lodge has ample free parking.
14 people have been out there with a camera or a microphone.
+ 6 more.
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Somebody watches it before it goes anywhere near this page. What we are after is footage of this course, on the ground. If it would be just as true of any other race, it is not this.
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