Getting In · Coveted ultra
Black Canyon 100K
Fast, runnable, net downhill desert singletrack in February, when the rest of the country is frozen. Black Canyon has become the default way American ultrarunners get their Western States qualifier, and the front of the race is one of the most-watched days on the calendar.
- Distance
- 100K and 60K
- Profile
- Net downhill~5,800 ft down
- Date
- Mid-February
- Golden Tickets
- Top 3 M/F
- Terrain
- Black Canyon Trail, desert singletrack
- Purpose
- The classic WS qualifier
The course follows the Black Canyon Trail from Mayer down to New River through Sonoran desert, dropping roughly 5,800 feet net. It's genuinely runnable, which means a 100K here is considerably more achievable than a mountain 100K, which is exactly why it's the qualifier of choice for thousands of runners each year.
It also carries three Golden Tickets per gender for 2027, more than most of the series, which makes the elite race a spectacle. February in Arizona is usually pleasant and occasionally very hot, and the exposed sections punish anyone who treats a downhill course as a free lunch.
How to get in
- LotteryThe lottery
Entry has typically run through a lottery in the autumn for the following February. Demand is high precisely because of the qualifier status, but odds are far better than the races it qualifies you for.
- Open entryThe 60K
The shorter distance on the same weekend, and a good entry point to the course.
- Time qualifierGolden Ticket
For 2027, the top three men and top three women earn automatic Western States entry. Black Canyon 2027 runs February 13.
Questions runners actually ask
Why is Black Canyon so popular?
It is a runnable, net-downhill 100K in February that appears on the Western States qualifier list, which makes it the easiest way for most runners to bank a ticket early in the year.
How many Golden Tickets does it have?
For the 2027 Western States, Black Canyon carries three per gender, among the largest allocations in the series.
Go to the source
Entry rules, dates, standards, fees, and odds change every single year, and the interesting races change them the most. Use this guide to build the plan; use the official site to confirm the details before you book anything.
If this is your kind of thing
Need the races in between? The hard part of a bucket list year is everything else on the calendar: the qualifier, the tune-up, the long run with a bib on.