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⏵ Course guide · New Mexico ultra

Cedro Peak Trail Run Course Guide

The Cedro Peak Trail Run is the original ultra in Albuquerque’s East Mountains, a runnable mountain 50K (with a 25K option) on pine singletrack and jeep dirt out in the Cibola National Forest. It is not a brutal climber, but it runs at real altitude and the 2026 route finally summits the Peak itself. I’ll walk you through the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan that fits the rolling climbs and the thin, dry air. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.

⏵ At a glance

Cedro Peak Trail Run quick facts

Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026 (typically a Saturday in April)
Location
Oak Flat, Cibola National Forest, East Mountains near Tijeras, NM (about 30 to 45 min east of Albuquerque)
Distances
50K (about 31.5 mi) and 25K (about 15.7 mi)
Elevation gain
50K: about 3,000 ft · 25K: about 1,467 ft
Start
50K: 7:00 AM · 25K: 8:00 AM
Cutoff
Course closes 5:00 PM (about 10 hr for the 50K, 9 hr for the 25K), with intermittent cutoffs on course
Qualifier
No Western States, Hardrock, or UTMB Running Stones qualifier status listed by the race

These facts come from the official race site and UltraSignup. The 2026 course is new this year, so check the current date, cutoffs, and aid stations in the race-day details before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.

The course: where Cedro Peak is won and lost

The 50K starts and finishes at Oak Flat and runs counter-clockwise through the East Mountains, about 31.5 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing on a mix of singletrack and jeep dirt. The 2026 layout pushes out to Four Corners, swings around the back side of Cedro Peak, summits it on a forest road, then drops back through Cedro Campground and rejoins the 25K loop to the finish. Nothing here is one giant wall, which is exactly why people misjudge it.

The rolling climbs: moderate, runnable, and easy to overcook

The thing about Cedro is that the climbing is spread out into a lot of rolling ups instead of one big sustained grind, and that lulls people into running it too hard. None of the climbs are scary on their own, so it feels easy early, and that is the trap. The smart move is to hike the steeper pitches efficiently and keep your effort even across the rollers, because all those little climbs add up over 31 miles, especially once you are working at altitude.

The 2026 route earns its name with the push around the back of the Peak and the forest-road climb to the summit, somewhere past the middle of the day. That is the high point of the course in every sense. Get there with something in the tank and the back half goes a lot better than if you burned your matches on the friendly early miles.

The footing: flowy until it isn’t

A lot of this course is genuinely runnable, smooth pine singletrack and graded dirt through ponderosa and pinon, with big open views out to the Sandias and the Manzanos. But it switches to rocky and technical in stretches without much warning, so you cannot just zone out and cruise. Quick feet and paying attention keep you upright and save your ankles, and they matter most late when you are tired and the rocks start jumping out at you.

If your training has been all smooth trail or treadmill, the technical patches will rattle you. Get some honest rocky-trail miles in your legs beforehand so the footing feels normal on race day instead of like a fight.

The descents and the run-in: keep the legs turning

The descents off the Peak and the rolling drops back toward Oak Flat are fast and fun if you saved something, but downhill on rocky dirt still chews up your quads, and the back half is where badly paced runners come undone. There is also a sting in the tail: the route gains elevation again on the way back to the finish, so the last stretch is not the free downhill cruise tired legs are hoping for.

Practice controlled, runnable descending before race day, and respect that closing climb. Being able to keep your legs moving when your quads are cooked and the air is thin is what separates a strong finish from a long, grinding death-march to the line.

Pacing strategy for a rolling, runnable ultra at altitude

With about 3,000 feet of gain spread across rolling climbs and a lot of runnable trail, Cedro is about managing effort and the altitude, not chasing a pace chart. Run the climbs by feel and let the flat, runnable miles come to you instead of forcing them.

Pace by grade and effort, not by the watch

Your flat-ground pace lies to you on rolling terrain at altitude. What matters is grade-adjusted effort, so hold a steady output you can sustain up the grades and hike the steep pitches without feeling like you are giving up time. The classic Cedro mistake is running the friendly early rollers too hard because nothing hurts yet, then fading on the climb back to the finish. Use a grade-adjusted pace to turn your real fitness into honest climbing and cruising targets, and account for the thin air taking a little off the top.

Build a vert-aware finish prediction

Do not guess your Cedro finish off a flat road 50K time. The 3,000 feet of rolling gain, the technical patches, and the altitude all add real minutes. A vert-aware finish prediction that accounts for this course’s climbing gives you a realistic window and lets you work backward into the 5pm course close and the intermittent cutoffs, so you actually know how much buffer you have at each aid station instead of guessing on the day.

⏵ Free tools to pace this course

Fueling strategy for the altitude and the duration

Most runners are out on the Cedro Peak 50K for somewhere around 5 to 9 hours, working at altitude in dry high-desert air. That makes carbohydrate, sodium, and fluid just as important as fitness.

Carbs: steady and trained

For a 5 to 9 hour effort, aim for around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and only push the higher end if your gut is trained for it. Altitude and the dry air can blunt your appetite and slow your stomach, so keep your intake steady and easy to get down rather than gambling on big late doses you will not want. Practice your exact race-day carb rate on long runs so 80-plus grams an hour feels routine, not like an experiment you are running for the first time at mile 22.

Sodium and fluid: plan for the dry air and the gaps

The high desert is deceptively dehydrating: you sweat hard and it evaporates fast, so you lose more than you think. Match your sodium to how salty and heavy a sweater you are, often somewhere in the 400 to 700 milligrams per liter of fluid range, and more if you cramp or crust up with salt. The aid stations are well stocked, but with 3 to 5 mile gaps you still want to carry enough fluid to cover the stretch instead of rationing to the next one and arriving empty. Weigh yourself before and after a long run to find your real sweat rate, then build the plan around your own number.

⏵ Build your fueling plan

Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and the Cedro Peak altitude with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.

⏵ Train for it with Summit Line

Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, this exact Cedro Peak course profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for the rolling climbs and the altitude, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.

Start free →Explore the demo

Cedro Peak Trail Run FAQ

How hard is the Cedro Peak Trail Run?

Cedro Peak is a moderate, runnable mountain ultra, not a brutal vert-fest, but the 50K still asks for honest training. The 50K covers about 31.5 miles with roughly 3,000 feet of climbing on a mix of pine singletrack and jeep dirt, and the 2026 route adds a climb up to Cedro Peak itself. The footing swings between flowy and rocky-technical, and you are running at real elevation in the East Mountains, so the thin air and the long runnable stretches both add up. The course closes at 5pm with intermittent cutoffs along the way, so steady pacing and decent fueling matter more than raw speed.

How much climbing is in the Cedro Peak 50K?

The 2026 50K has about 3,000 feet of total elevation gain over roughly 31.5 miles, per the official course description, and this is the year it actually summits Cedro Peak. The climbing is spread out and rolling rather than stacked into one big wall, with the back-side push to the Peak and the climb out toward the finish being the parts you feel most. The 25K is shorter at about 15.7 miles with roughly 1,467 feet of gain. Both routes mix climbs, descents, and genuinely runnable flatter sections.

How should I fuel for the Cedro Peak Trail Run?

Treat the 50K as a 5 to 9 hour effort at altitude in dry high-desert air. Most runners do well on roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, leaning higher if your gut is trained for it, plus sodium to match how hard you sweat in the dry conditions. The aid stations are well stocked and reasonably spaced, but the gaps still run 3 to 5 miles, so carry enough fluid and calories to cover them rather than rationing to the next one. Run your own numbers for your weight, goal time, and the forecast with the free ultra fueling calculator.

What are the cutoff times for the Cedro Peak Trail Run?

The whole course closes at 5pm, which works out to about 10 hours for the 50K (7am start) and about 9 hours for the 25K (8am start). On top of that overall limit there are intermittent cutoffs at aid stations along the way, which the race sets once the courses are finalized each year. In recent layouts those have landed around midday and mid-afternoon (for example a Cedro Campground checkpoint and the later Another Juan and Pine Flat stops), so you cannot save all your buffer for the end. Confirm the exact intermediate cutoffs in the current race-day details before you start.

What is the terrain and weather like at Cedro Peak?

The course runs on singletrack and dirt jeep trail through ponderosa pine and pinon forest, scrub oak, and open meadow, with views out to the Sandia and Manzano Mountains. Footing ranges from smooth flowy singletrack to rocky technical sections, and a lot of it is honestly runnable, which is part of the appeal. Mid-April in the East Mountains is usually mild but unpredictable: cool starts, comfortable daytime temps, strong high-desert sun, and real wind on the exposed stretches. It sits at altitude, so dress for a cold dawn that warms up fast and plan for the dry air.

Is the Cedro Peak Trail Run a good first 50K?

It is one of the friendlier 50K courses to pick as a first ultra, which is part of why it has such a loyal local following. The climbing is moderate and spread out, a lot of the course is runnable, and the roughly 10-hour course limit gives a prepared runner real room. That said, do not take it lightly: the altitude, the dry air, the rocky-technical patches, and the intermittent cutoffs all reward specific prep. Get time on your feet, practice on rocky trail, and rehearse a fueling and hydration plan, and it makes a great goal race for a first-timer.

This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year (the 2026 route is new), so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.