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⏵ Course guide · Pennsylvania flagship

Eastern States 100 Course Guide

The Eastern States 100 is Pennsylvania's flagship 100 miler, a loop through the Pine Creek Gorge and the surrounding PA Wilds near Waterville that has earned the nickname "Rocksylvania" for good reason. About 100 miles, 20,000-plus feet of climbing, 40,000-plus feet of total elevation change once you count every up and down, and a finish rate that averages around 49%. I will walk you through the course, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for rocky, remote, technical terrain, plus free tools to dial in your own numbers.

⏵ At a glance

Eastern States 100 quick facts

Date
Early August (2026: Aug 8 to 9)
Location
Waterville, PA, Pine Creek Gorge and the PA Wilds
Distance
100 miles (some sources list 103)
Elevation gain
20,000+ ft of climbing, with 40,000+ ft of total elevation change over the full course (two separate figures)
Time limit
36 hours (finish by 5:00 PM on day two)
Aid stations
Roughly 15 to 17 along the course (sources vary), most with their own cutoffs; exact splits change year to year
Terrain
98% singletrack trail, notably rocky ("Rocksylvania"), remote with limited crew access
Entry
Requires a prior 50K or longer finish; registration opens Oct 1 at 6 PM on RunSignUp, capped field with a waitlist

These facts come from the official race site and public trail coverage. Aid station count and individual cutoff splits vary by source and change year to year, so confirm the current details on the official race site before you commit.

The course: Rocksylvania, start to finish

Eastern States 100 runs about 100 miles (some sources list 103) through the Pine Creek Gorge and the PA Wilds near Waterville, almost entirely on singletrack, about 98% trail. There is no long flat stretch to recover on. The whole course is stacked climbs on rocky footing, run by the Eastern States Trail-Endurance Alliance, an all-volunteer organization founded in 2014 that also puts on the Ironstone 100K.

Two different numbers: gain versus total change

Get this straight before race day, because it matters for your pacing math. The race lists 20,000-plus feet of elevation GAIN, the total climbing over the 100 miles. Separately, it also cites 40,000-plus feet of total elevation CHANGE, meaning every climb and every descent added together. Those are two different measurements, not two ways of saying the same thing, and mixing them up will wreck your finish-time estimate either way you get it wrong.

What that means on the ground is a course with multiple individual climbs in the 900 to 1,200 foot range, one after another, none of them flat or smooth. The Gorge terrain does not give you a real break between them.

Rocksylvania: the terrain that defines the race

The nickname is not marketing. Long stretches of the trail are rock-strewn and technical, the kind of footing that slows your pace no matter how fit your engine is. Quick feet, patience, and a willingness to power hike the steep, loose sections matter as much as raw climbing fitness here.

And the course stays remote. Crew access is limited across most of the route, with AS14, known as "Barrens," among the most isolated points on the whole course. If you are counting on frequent crew stops to reset, this is not that kind of 100.

Aid stations, cutoffs, and the 36 hour clock

The overall limit is 36 hours, with the finish line closing at 5:00 PM on day two. Most of the 15 to 17 aid stations along the way (sources differ on the exact count) carry their own intermediate cutoffs, but the exact splits are not something we can verify here, and they shift year to year. Pull the current cutoff sheet from easternstates100.com before you build your race plan.

Here is the part people miss: with an average finish rate around 49%, and lower in hot years, this course eats plans that assume everything goes right. Build in real margin against every cutoff, not the bare minimum you think you need.

Getting in and what it takes to finish

Entry requires a prior qualifying finish (confirm the exact distance on the official site; a prior 50K or longer is the general standard). Registration opens October 1st at 6:00 PM on RunSignUp, the field is capped, and a waitlist forms once it fills.

A roughly 49% average finish rate, dropping into the 30s in hot years, means this is not a course to show up undertrained on. Rocky-terrain experience, tested feet, and a fueling plan you have actually rehearsed matter as much here as your fitness on paper.

Pacing strategy for a rocky, remote 100

With 20,000-plus feet of gain, 40,000-plus feet of total change, and rocky footing the whole way, Eastern States is about managing effort and foot placement, not chasing a flat-course pace chart.

Pace by effort and terrain, not by the watch

Your flat-ground pace tells you almost nothing about how fast you will move on rocky, technical singletrack. What matters is grade-adjusted effort combined with honest respect for the footing, so hold a steady output on the climbs and hike the steep, loose sections without ego. Use a grade-adjusted pace to turn your real fitness into targets for this terrain, and you will not blow up trying to hold a pace this trail was never going to give you.

Build a vert-aware finish prediction against the 36 hour clock

Do not guess your Eastern States finish off a road 100 or even a smoother mountain 100. The 20,000-plus feet of climbing, the 40,000-plus feet of total change, and the rocky terrain all add real time beyond what the numbers alone suggest. A vert-aware finish prediction that accounts for this course lets you work backward against the 36 hour limit and the individual aid station cutoffs, so you know your actual margin instead of hoping it is enough.

⏵ Free tools to pace this course

Fueling strategy for a long, remote day

A rocky 100 miler with long gaps between crew access is going to take most runners well over 24 hours. That makes carbohydrate, sodium, and fluid discipline as important as your training.

Carbs: steady, trained, and easy to keep down

For an effort that likely runs 24 to 36 hours, aim for around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and only push the higher end if your gut is trained for it. Technical, rocky terrain slows digestion just like heat does, so keep your intake steady and simple rather than gambling on big late-race doses. Practice your exact race-day carb rate on long, rough training runs so it feels normal well before mile 60.

Sodium and fluid: plan around the remote stretches

Sodium in the 300 to 700-plus milligram per liter range, scaled up if August weather runs hot, covers most runners here. Just as important, carry more fluid than you think you need. The course stays remote with real gaps between aid, AS14 among the most isolated points, so rationing to the next station is a bad bet if conditions or your pace shift.

⏵ Build your fueling plan

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

Train for the conditions

Eastern States asks for a lot at once: rocky-terrain durability, stacked climbing, a long remote day, and a real fueling and pacing plan. These guides go deep on the parts that decide your day.

⏵ Free calculators for this race

Run your Eastern States numbers with our free, no-signup tools, then let Summit Line tie them all together with your real fitness and this exact course.

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⏵ Train for Eastern States

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

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Eastern States 100 FAQ

How hard is the Eastern States 100?

Eastern States 100 is widely regarded as one of the toughest 100 milers in the East, and the numbers back it up. It covers about 100 miles (some sources list 103) through the Pine Creek Gorge and the PA Wilds, with 20,000-plus feet of climbing and 40,000-plus feet of total elevation change once you count every up and down, not just the net gain. The trail is 98% singletrack and notoriously rocky, earning the course the nickname "Rocksylvania," and it stays remote with limited crew access the whole way. The average finish rate runs around 49%, and it drops into the 30s in hot years. This is not a course where fitness alone gets you to the finish. Rocky-terrain experience and a real fueling and pacing plan matter just as much.

How much climbing is in the Eastern States 100?

The race lists two different numbers, and it is worth knowing both. The elevation GAIN figure is 20,000-plus feet, which is the total climbing over the 100 miles. Separately, the race also cites 40,000-plus feet of total elevation CHANGE, which counts every climb and every descent added together. Those are two different measurements of the same course, not a typo, so do not assume the bigger number is the vert. Multiple individual climbs in the 900 to 1,200 foot range are stacked through the Pine Creek Gorge terrain, and none of them are gentle on rocky footing.

How should I fuel for the Eastern States 100?

Plan for a long day, likely somewhere in the 24 to 36 hour range depending on your pace, on rough footing that slows everyone down and burns more energy than smooth trail. Most runners do well around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and sodium in the 300 to 700-plus milligram per liter range depending on the August heat. Because the course is remote with real gaps between aid, carry more than you think you need rather than banking on the next station being close. Build your numbers for your weight, pace, and the forecast with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day, then rehearse it on a long, technical training run.

What are the Eastern States 100 cutoffs?

The overall time limit is 36 hours, with the finish line closing at 5:00 PM on day two. Most of the 15 to 17 aid stations along the course carry their own intermediate cutoffs, but the exact splits are not something we can verify here and they can shift year to year, so pull the current cutoff sheet from the official race site before you build your pacing plan. Given the rocky terrain and the roughly 49% average finish rate, treat every cutoff with real margin, not the bare minimum.

What makes the Eastern States 100 terrain so tough?

The course is about 98% singletrack trail through the Pine Creek Gorge and the surrounding PA Wilds, and it has earned the nickname "Rocksylvania" for a reason. Expect a steady diet of rock-strewn trail that never lets your feet fully relax, stacked climbs in the 900 to 1,200 foot range, and long, remote stretches where crew access is limited, AS14 ("Barrens") among the most isolated points on the course. The terrain is a bigger factor in your finishing time here than the raw elevation numbers suggest, because rocky footing slows everyone down, even strong climbers.

What is the finish rate for the Eastern States 100, and how do I get in?

The average finish rate is around 49%, and it drops into the 30s in hot years, which tells you this is a serious, attritional course even for prepared 100 mile runners. Entry requires a prior finish at 50K or longer (confirm the exact qualifying distance on the official site), and registration opens October 1st at 6:00 PM on RunSignUp with a capped field and a waitlist once it fills. The Eastern States Trail-Endurance Alliance, an all-volunteer organization that also puts on the Ironstone 100K, has run the race since it was founded in 2014.

This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, aid stations, and entry rules come from public sources and can change year to year, 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.