⏵ Course guide · Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky
The Great American Trail Race sends 50 Mile, 60K, Marathon, and 23K runners around the roughly 11.3 mile Canal Loop at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, packed-dirt singletrack with lake views on both sides. I will walk you through the loop structure and cutoffs first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for repeated Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake miles, plus free tools to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official RunSignup race page. Check the current year details and cutoffs before you commit; race logistics can change year to year.
Every distance starts together at Lighthouse Landing, runs about 1.7 miles of road along the Kentucky Lake shoreline to the Canal Loop trailhead, then completes the roughly 11.3 mile loop the required number of times.
The Canal Loop delivers views of both Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with rolling hills on the Barkley side and larger hills on the Kentucky Lake side. Knowing which side of the loop is coming up helps you manage effort within each lap, not just across the race as a whole.
After completing all four Canal Loops, 50 mile runners turn left onto Kentucky Lake Scenic Drive for a 0.62 mile out-and-back to a turnaround point, staffed by a course volunteer, before heading back to Grand Rivers for the finish. This only happens after loop four, not on any earlier loop.
The 12-hour overall limit is generous, but the final-loop cutoffs (2:15 PM for the 60K, 3:00 PM for the 50 mile) are the checkpoints that actually determine whether you get to keep going.
Because the race times you against when you START your last loop, not when you finish the previous one, track your progress against that specific cutoff rather than the overall 12-hour limit. A grade-adjusted pace target for the Canal Loop's rolling and larger hills gives you an honest per-loop number to plan around.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
The second Saturday in March gives you clear lake views before spring leaves fill in and typically mild temperatures with low insect activity, generally good conditions for steady fueling.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and keep sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range depending on conditions. Because every distance returns through the start-finish area after each loop, use each pass as a checkpoint to adjust your fueling for the loop ahead rather than sticking rigidly to a plan made before the race started.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight and your goal time 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 repeated Canal Loop course, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for two-sided lake terrain, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
The 50 Mile repeats the roughly 11.3 mile Canal Loop four times, mostly packed-dirt singletrack with rolling hills on the Lake Barkley side and larger hills on the Kentucky Lake side, plus a short paved lead-in from Lighthouse Landing. It is one of the largest trail runs in the country by field size, but the club-run, small-town hospitality keeps it approachable. The 12-hour overall time limit and final-loop cutoffs (3 PM for the 50 miler) mean you need real pacing discipline across four loops, not just enough fitness to cover 50 miles eventually.
Every distance starts together at Lighthouse Landing along the Kentucky Lake shoreline, runs about 1.7 miles of road to the Canal Loop trailhead, then completes the roughly 11.3 mile loop the required number of times: one for the 23K, two for the marathon, three for the 60K, and four for the 50 mile, which also adds a short 0.62 mile out-and-back after the fourth loop. All distances finish back at Grand Rivers.
Mid-March in western Kentucky is chosen partly because the course still has clear lake views before spring leaves fill in, and temperatures are usually mild with low insect pressure. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour for the longer distances, and keep sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range depending on conditions. Because every distance returns through the start-finish area after each loop, use those passes to check and adjust your fueling plan rather than committing to one plan for the whole day. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
All distances share a 12-hour overall time limit, with the finish line coming down at 6:30 PM. The 60K has an additional cutoff requiring you to start your final loop by 2:15 PM, and the 50 Mile requires starting its final loop by 3:00 PM. Miss either final-loop cutoff and you will be directed back to Grand Rivers to receive credit for the distance you actually finished, rather than being allowed to continue.
The loop format is friendly for a first ultra: you pass through the start-finish area after every lap, simplifying drop bags and crew, and the field is large enough (historically over 700 runners across all distances) that you will rarely be running alone. Rolling but not extreme terrain and a 12-hour time limit with generous final-loop cutoffs give a well-prepared first-time 50-mile or marathon runner real room to finish, and finishers earn a fantastic buckle (50 mile/60K) or medal (marathon/23K) plus a shot at a special LLTH/LBL double award if you also run Louisville Lovin' the Hills.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/land-between-the-lakes-trail-runs">The Land Between the Lakes Trail Runs course guide</a><iframe src="https://runsummitline.com/embed/race/land-between-the-lakes-trail-runs" style="width:100%;max-width:420px;height:180px;border:0;" loading="lazy" title="Land Between the Lakes Trail Runs course guide by Summit Line"></iframe>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and 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.