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Laurel Highlands Ultra Course Guide

The Laurel Highlands Ultra is a 70.5 mile point-to-point run across the full length of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, from Ohiopyle to Seward, and 2026 marks its 47th consecutive running, making it one of the oldest ultras in the country. Ridge crest terrain, rock tunnels and mazes, and a brutal stretch of repeated climbs in the final 8 miles. I will walk you through the course, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for the late-race climbing, plus free tools to dial in your own numbers.

⏵ At a glance

Laurel Highlands Ultra quick facts

Date
2nd Saturday in June (2026: Jun 13)
Location
Ohiopyle to Seward, PA, the full length of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Distances
70.5 miles (marquee) and 50K, both point to point, with relay divisions
Elevation gain
70.5 mi: about 9,000 ft of gain, about 17,000 ft of total elevation change
Time limit
22 hours (70.5 mile distance)
History
2026 marks the 47th consecutive running, among the oldest ultras in the country; the 50K is in its 21st year
Entry
Field caps around 210 to 250 runners plus relay teams (15 team spots per distance); registration windows open Nov 30 at 9 AM ET

These facts come from the official race site. Aid station cutoffs, 50K elevation figures, and current entry pricing are not fully published, so confirm the current specifics on redpointproductions.com/laurel-ultra before you commit.

The course: a ridge crest run to the southern gut check

The 70.5 mile distance runs the entire Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail point to point, from Ohiopyle to Seward, staying mostly along the ridge crest with about 9,000 feet of climbing and roughly 17,000 feet of total elevation change. The 50K covers a shorter piece of the same trail. Both distances offer relay divisions with 15 team spots each if you want to split the distance with friends.

Ridge crest running: rocky, rooty, and mazed

Most of the course stays up on the ridge, and the footing is rocky and rooty for long stretches. Certain sections route you directly through rock tunnels and rock mazes, where you are picking a line through boulders rather than running a clean trail. It is the kind of terrain that rewards patience and quick feet over raw speed.

This is not a smooth, runnable point-to-point. Budget real time for the technical sections instead of pacing off a flat-trail number, and you will not be surprised by how long the miles take here.

The southern 8 miles: the crux, and it comes late

Here is the part that decides most races: the southern 8 miles carry repeated 500 to 1,200 foot climbs and descents back to back, and they are widely considered the toughest part of the entire course. The problem is timing. This stretch arrives late, when your legs are already worked from everything before it.

Save something for those final miles. Runners who spend too much early on the ridge or the technical sections often have nothing left when the repeated swings start, and that is where a well-paced day turns into a slow finish.

A 47-year history and what that means for race-day logistics

2026 marks the 47th consecutive running of the Laurel Highlands Ultra, putting it among the oldest ultramarathons in the country, with the 50K running its 21st edition. RedPoint Productions has run this race long enough that the logistics, from the point-to-point transport to the aid station placement, are well dialed in.

That history is worth trusting on race day. The overall limit for the 70.5 mile distance is 22 hours, and while individual aid station cutoffs are not something we can verify here, the race has decades of experience setting them sensibly for the terrain.

Pacing strategy for a late, repeated crux

With the hardest terrain arriving in the final 8 miles, Laurel Highlands is a race about saving your legs early, not spending them on the ridge crest miles that feel easy in the moment.

Run the early ridge conservatively

It is tempting to run hard on the earlier ridge crest sections because the footing, while rocky, is more consistent than what waits in the southern 8 miles. Resist that. Use a grade-adjusted pace to hold honest effort through the rock tunnels and mazes early, and you arrive at the southern climbs with legs that can still handle repeated 500 to 1,200 foot swings.

Set a finish window that respects the late climbing

Do not estimate your Laurel Highlands finish off a flatter point-to-point time. The roughly 17,000 feet of total elevation change, concentrated late in the race, adds real time beyond what a simple distance-based estimate would suggest. A vert-aware finish prediction that accounts for the late southern climbing gives you a realistic window to check against the 22 hour limit.

⏵ Free tools to pace this course

Fueling strategy for the long middle miles

The southern 8 miles punish anyone who is under-fueled by the time they get there. That makes steady carbohydrate and sodium intake through the middle of the race non-negotiable.

Carbs: steady through the ridge, not just at the start

Aim for around 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and keep it steady through the ridge crest miles rather than easing off because the pace feels manageable. You need real fuel in the tank before the southern 8 miles start, not a plan to catch up once they do. Practice your exact hourly carb number on long training runs with real climbing.

Sodium and fluid: build margin for June conditions

Sodium in the 300 to 700-plus milligram per liter range, scaled to how the June weather runs, covers most runners here. Carry enough fluid to handle the ridge crest exposure and the late climbing without rationing. A depleted, dehydrated runner hitting the southern 8 miles is the fastest way to turn a good race into a long, slow finish.

⏵ Build your fueling plan

Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and the Laurel Highlands terrain 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 Laurel Highlands course profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for the late southern climbs, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.

Start free →Explore the demo

Laurel Highlands Ultra FAQ

How hard is the Laurel Highlands Ultra?

The 70.5 mile Laurel Highlands Ultra is a demanding point-to-point run across the full length of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, from Ohiopyle to Seward. It climbs about 9,000 feet with roughly 17,000 feet of total elevation change, on a ridge crest course full of rocky, rooty stretches and sections that force you through rock tunnels and mazes. The southern 8 miles carry repeated 500 to 1,200 foot swings and are widely considered the toughest part of the course, arriving well into the race when your legs are already worked. The 22 hour overall limit gives most trained runners room, but the terrain and the late-race climbing make this a real ultra, not a scenic hike.

How much climbing is in the Laurel Highlands Ultra?

The 70.5 mile distance climbs about 9,000 feet, with roughly 17,000 feet of total elevation change once you add the descents. That climbing is not front-loaded. The southern 8 miles, which come late in the race, carry repeated 500 to 1,200 foot swings back to back, and that stretch is generally regarded as the hardest part of the whole course. Save something for it. The 50K covers a shorter piece of the same trail; its exact vert has not been independently verified, so plan around the terrain description rather than a specific number.

How should I fuel for the Laurel Highlands Ultra?

A 70.5 mile point-to-point with a 22 hour window is likely a 12 to 22 hour day depending on your pace, so plan carbohydrate around 60 to 90 grams per hour and sodium in the 300 to 700-plus milligram per liter range depending on the June weather. The late, repeated climbing in the southern 8 miles is exactly where under-fueled runners fall apart, so keep your intake steady through the middle of the race instead of trying to make up ground late. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.

What are the Laurel Highlands Ultra cutoffs?

The 70.5 mile distance has an overall limit of 22 hours. Cutoffs at individual aid stations along the way are not something we can verify here, so pull the current cutoff sheet from redpointproductions.com/laurel-ultra before you build your pacing plan around them. Given the difficulty of the late southern 8 miles, keep real margin in your plan rather than banking on making up time at the end.

What is the terrain like on the Laurel Highlands Trail?

The course runs the full length of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, staying on the ridge crest for most of the way, with rocky and rooty stretches throughout and sections that route you through actual rock tunnels and mazes. The southern 8 miles are the standout difficulty, with repeated 500 to 1,200 foot climbs and descents back to back. This is technical ridge running, not a smooth, runnable point-to-point, so trail-specific strength and footwork matter as much as fitness.

How long has the Laurel Highlands Ultra been around?

2026 marks the 47th consecutive running of the Laurel Highlands Ultra, which puts it among the oldest ultramarathons in the country. The 50K, added later, is running its 21st edition in 2026. That kind of history means a well-run, well-understood course with decades of local knowledge behind the logistics, run by RedPoint Productions. Registration windows open November 30th at 9:00 AM ET, and the field is capped, so confirm the current opening details on the official site if you want in.

This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, 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.