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⏵ Course guide · PA Wilds elk country

Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run Course Guide

The Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run is a single-loop 50K, 25K, and 12K that starts and finishes in downtown Emporium and runs largely on the Bucktail Path through Elk State Forest, deep in PA Wilds elk country. I will walk you through the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for a mid-October mixed-forest ultra. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.

⏵ At a glance

Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run quick facts

Date
Mid-October (2026: Saturday, October 17)
Location
Emporium, Elk State Forest, Cameron County, PA, largely on the Bucktail Path
Distances
50K, 25K, and 12K, single loop from downtown Emporium
Elevation gain
Around 2,200 ft per the organizer, though it is unclear whether that figure is per-lap or total: confirm before you plan around it
Cutoffs
Not published; confirm current limits before you register
Entry style
Online registration through RunSignup, $40 early or $60 late pricing

These facts come from the official race site. Check the current date, cutoffs, and aid stations in the race-day details before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.

The course: downtown Emporium into elk country

All three distances run as a single loop starting and finishing in downtown Emporium, heading out into mixed forest largely along the Bucktail Path through Elk State Forest. The organizer cites roughly 2,200 feet of gain, though it is not entirely clear whether that number is per lap or for the full distance, so plan for sustained rolling climbing rather than pinning your pacing to that exact figure.

Out of town and into the forest

The race starts right in downtown Emporium, which is a nice, low-stress start line compared to a trailhead in the middle of nowhere, and then heads out into mixed forest terrain in Elk State Forest. This is genuine PA Wilds elk country, remote enough to feel like a real trail race but with the comfort of a small-town start and finish.

Expect the usual central Pennsylvania mix of rooty, sometimes rocky singletrack once you are off the road and into the trees, with rolling terrain rather than one single defining climb.

The Bucktail Path: the heart of the course

Most of the mileage runs along the Bucktail Path, and this is the heart of the race. It is sustained, rolling forest trail rather than a single crux climb, so the challenge is more about staying steady over hours than surviving one hard section. Because the elevation gain figure is ambiguous between per-lap and total, do not assume you know exactly how much climbing is left at any given point. Run by feel and by the terrain in front of you.

Back into town: closing the loop

The finish brings you back into downtown Emporium, which means the closing miles are a good place to draw on the fact that people are waiting, rather than finishing alone in the woods the way some remote PA ultras do. Save something for the return, since sustained rolling terrain over many hours tends to punish anyone who ran the early miles too hard just because they felt fresh.

Pacing strategy for a rolling PA Wilds loop

With sustained rolling terrain rather than one obvious crux, and an elevation figure that is not fully pinned down, the smart play is even effort rather than chasing a specific number.

Pace by effort, not by an unconfirmed vert number

Because the organizer's roughly 2,200 foot figure is ambiguous between per-lap and total, do not build a pacing plan that assumes you know exactly how much climbing remains. Instead, use a grade-adjusted pace approach that reacts to the terrain you are actually on, mile by mile, rather than a number you cannot fully verify going in.

Build a realistic finish window for a rolling course

A single sustained loop through mixed forest rewards a finish prediction that accounts for rolling terrain over hours, not a flat-ground extrapolation. Use a vert-aware race time calculator to set a realistic goal for the 50K, 25K, or 12K, and check it against whatever cutoffs the race publishes for your specific year before you commit to a number.

⏵ Free tools to pace this course

Fueling strategy for a cool October ultra

Mid-October in the PA Wilds tends to run cooler than the state\'s summer races, so your fueling plan can lean more on carbohydrate and less on aggressive sodium than a hot-weather ultra.

Carbs: steady fuel for hours of rolling terrain

Aim for 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, leaning toward the higher end if your gut is trained for it, since the sustained rolling climbing adds up over the distance even without one single big crux. Cooler October temperatures usually make it easier to keep eating consistently, so use that to your advantage instead of under-fueling because you feel comfortable.

Sodium and layering for a cooler PA Wilds day

With cooler mid-October conditions, sodium needs often sit lower than a hot summer ultra, generally in the 300 to 500 mg per liter range unless you are a heavy sweater or the day runs warmer than expected. Layer for a range of conditions, since PA Wilds weather in October can shift from cool and crisp to wet and chilly within the same race.

⏵ Build your fueling plan

Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a cool PA Wilds October race day 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 rolling PA Wilds course, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for the sustained climbing, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.

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Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run FAQ

How hard is the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run?

Sinnemahone is a mixed-forest trail race through Elk State Forest and PA Wilds elk country, run as a single loop starting and finishing in downtown Emporium. The organizer publishes an elevation gain figure of around 2,200 feet, though it is not entirely clear whether that number is per-lap or the total for the full distance, so treat it as a general signal of moderate, sustained climbing rather than a precise number to plan splits around. It is a solid mid-distance test without the extreme remoteness of some of the state's bigger mountain ultras.

How much climbing is in the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run?

The organizer publishes roughly 2,200 feet of elevation gain, but it is ambiguous whether that figure applies per loop or to the total distance run, so confirm the current course description before you lock in a pacing plan around it. What is clear is that the course runs through mixed forest terrain in Elk State Forest, largely along the Bucktail Path, with the kind of rolling, sustained climbing typical of PA Wilds trail.

How should I fuel for the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run?

Plan for a multi-hour trail effort with real climbing, so 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is a reasonable target, leaning toward the higher end if your gut is trained for it. Mid-October in the PA Wilds tends to run cooler than the state's summer races, so sodium needs may sit lower than a hot-weather ultra, generally 300 to 500 mg per liter unless you run hot. Use the free ultra fueling calculator to build a plan around your own weight and goal time.

What are the cutoff times for the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run?

The organizer does not publish detailed cutoff times for the 50K, 25K, or 12K. Confirm the current cutoffs directly on the race-day details before you commit to a pacing plan, especially if you are running toward the back of the field.

What is the terrain and weather like at Sinnemahone?

The course runs largely on the Bucktail Path through mixed forest in Elk State Forest, deep in PA Wilds elk country, with a single loop starting and ending in downtown Emporium. Mid-October weather in Cameron County tends to be cool and can turn wet or chilly depending on the year, with fall foliage in the mix, so layer for a range of conditions rather than assuming a warm race day.

Is the Sinnemahone Ultra Trail Run a good first ultra?

It can work as a step-up race for a runner who already has some trail time, given the moderate, well-defined single-loop format and the local, small-race feel backed by the Keystone Rural Health Consortia and a local Triple Crown series. It is not as forgiving as a rail-trail ultra, so come with real trail fitness, but it does not carry the extreme remoteness or technical difficulty of the state's hardest mountain 50Ks either.

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, 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.