⏵ Course guide · Weiser River Trail, Idaho
The Weiser River 50K Ultra & Relay runs point-to-point from Council to Midvale, Idaho, along the converted Weiser River rail- trail, a course the race itself describes as having "very little elevation change." I will walk you through the course and cutoffs first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for a long, gently graded day. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official Pulse Running event page. The most recent posted date has already passed and the next date is not yet announced, so check pulserunning.com/weiser-river-50k before you commit.
The Weiser River Trail is a converted railroad bed and designated National Recreation Trail, and the race runs point-to-point along the full length of it from Council to Midvale.
The course covers 50 kilometers, 31.07 miles by the race's own measurement, through river canyons and open farmland along the Weiser River. The surface is "stony railroad ballast, dirt, and some paved crossings as you come into towns," a stable, gently graded trail rather than technical singletrack.
If you would rather share the distance, a 2 to 5 person relay team splits the course into five legs: Council to Mesa Siding (6.1 miles), Mesa Siding to Goodrich (6.9 miles), Goodrich to Cambridge (9.1 miles), Cambridge to Shoepeg (5 miles), and Shoepeg to Midvale (4.1 miles). It is the same point-to-point trail, just divided into manageable stretches.
With "very little elevation change," this is one of the more predictable 50Ks to pace: your split times should stay consistent rather than swinging with the terrain.
On the standard 8:00 AM start, you must reach the last aid station at Shoepeg by 2:30 PM, 6.5 hours to cover roughly the first 27 miles. Because the surface and grade stay consistent, a steady, sustainable pace from the start is more reliable here than the conservative-early, faster-later strategy you might use on a hillier course.
⏵ Free tools to plan your effort
Consistent grade makes your fueling math more predictable than a climbing-heavy course, but a full 31 miles still asks for a real plan.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, adjusted for a late-April Idaho day that can start cool and warm up by afternoon in the open farmland sections. Because the trail stays consistently graded, you can plan your intake on a steady schedule rather than saving reserves for a late climb.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a late-spring Idaho 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 training plan built around YOUR fitness and the kind of sustained, steady-pace endurance a point-to-point 50K rewards. Summit Line reads your real training, builds the durability your distance asks for, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
The most recently scheduled edition ran April 25, 2026, and that date has already passed. Pulse Running has not yet published a date for the next edition. This is a late-April race historically, so plan on a similar spring weekend, but confirm the exact date once it posts on pulserunning.com.
This is a genuinely gentle 50K by elevation, the course description itself says "very little elevation change" running the length of a converted rail-trail. The real physical demand is time on feet and surface, stony railroad ballast and dirt rather than smooth pavement, over the full 31.07 mile point-to-point distance, not climbing. It is a reasonable pick if you want your first (or fastest) 50K to be about pacing and fueling rather than vertical gain.
Runners on the standard 8:00 AM start must reach the last aid station at Shoepeg by 2:30 PM, which is 6.5 hours to cover roughly 27 of the 31.07 miles. An optional 7:00 AM early start is available if you want extra time, but taking it means you are not eligible for awards.
Yes. Teams of 2 to 5 runners split the course into five legs: Council to Mesa Siding (6.1 miles), Mesa Siding to Goodrich (6.9 miles), Goodrich to Cambridge (9.1 miles), Cambridge to Shoepeg (5 miles), and Shoepeg to Midvale (4.1 miles). It is a good way to experience the same point-to-point trail without committing to the full solo distance.
The gentle grade and stable rail-trail surface make this one of the more approachable first 50Ks you will find: the challenge is almost entirely about sustaining pace and fueling over 31 miles rather than managing steep climbs or technical footing. Point-to-point logistics do mean you need a plan for getting back to your car, so account for that when you register.
With minimal elevation change, your pace should stay fairly consistent across the course, which makes fueling more predictable than a climbing-heavy race. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, adjusted for a late-April Idaho day that can swing from cool mornings to warm afternoons. Use the free ultra fueling calculator to build your own numbers.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/weiser-river-50k-ultra-relay">The Weiser River 50K Ultra & Relay course guide</a><iframe src="https://runsummitline.com/embed/race/weiser-river-50k-ultra-relay" style="width:100%;max-width:420px;height:180px;border:0;" loading="lazy" title="Weiser River 50K Ultra & Relay course guide by Summit Line"></iframe>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, 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.
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