Natural Bridge Station, Virginia · Trail
Official site ↗Hellgate 100K
David Horton's 66.6-mile winter classic across Virginia's Blue Ridge, started at 12:01 a.m. on the second Saturday of December, often in ice and snow.
Distances
- Distance
- 66.6 mi (107 km)
| Distance |
|---|
| 66.6 mi (107 km) |
About
The Hellgate 100K is really 66.6 miles, and the extra is part of the point. The race starts at 12:01 a.m. on the second Saturday of December at the Hellgate trailhead near Natural Bridge Station and crosses the Blue Ridge through the night to Camp Bethel near Fincastle, often through ice, snow, and freezing fog. About 80 percent of the course is trail.
David Horton directs it, and entry is by application rather than open registration; a recent year selected about 150 runners from more than 180 applicants. The December 2025 running counts toward the 2027 Western States lottery; the December 2026 race falls after that qualifying window closes.
Course
Point to point from the Hellgate trailhead at the northern end of the Glenwood Horse Trail, across the Blue Ridge to Camp Bethel near Fincastle: 66.6 miles, about 80 percent trail, from a 12:01 a.m. start on the second Saturday of December.
How to register
Entry is by application rather than open registration, and the field is hand-picked; a recent year selected about 150 runners from more than 180 applicants. Results live on UltraRunning Magazine's database and the race's own reports pages.