Key dates for the 2027 race
The 2027 race runs from Saturday 26 June to Sunday 27 June. Everything before it hangs on two November deadlines: your qualifier must be done by 8 November 2026, and your lottery application must be in between 1 and 21 November.
- Javelina Jundred Golden Ticket race
Top two women and men qualify for 2027.
- Lottery registration opens
Online at portal.wser.org until 21 November.
- Qualifying window closes
Your qualifier must fall between 3 November 2025 and 8 November 2026.
- Silver Legend applications due
One place for a runner aged 60 or over, chosen for their contribution to the sport.
- Lottery registration closes
- Top ten from 2026 confirm their return
- Automatic entrants finish registering
- Lottery draw
8 to 11 a.m. at Placer High School, Auburn. Winners have ten days to register.
- Black Canyon 100K and Tarawera Golden Ticket races
- Chianti Ultra Trail Golden Ticket race
- Canyons 100K Golden Ticket race
- Last day for a 75% refund
50% from 2 May to 9 June, 25% from 10 to 20 June, nothing after.
- Race start
5:00 a.m. in Olympic Valley.
- Final finish time
Runners must reach Auburn by 10:59:59 a.m.
Source: official race website, checked 19 October 2026.
How to get a place
You need two things before you can enter the lottery. You must be at least 18 on race day, and you must finish a race from the official qualifying list, inside its listed time, during the one-year window. For 2027 that window runs from 3 November 2025 to 8 November 2026. Virtual events do not count, and a race that is not on the list cannot be used.
If your name is drawn on 5 December, you get an UltraSignup invitation and have ten days to pay the $575 entry fee plus the online fee. Miss that and you lose the place and every ticket you had built up.
Seventy-five more names are drawn for an ordered wait list. When an entrant withdraws, the next person on the list gets the place. The exception is a place that belongs to a sponsor, an aid station or a raffle winner, where that sponsor can name a replacement who also applied to the lottery.
Why your tickets double
Every lottery you enter without getting in raises your chances next time. In your nth lottery you hold 2 to the power of n minus 1 tickets: one ticket the first time, two the second, then four, eight, sixteen and so on. Since the 2020 lottery the years no longer have to be consecutive, but you must requalify and reapply each time.
If you are drawn for the wait list and decline, or you withdraw before 1 p.m. on the Friday before the race, you keep your ticket count.
The other ways in
A minority of the 369 places are not drawn at all. The race calls them automatic entries. They still need a valid qualifier.
- The top ten women and top ten men from the previous year.
- Up to 30 places for HOKA Golden Ticket winners, from six qualifying races.
- One runner chosen by each club that sponsors and staffs an aid station. This is usually a volunteer with at least three years at that station.
- Runners named under certain sponsor agreements, and members of the board.
- The two pioneers, Gordy Ainsleigh and Cowman A-Moo-Ha.
- Nine-time finishers going for a tenth, and 18 and 19-time finishers going for their 19th and 20th.
- Winners of the twice-yearly raffle, drawn 18 and 12 months before the race.
- The Greg Soderlund Silver Legend entry, one place for a runner aged 60 or over.
Golden Ticket races for 2027
At three of the six races the top two women and men qualify, and at the other three the top three. If someone ahead of you declines, the place rolls down to the next finisher.
| Race | Where | Date | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCC 100K | France, Italy, Switzerland | 28 August 2026 | Top 3 women and men |
| Javelina Jundred 100M | Arizona, USA | 31 October 2026 | Top 2 women and men |
| Black Canyon 100K | Arizona, USA | 13 February 2027 | Top 3 women and men |
| Tarawera Ultra-Trail 102K | New Zealand | 13 February 2027 | Top 2 women and men |
| Chianti Ultra Trail 120K | Italy | 20 March 2027 | Top 2 women and men |
| Canyons Endurance Runs 100K | California, USA | 24 April 2027 | Top 3 women and men |
What are your lottery odds?
The hat keeps getting fuller. Applicants rose from 1,786 in 2011 to 11,328 in 2026, and the ticket count from 2,286 to 93,003. A first-time applicant in 2026 held one of those 93,003 tickets.
Use the calculator to see roughly where you stand. It starts from the latest published hat and lets you change the number of draws. The 2027 hat appears online after registration closes on 21 November, and it will almost certainly be bigger.
The race used 260 draws for its own 2025 odds simulation. The real number changes each year with the count of automatic entries.
Estimated chance of being drawn
0.3%
With 1 ticket in the 2026 hat of 11,328 applicants and 93,003 tickets, across 260 draws.
Compare every ticket count
| Lottery | Tickets | Applicants in 2026 | Our estimate | Race figure, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | 4,469 | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 2nd | 2 | 2,563 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 3rd | 4 | 1,752 | 1.2% | 1.7% |
| 4th | 8 | 1,102 | 2.5% | 3.3% |
| 5th | 16 | 672 | 4.9% | 6.6% |
| 6th | 32 | 354 | 9.5% | 13% |
| 7th | 64 | 239 | 18% | 24% |
| 8th | 128 | 128 | 33% | 42% |
| 9th | 256 | 44 | 55% | 66% |
| 10th | 512 | 5 | 80% | 89% |
An estimate for planning, not an official Western States figure. Each draw removes the selected runner's tickets from the hat, so later tickets are worth slightly more. The race publishes the real hat online after registration closes.
What it costs
The entry fee for 2027 is $575 plus the online booking fee. That is the only cost the race sets. Travel, lodging, crew and a qualifying race are yours to budget, and they often add up to more than the entry.
Book a room as soon as you are in. The race says most motels near the start are full by January or February. There is also no official transport from the finish in Auburn back to Olympic Valley, so plan how your car, or your crew, gets from one end of the course to the other.
| If you withdraw | Refund | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| By 1 May 2027 | 75% | $431.25 |
| 2 May to 9 June | 50% | $287.50 |
| 10 June to 20 June | 25% | $143.75 |
| After 20 June | None | $0 |
Things to budget for
- A qualifying race inside the window, with its own entry and travel.
- Two or three nights near the start for registration on Friday, plus somewhere to sleep in Auburn after the finish.
- Flights or a long drive, and a crew vehicle that can handle narrow mountain roads.
- Optional Memorial Day weekend training runs on the last 70 miles. They sold out in 2026.
- Kit you may not own yet, such as two reliable lights, heat gear and shoes for long descents.
The course, section by section
Western States follows the middle of the historic Western States Trail, used by gold and silver miners in the 1850s. It has followed the same basic route since 1986, unless snow forces a change. Much of it can only be reached on foot, by horse or by helicopter.
Show aid-station elevations as a table
| Aid station | Mile | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Valley (start) | 0 | 6,233 ft (1,900 m) |
| Lyon Ridge | 10.3 | 6,966 ft (2,123 m) |
| Red Star Ridge | 15.8 | 7,336 ft (2,236 m) |
| Duncan Canyon | 24.4 | 5,865 ft (1,788 m) |
| Robinson Flat | 30.3 | 6,520 ft (1,987 m) |
| Miller's Defeat | 34.4 | 6,236 ft (1,901 m) |
| Dusty Corners | 38 | 5,443 ft (1,659 m) |
| Last Chance | 43.3 | 4,708 ft (1,435 m) |
| Devil's Thumb | 47.8 | 4,007 ft (1,221 m) |
| El Dorado Creek | 52.9 | 1,849 ft (564 m) |
| Michigan Bluff | 55.7 | 3,458 ft (1,054 m) |
| Foresthill | 62 | 3,243 ft (988 m) |
| Dardanelles (Cal-1) | 65.7 | 1,894 ft (577 m) |
| Peachstone (Cal-2) | 70.7 | 1,560 ft (475 m) |
| Ford's Bar (Cal-3) | 73 | 1,009 ft (308 m) |
| Rucky Chucky (river crossing) | 78 | 917 ft (280 m) |
| Green Gate | 79.8 | 1,412 ft (430 m) |
| Auburn Lake Trails | 85.2 | 1,386 ft (422 m) |
| Quarry Road | 90.7 | 682 ft (208 m) |
| Pointed Rocks | 94.3 | 1,570 ft (479 m) |
| Robie Point | 98.9 | 1,114 ft (340 m) |
| Placer High School (finish) | 100.2 | 1,293 ft (394 m) |
Elevation drawn by Running for Good Ultra from the course GPX file the race publishes, scaled to the official 100.2 miles. Use it to see the shape of the day, not for navigation. Course file, checked 19 October 2026.
The high country: start to Robinson Flat (miles 0 to 30)
You start at about 6,200 feet in Olympic Valley, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, and climb 2,550 feet to Emigrant Pass at 8,750 feet in the first 4½ miles. That is the highest point of the race. From there the trail crosses the Granite Chief Wilderness, roughly miles 6 to 10, which is why the field is fixed at 369.
In a big snow year this section can be slushy or icy, and the race has used an alternate snow route several times. The first crew access is not until Duncan Canyon at mile 24.4.
The canyons: Robinson Flat to Foresthill (miles 30 to 62)
After the high ridges the trail drops into deep canyons, with steep descents to the creeks and long climbs back out through Last Chance, Devil's Thumb and El Dorado Creek. This is where heat usually bites. The race warns that pace in the canyons can vary a lot with temperature and humidity.
Michigan Bluff at 55.7 miles and Foresthill at 62 are the big crew stops. Foresthill is where most runners pick up a pacer, and where the race tells everyone to carry a light, whatever the time.
Cal Street and the river: Foresthill to Rucky Chucky (miles 62 to 78)
The California Street section runs mostly downhill above the American River, through three aid stations that crews cannot reach. Many runners arrive here in the evening and finish it in the dark.
At mile 78 you ford the American River near Rucky Chucky, holding a guide rope with a team of 125 people on hand. In high-water years runners cross by raft instead. Do not try the crossing on a training run.
The last 22 miles: Green Gate to Auburn (miles 78 to 100.2)
From the river the trail climbs to Green Gate, then rolls through Auburn Lake Trails, Quarry Road and Pointed Rocks towards town. Reflectors mark the last 38 miles for the night.
At Robie Point you leave the trail for the streets of Auburn, and crews and friends can run in with you. You finish on the Placer High School track.
Aid stations and cutoffs
Every cutoff is a deadline for leaving the aid station, not for arriving. Leave after it and you are out of the race. A few remote stations have default cutoffs, marked with an asterisk, which simply match the next station's cutoff. They exist for emergencies.
The race is blunt that cutoffs are not a pacing guide. They are generous early on, and if you are close to them you are in trouble. The race expects a 30-hour runner at Foresthill around 10:45 p.m., an hour inside the cutoff. Use the 30-hour column as your real target.
| Aid station | Mile | Km | Leave by | 30-hour guide | Crew | Drop bag | Pacer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Valley (start) Medical | 0 | 0.0 | None | 5:00am | Yes | No | No |
| Lyon Ridge | 10.3 | 16.6 | None | 7:40am | No | No | No |
| Red Star Ridge Medical | 15.8 | 25.4 | None | 9:10am | No | Yes | No |
| Duncan Canyon | 24.4 | 39.3 | 12:30pm | 11:15am | One vehicle | No | No |
| Robinson Flat Medical | 30.3 | 48.8 | 2:10pm | 1:10pm | Shuttle | Yes | No |
| Miller's Defeat | 34.4 | 55.4 | 3:15pm | 2:15pm | No | No | No |
| Dusty Corners | 38 | 61.2 | 4:05pm | 3:05pm | One vehicle | No | No |
| Last Chance Medical | 43.3 | 69.7 | 5:25pm | 4:20pm | No | Yes | No |
| Devil's Thumb Medical | 47.8 | 76.9 | 7:10pm | 6:05pm | No | Yes | No |
| El Dorado Creek | 52.9 | 85.1 | 8:40pm | 7:30pm | No | No | No |
| Michigan Bluff Medical | 55.7 | 89.6 | 9:55pm | 8:50pm | Shuttle | Yes | If leaving after 8pm |
| Foresthill Medical | 62 | 99.8 | 11:45pm | 10:45pm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dardanelles (Cal-1) | 65.7 | 105.7 | 2:40am* | 12:00am | No | No | No |
| Peachstone (Cal-2) Medical | 70.7 | 113.8 | 2:40am | 1:40am | No | No | No |
| Ford's Bar (Cal-3) | 73 | 117.5 | 5:00am* | 2:35am | No | No | No |
| Rucky Chucky (river crossing) Medical | 78 | 125.5 | 5:00am | 4:00am | Near side, by shuttle | Far side | Yes |
| Green Gate | 79.8 | 128.4 | 5:50am | 4:55am | On foot | No | Yes |
| Auburn Lake Trails Medical | 85.2 | 137.1 | 7:15am | 6:25am | No | Yes | No |
| Quarry Road | 90.7 | 146.0 | 8:40am | 8:00am | No | No | No |
| Pointed Rocks Medical | 94.3 | 151.8 | 9:40am | 9:15am | On foot | Yes | Yes |
| Robie Point | 98.9 | 159.2 | 11:00am* | 10:38am | On foot | No | Yes |
| Placer High School (finish) Medical | 100.2 | 161.3 | 11:00am | 11:00am | Yes | Yes | No |
* Default emergency cutoff, the same as the next station. The chart on the official page is the 2026 edition. The 2027 table is published in the participant guide nearer the race. Source: official race website, checked 19 October 2026.
Heat, snow and the river
The race tells runners to prepare for anything from 20°F to above 110°F. In Auburn the average high on the last weekend of June is about 89°F, with a low around 59°F. The canyons can be far hotter: in 1989 the heat radiating off the rocks was measured at 114°F.
Heat shapes the finish rate more than anything else. In 2006 the high in Auburn reached 101°F and only 52.6% finished, the lowest rate since 1986. In 2026 the high was 73°F, the coolest since 2012, and 87.0% finished.
Snow is the other variable. The high country can be clear or buried, and in big years the race has rerouted the start and used boats at the river. Check the snowpack updates in spring before you decide on shoes and traction.
| Year | High | Low | Finish rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 73°F | 55°F | 87.0% | Both course records broken |
| 2025 | 95°F | 69°F | 77.2% | |
| 2024 | 94°F | 63°F | 76.3% | |
| 2023 | 80°F | 51°F | 86.5% | Moderate snow, boats at the river |
| 2022 | 97°F | 70°F | 79.6% | |
| 2021 | 101°F | 73°F | 66.0% | |
| 2019 | 83°F | 57°F | 86.4% | Moderate snow, boats at the river |
| 2018 | 98°F | 61°F | 81.0% | |
| 2017 | 95°F | 75°F | 67.2% | Moderate snow, boats at the river |
| 2016 | 93°F | 60°F | 79.3% |
Rules that shape your plan
Pacers
- One pacer at a time, from Foresthill at mile 62 to the finish.
- If you leave Michigan Bluff after 8 p.m., you can have a pacer from there.
- Pacers can change at Foresthill, the near side of Rucky Chucky, Green Gate, Pointed Rocks and Robie Point.
- Since 2025 nobody can pace or crew you on Bath Road. Pacers wait inside the Foresthill aid station.
- Pacers must be 18 or over and carry only their own supplies. Carrying anything for the runner, known as muling, is banned.
Drop bags
- One bag per aid station, at the stations marked in the table.
- It must fit through a 6 by 8 inch opening and be no longer than 16 inches. No paper bags or boxes.
- Drop them off on Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Olympic Valley, and collect them at the finish by 3 p.m. on Sunday.
- Pacers cannot have their own bags, so their supplies go in yours. Put warm clothes and a spare light in the night-time bags.
On the trail
- Poles are allowed anywhere, and you can drop or collect them where crews or drop bags are allowed. There are no shoe restrictions, so microspikes are fine.
- The race recommends carrying two LED lights, because almost half the course may be covered in the dark.
- There are no weigh-ins. Medical staff judge how you look, feel and think.
- To drop out, hand your wristband to an aid station captain. Without it you count as lost.
- No dogs, smoking or litter anywhere on the course.
How many people finish?
Of the 370 starters in 2026, 322 finished. That 87.0% is the highest finish rate in the race's history for a full field, just ahead of 2023 (86.5%) and 2019 (86.4%). Over the last ten races it has ranged from 66.0% to 87.0%.
The two gaps in the chart are 2008, cancelled because of wildfires, and 2020, cancelled because of COVID-19.
Show every year as a table
| Year | Starters | Finishers | Under 24 hours | Finish rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 370 | 322 | 136 | 87.0% |
| 2025 | 369 | 285 | 92 | 77.2% |
| 2024 | 375 | 286 | 109 | 76.3% |
| 2023 | 379 | 328 | 110 | 86.5% |
| 2022 | 383 | 305 | 101 | 79.6% |
| 2021 | 315 | 208 | 57 | 66.0% |
| 2020 | Cancelled because of COVID-19 | |||
| 2019 | 369 | 319 | 130 | 86.4% |
| 2018 | 369 | 299 | 123 | 81.0% |
| 2017 | 369 | 248 | 76 | 67.2% |
| 2016 | 353 | 280 | 102 | 79.3% |
| 2015 | 371 | 254 | 96 | 68.5% |
| 2014 | 376 | 296 | 129 | 78.7% |
| 2013 | 383 | 277 | 95 | 72.3% |
| 2012 | 382 | 316 | 148 | 82.7% |
| 2011 | 375 | 310 | 125 | 82.7% |
| 2010 | 423 | 328 | 123 | 77.5% |
| 2009 | 399 | 238 | 72 | 59.6% |
| 2008 | Cancelled because of wildfires | |||
| 2007 | 392 | 270 | 100 | 68.9% |
| 2006 | 399 | 210 | 53 | 52.6% |
| 2005 | 400 | 317 | 105 | 79.3% |
| 2004 | 366 | 278 | 89 | 76.0% |
| 2003 | 405 | 272 | 96 | 67.2% |
| 2002 | 372 | 255 | 90 | 68.5% |
| 2001 | 396 | 267 | 91 | 67.4% |
| 2000 | 385 | 222 | 65 | 57.7% |
| 1999 | 335 | 216 | 72 | 64.5% |
| 1998 | 381 | 258 | 62 | 67.7% |
| 1997 | 369 | 257 | 106 | 69.6% |
| 1996 | 373 | 227 | 75 | 60.9% |
| 1995 | 371 | 198 | 36 | 53.4% |
| 1994 | 379 | 249 | 86 | 65.7% |
| 1993 | 387 | 209 | 56 | 54.0% |
| 1992 | 374 | 230 | 70 | 61.5% |
| 1991 | 368 | 242 | 100 | 65.8% |
| 1990 | 351 | 208 | 77 | 59.3% |
| 1989 | 372 | 246 | 97 | 66.1% |
| 1988 | 341 | 250 | 118 | 73.3% |
| 1987 | 353 | 183 | 70 | 51.8% |
| 1986 | 415 | 210 | 95 | 50.6% |
| 1985 | 294 | 163 | 98 | 55.4% |
| 1984 | 369 | 250 | 158 | 67.8% |
| 1983 | 282 | 196 | 108 | 69.5% |
| 1982 | 278 | 176 | 92 | 63.3% |
| 1981 | 251 | 146 | 82 | 58.2% |
| 1980 | 251 | 124 | 63 | 49.4% |
| 1979 | 143 | 96 | 67 | 67.1% |
| 1978 | 63 | 30 | 15 | 47.6% |
| 1977 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 21.4% |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
| 1975 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 1974 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
Rates calculated by Running for Good Ultra from the published starters and finishers. Source: official race website, checked 19 October 2026.
Records and buckles
Both course records fell in 2026. Vincent Bouillard of France ran 13:46:15 and Jennifer Lichter ran 15:28:05 in her first 100-mile race. The race counts records from 1985, when the course became 100.2 miles.
Finishers under 30 hours earn a bronze belt buckle and those under 24 hours a silver one. Ann Trason holds the record for wins, with 14, and Scott Jurek won seven in a row from 1999 to 2005.
One of the most famous finishes came in 2015, when Gunhild Swanson set the women's 70 and over record of 29:59:54, six seconds inside the 30-hour limit.
| Record | Runner | Time | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's course record | Jennifer Lichter | 15:28:05 | 2026 |
| Men's course record | Vincent Bouillard | 13:46:15 | 2026 |
| Men 50 to 59 | Jeff Browning | 18:03:38 | 2026 |
| Women 70 and over | Gunhild Swanson | 29:59:54 | 2015 |
| Men 70 and over | Ray Piva | 28:09:24 | 1998 |
Source: official race website, checked 19 October 2026.
The 2026 race
The 53rd race, on 27 and 28 June 2026, was unusually cool, and it showed. Vincent Bouillard passed Francesco Puppi late in the race to win in 13:46:15, and the first three men all finished under 14 hours. Jennifer Lichter broke the women's record by running 15:28:05 in her first 100-mile race.
Further back, 136 runners earned silver buckles under 24 hours, the most since 2012.
| Place | Women | Time | Men | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jennifer Lichter (USA) | 15:28:05 | Vincent Bouillard (France) | 13:46:15 |
| 2 | Riley Brady (USA) | 15:42:14 | Francesco Puppi (Italy) | 13:51:08 |
| 3 | Marianne Hogan (Canada) | 15:51:44 | Ryan Montgomery (USA) | 13:53:55 |
| 4 | Caitlin Fielder (Andorra) | 15:57:09 | Thomas Cardin (France) | 14:07:58 |
| 5 | Lotti Brinks (USA) | 16:04:38 | Zach Miller (USA) | 14:20:09 |
| 6 | Tara Dower (USA) | 16:13:07 | Adam Peterman (USA) | 14:26:11 |
| 7 | Fuzhao Xiang (China) | 16:25:59 | Jeff Mogavero (USA) | 14:38:36 |
| 8 | Fiona Pascall (UK) | 16:32:05 | Canyon Woodward (USA) | 14:45:24 |
| 9 | Hau Ha (Vietnam) | 16:40:38 | Will Murray (USA) | 15:23:12 |
| 10 | Hannah Allgood (USA) | 16:45:56 | Hiroki Kai (Japan) | 15:26:34 |
From horses to a lottery
The trail came first. In 1955 Wendell Robie and five other riders rode from Tahoe City to Auburn to show that horses could cover 100 miles in a day. That ride became the Tevis Cup.
On 3 August 1974 Gordy Ainsleigh lined up with the horses on foot and reached Auburn in 23 hours and 42 minutes. Ken "Cowman" Shirk did the same in 1976. In 1977 fourteen men started the first official run. Andy Gonzales won in 22:57, and when Peter Mattei and Ralph Paffenbarger arrived together in 28:36, the race created the 30-hour finish.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1978 | The run moved to June, separate from the Tevis Cup. Pat Smythe became the first woman to finish, in 29:24. |
| 1979 | A qualifying standard (50 miles in under 10 hours) and aid-station cutoffs were introduced. |
| 1981 | The lottery began, as entries outgrew the trail. |
| 1984 | The California Wilderness Act created the Granite Chief Wilderness. The race was allowed to continue with no more runners than it had then: 369. |
| 1985 | The course became 100.2 miles, the distance used for records today. |
| 2008 | Cancelled because of wildfires. |
| 2015 | The doubling ticket system began. |
| 2017 | The wait list started, to fill exactly 369 places. |
| 2020 | Cancelled because of COVID-19. |
| 2021 | The race's first live broadcast. |
| 2026 | Both course records broken and a record 87.0% finish rate. |
Training for Western States
Think of it as a descending race with a hot middle. You lose nearly 23,000 feet, much of it after the canyons have already worn your legs down. Long downhill running, heat preparation and comfortable night running matter as much as the total miles.
Our 100-mile plan gives you the structure. For Western States, build in regular steep descents, some sessions in heat or extra layers in the weeks before the race, and at least a few long runs that go into the dark. If you live at low altitude, remember that the first 30 miles are mostly above 6,000 feet.
The race holds three training runs over Memorial Day weekend on the last 70 miles of the course, with aid and buses. You do not need an entry to join. In 2026 entrants could register for about two weeks after the lottery, before it opened to everyone, and all three days sold out.
Getting there and race week
The start is in Olympic Valley at Palisades Tahoe, near the north shore of Lake Tahoe. Truckee is about 20 minutes away and Tahoe City about 15. The finish is in Auburn, in the Sierra foothills, so you will be staying at both ends.
Registration on Friday, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. near the start arch, is compulsory. So is the race meeting that afternoon (2 p.m. in 2026). On race morning, food and coffee are served at the Olympic Plaza from 3:30 a.m. After the finish there is a free breakfast for entrants at Placer High School from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, and the awards ceremony is on Sunday too.
Crewing and watching
Crews can only meet runners at the stations listed below. Away from Foresthill, crews are limited to one vehicle per runner, and motorhomes can only go to Foresthill. Several stops are reached by shuttle or on foot, so pack light and allow plenty of time.
| Station | Mile | How crews get there |
|---|---|---|
| Duncan Canyon | 24.4 | One vehicle per runner |
| Robinson Flat | 30.3 | Shuttle |
| Dusty Corners | 38 | One vehicle per runner |
| Michigan Bluff | 55.7 | Shuttle |
| Foresthill | 62 | Drive. The only stop with more than one vehicle |
| Rucky Chucky, near side | 78 | Shuttle bus or a 3½-mile hike |
| Green Gate | 79.8 | A 1¼-mile hike from parking |
| Pointed Rocks | 94.3 | A ¾-mile hike |
| Robie Point | 98.9 | On foot. Crews can run in to the finish |
Watching from home
The race has broadcast live since 2021, using Starlink since 2022 to reach remote parts of the trail. Live coverage and tracking are linked from the official website on race weekend.
If you are there in person, the 2026 race-week agenda included a pre-dawn hike to Emigrant Pass to watch runners come over the first climb.
Running for good at Western States
The race depends on more than 1,500 volunteers, about four for every runner. The river crossing alone has 125. Aid station clubs that volunteer for years can nominate one runner, so long service is one of the routes in.
The Western States Endurance Run Foundation is a nonprofit that maintains the trail with the Tevis Cup organisers, the Forest Service and state parks. Its volunteer steward programme scheduled 14 open trail-work days in 2025. You can join those without a race entry.
The race has also been a research lab for more than 40 years. In 1981 Dr Walter Bortz carried a refrigerated centrifuge up to Michigan Bluff to study endorphins, one of the earliest studies linking them to exercise. At the finish, the race sends its waste through a facility that sorts recycling and compost, and offers leftover food to volunteers first.
If you are not in this year
Most applicants do not get in, so it helps to plan more than one year ahead. Keep qualifying and keep applying, because your tickets keep doubling.
In the meantime, a Golden Ticket race such as Black Canyon 100K, the Canyons 100K or CCC is a great race in its own right. And a Western States finish earns UTMB Running Stones (four in 2025) towards the UTMB lottery in Chamonix.
Questions people ask
How long is the Western States 100?
100.2 miles (161.3 km), from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. Records are counted from 1985, when the course reached that distance.
When is the 2027 Western States 100?
Saturday 26 June to Sunday 27 June 2027. The start is at 5:00 a.m. and runners must finish by 10:59:59 a.m. on Sunday.
How do you get into Western States?
Finish a race on the official qualifying list during the window (3 November 2025 to 8 November 2026 for 2027), then apply to the lottery between 1 and 21 November. A small number of places go to automatic entrants such as Golden Ticket winners and the previous top ten.
What are the odds of getting into Western States?
Low on your first try. In the race's own 2025 simulation, a single ticket had about a 0.4% chance and 64 tickets about 24%. Your tickets double every year you apply without getting in.
How much does Western States cost?
The 2027 entry fee is $575 plus the online fee. Travel, lodging and your qualifying race are extra.
What is the cutoff for Western States?
30 hours overall, with deadlines for leaving each aid station. Runners finishing under 24 hours earn a silver buckle and those under 30 hours a bronze one.
Can you have a pacer at Western States?
Yes, one at a time from Foresthill at mile 62, or from Michigan Bluff at mile 55.7 if you leave after 8 p.m. Pacers cannot carry supplies for you.
What is the Western States course record?
Vincent Bouillard holds the men's record of 13:46:15 and Jennifer Lichter the women's record of 15:28:05, both set in 2026.
What percentage of runners finish Western States?
87.0% in 2026, the highest for a full field. Over the last ten races the rate has ranged from 66.0% to 87.0%, mostly depending on heat.
Are trekking poles allowed at Western States?
Yes, anywhere on the course. You can drop or pick them up at aid stations with crew access or drop bags.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from the official Western States website, checked on 19 October 2026. The aid-station table, crew points and race-week times are from the 2026 edition until the 2027 participant guide is published. Lottery odds are our own estimate from the published hat, not an official figure. Running for Good Ultra is independent and has no connection with the Western States Endurance Run Foundation.
- Western States: 2027 entry process checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: lottery and lottery history checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: qualifying races checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: HOKA Golden Ticket races checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: automatic entries checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: wait list checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: Silver Legend entry checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: course description checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: aid stations and cutoffs checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: GPS information and course file checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: crew rules checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: pacer rules checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: performance rules checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: medical and other risks checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: results 1974 to present checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: records checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: top ten 2026 checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: weather history checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: year by year checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: how it all began checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: lodging checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: food and transportation checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: race week agenda checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: training runs checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: live broadcast history checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: volunteering checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: trail stewardship checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: sustainability checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: history of research checked 19 October 2026
- Western States: UTMB World Series checked 19 October 2026
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