50K

The Rogue Gorge 50K is a super beautiful, fast-paced out-and-back course, and is 99% singletrack trail! The route travels along the rim of the Upper Rogue Wild & Scenic River for the entire route, involving 31.7 miles with 2800 ft. of ascent and 2800 ft. of descent. There are 4 aid stations along the course. 

The first half of the course is composed of mostly gently rolling, runnable dirt singletrack, while the second half is less hilly and faster but includes more technical lava rock sections. The trail surface is characterized by an intermittent assortment of smooth dirt trail, technical basalt lava rock and some rooty dirt trails— the technical sections will test your quick footwork and demand your focus but are super fun :)

Race Day Timeline

• RACE DATE: Saturday, October 19, 2024

• START/FINISH: Union Creek Day Use Picnic Shelter

• CHECK-IN: 7:00-7:50AM

• START TIME: 8:00AM

• CUT OFF 1: 12:30PM at Natural Bridge, Aid Stn #2 (Mile 16.3)

• CUT OFF 2: 2:15PM at River Camp Aid Stn #3 (Mile 22.4)

• CUT OFF 3: 4:00PM at Natural Bridge, Aid Stn #4 (Mile 28.5)

• FINISH CUT OFF: 5:00PM at Finish Line (9 hrs to finish).

Course Map & Profile

• Click on the course map image to open/save a high resolution copy.

• INTERACTIVE MAP: Click HERE for an interactive course map in Caltopo.

• GPX DATA: Click HERE for a .gpx data file of the course.

• ELEVATION CHANGE: The course has 2800’ of ascent and 2800’ of descent.

Aid Stations

The 50K has four aid stations and will be well supported with enthusiastic and experienced volunteers!  Be sure to express your appreciation for their support during the race. Medical support personnel will be present along the course. 

All Daybreak races are CUPLESS, so be sure to bring your own cup for liquid at aid stations. 

All aid stations will be stocked with water, Gnarly Nutrition’s Fuel₂O energy drink (200 cal per 20 oz., plus electrolytes!), soda and other standard ultra fare, including fruit, pbj sandwiches, Spring Energy gels, as well as basic first aid supplies. 

Crew Access

Crew and spectators are welcome at Big Bend and Natural Bridge aid stations, but not at River Camp. Please be sure to park respectfully in day use parking areas or on available roadside areas that do not block the race course, emergency vehicle access or other vehicles.

PLEASE PRINT THESE DIRECTIONS IN ADVANCE, as there is no internet in the area and we do not have the capacity to field ongoing questions from crew.

Turn by turn directions from Union Creek to Big Bend Aid Station (#1):

• Go NORTH on Hwy 62 for 1.2 miles

• Continue straight to merge onto Hwy 230.

• Continue NORTH on Hwy 230 for 0.9 miles.

• Turn LEFT onto Forest Road 6510 (Hersberger Road)

• Follow Road 6510 for 0.7 miles to Big Bend Trailhead (roadside parking only) to arrive at the aid station.

Turn by turn directions from Union Creek to Natural Bridge Aid Station (#2 & 4):

• Go south on Hwy 62 for 1.2 miles

• Turn RIGHT into Natural Bridge entrance road (stay left at the fork to enter the day use area, not the campground)

• Veer LEFT at the fork to enter the Natural Bridge Day Use parking (do not enter campground)

• Park at Natural Bridge Day Use, walk 100 yards on paved trail toward the river to arrive at the aid station.

Drop Bags

Drop bags will be available at Big Bend Aid Station 1 and River Camp Aid Station 3.

• SIZE: One drop bag per runner, smaller than a 20L daypack, water resistant and made of durable material. Bags that are too large or heavy will not be accepted or delivered to the aid station. 

• LABEL: Arrive to the race with a pre-made label adhered/attached to your drop bag that includes your first name, last name and bib number in large bold permanent writing. (By race week, your bib # is next to your name on the Ultrasignup participant)

• RETURN: Please consider that drop bags will not be returned back to your race staging area until the aid station shuts down after race sweepers arrive. Have your crew grab your drop bags from the aid station if possible.

• CONTENTS: Do not store valuables in drop bags! The race is not responsible for missing, damaged, lost or stolen drop bags or contents.

• FORGOTTEN BAGS: Please note we do not ship or deliver forgotten drop bags. You can arrange to pick up forgotten drop bags from us if we have them.

Course Detail

Start to Aid Station 1 (Big Bend): Runners start at the Union Creek Day Use picnic shelter, then depart on a narrow gravel service road up to the Rogue Gorge viewing area, then turn left onto the Rogue Gorge Trail. The Rogue Gorge Trail follows the east bank of the river downstream through gigantic old growth forest for three miles of gently rolling trail, then crosses a wooden footbridge over a narrow whitewater section of the river gorge. The course then turns right onto the Upper Rogue River Trail (URRT) going upstream along the western bank of the river for 6 miles. The course undulates through gullies, fords the shallow Flat Creek, climbing high above the river overlooking the Rogue Gorge canyon, while also dropping down right along the river’s edge at other times. The first turnaround occurs upon reaching Big Bend Trailhead for Aid Station 1.

Aid Station 1 (Big Bend) to Aid Station 2 (Natural Bridge): Runners return downstream on the Upper Rogue River Trail for 6 miles, then veer right at the junction from earlier in the day. The course continues downstream on the URRT before reaching the Natural Bridge area, where the entire river gets swallowed into an underground lava tube and springs back up to the surface a hundred yards downstream! Cross the gorgeous arched footbridge back to the east side of the river to reach Natural Bridge Aid Station.

Aid Station 2 (Natural Bridge) to Aid Station 3 (River Camp): From Natural Bridge, runners turn right and continue downstream along the URRT for about 3 miles to Woodruff Bridge Day Use Area, crossing a paved forest road (use caution and look both ways before crossing). You’ll find the river’s character shifts constantly from loud and raging one minute, then silent and gently flowing the next. The trail does the same, with a fast, buttery dirt single track flowing for a while, then some punchy and technical basalt lava rock sections. Past Woodruff, runners continue downstream along the URRT through more ancient old growth along the river. The fall foliage is insanely vibrant through this area in particular. The course then enters a more technical basalt lava section here, especially while passing the insanely beautiful Takelma Gorge, a deep, narrow chasm where the entire river is heaved around a tight 90 degree turn, where huge old logs are tossed up on the riverbank like toothpicks during the highest flows of spring melt out. After Takelma Gorge, the trail is becomes more mellow on a rolling gentle descent to a junction with River Camp for the aid station (bathrooms available here) and second major turnaround on the course.

Aid Station 3 (River Camp) to Aid Station 4 (Natural Bridge): Runners depart River Camp Aid Station and return upstream from the way they came on the URRT. Savor this serenely forested section of sugar pine, ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest. Look for the sugar pine’s gigantic cones lying around along the trail, some reaching 1.5 feet long…the biggest cones of any conifer in the world! Returning upstream along the Upper Rogue River Trail, runners travel back along the river from a different angle and perspective, enabling views they may have missed on the way out of Takelma Gorge on the way back up to Natural Bridge Aid Station. This section will feel like a bit of a grind, as the mild upstream grade and technical trail sections will demand your attention while your legs begin to feel the miles of the day.

Aid Station 4 (Natural Bridge) to Finish: Departing Natural Bridge Aid Station, runners turn right onto a brief paved section of the Rogue Gorge Trail through Natural Bridge Day Use Area (vault toilets available here). The trail then turns back to dirt singletrack, skirting along the river next to Natural Bridge campground. Runners continue upstream past the Natural Bridge campground on the Rogue Gorge Trail for a bit over a mile and will veer to the right past the other big silver footbridge they crossed over the river earlier in the morning (again, stay right and do not cross the footbridge). The trail follows the river for another 1.5 miles, then enters the Union Creek Campground. At the Union Creek footbridge, the course veers right again and travels along the south bank of Union Creek through the campground on the Union Creek Trail for just over half a mile. The Union Creek Trail then pops out at the Union Creek day use picnic shelter and amphitheater for the finish, right back where the day started!

Pacers

The event permit does not allow pacers.

Weather

Check the latest local weather here.

Cancellations

See the Daybreak Racing Cancellation Policy.

This event is located on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.