Elephant Mountain
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Event
Elephant Mountain Trail Runs takes place Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Cave Creek Regional Park in Cave Creek, Arizona. The event offers the following distances:
- 50 Mile
- 50K
- 35K
- 22K
- 12K
- 6K
The 50 Mile course is listed as 49.57 miles with 6,728 feet of elevation gain and a 16 hour time limit. The 50K is listed as 31.02 miles with 3,808 feet of gain and a 15 hour time limit. Key stats are also provided for the 35K, 22K, 12K, and 6K distances.
Course and race support
All courses use single track trails and dirt roads in Cave Creek Regional Park, the Maricopa Trail, Tonto National Forest, and Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. Typical desert trail conditions include rocks, sand, cactus, and gravel. Courses are marked with colored signs and plastic ribbons; each distance uses a specific sign color.
Aid stations are located every 3-7 miles and provide water, an electrolyte drink, snacks, and fruit. The event is cupless - reusable cups are available at registration and on race day. Drop bags are allowed at specified aid stations for the 50 Mile and 50K; 35K runners have no remote drop bag. Crews are allowed at start/finish and select aid stations; pacer rules vary by distance.
Logistics and series
The race is part of the Desert Runner Trail Series and scores points in defined divisions: the 12K scores for Quail, 22K for Roadrunner, 35K for Trail, and 50K for Ultra. There is a park entry fee of $7 per vehicle. Medical staff are based at the start/finish headquarters and timing is done with chip timing. Awards are given to top finishers and all finishers receive a finisher award. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
