Desert Rats Trail Running Festival
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Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB - Fruita, Colorado
Desert RATS Trail Running Festival by UTMB is a three-day trail running event in Fruita, Colorado, scheduled for 9 to 12 April 2026. Races take place on high desert terrain that includes red slickrock cliff buttes, mesas, and sections running alongside the Colorado River. Course surfaces include flowy singletrack and cliff-edge sections with views of the river and surrounding desert.
The event offers four distinct race distances across separate days and records elevation gain for each course. The 100K and 50K are longer endurance events; the 21K and 10K provide shorter options. The festival also includes a basecamp festival party and a free kid's race as part of the weekend activities.
Desert RATS functions as a dual qualifier. Runners who complete the 100K in 20 hours or less earn eligibility to bid for a spot in the 2027 Western States Endurance Run. Finishers of the 100K, 50K, or 21K receive a UTMB Index and Running Stones that can be applied to the 2027 UTMB World Series Finals lottery.
Distances and reported elevation gains: Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
- 100K - 100 km, elevation gain 2050 m+
- 50K - 48 km, elevation gain 1050 m+
- 21K - 21 km, elevation gain 700 m+
- 10K - 9 km, elevation gain 200 m+
