VentureQuest Adventure Race
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VentureQuest Adventure Race
VentureQuest is a sprint adventure race staged at Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, MD on Saturday September 12, 2026. The event offers an 8 hour course option that mixes trekking, mountain biking, paddling, and navigation. Solo competitors and teams of up to four (male, female, or mixed) compete with all teammates required to travel together.
Checkpoints are dispersed inside and outside the park and must be reached on foot, by bike, or by boat. Soloists use kayaks for the paddle sections; teams of two to four use canoe(s). The exact order and segment distances are released on race day; the course typically includes the most distance on bike, then trekking, then paddling. Route choices and navigation decisions affect total distance and time.
Estimated maximum distances for the 8 hour course depend on route choice:
- Paddling: up to 4 miles
- Biking: up to 18 miles
- Trekking: up to 10 miles Total distance can be up to approximately 32 miles.
Mandatory gear includes a bike and helmet, a way to carry food and water, a watch (with limitations on GPS displays), basic bike repair items, a pen or Sharpie, a charged cell phone reserved for emergencies in a small dry bag, and the race passport and maps provided at check-in. Paddles, boats, and PFDs are provided for in-person racers; participants may use personal paddling gear if transported to the paddle area. Registration fees for the 8 hour class range from $125 to $155 with a youth rate of $50, and a US Adventure Racing Association membership is required during registration. Awards are presented to the top five in each category. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
