VentureQuest Adventure Race - Flintstone
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Event overview
The VentureQuest Adventure Race is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, Maryland. The event offers two course options: an 8-hour race and a 24-hour race. Disciplines include trekking, paddling, mountain biking, and navigation. Solo competitors and teams of up to four (male, female, or mixed) may enter. Team members must travel together for the entire race. Checkpoints are dispersed inside and outside the park and must be reached by bike, foot, or boat. Boats and basic paddling equipment are provided for in-person racers; soloists use kayaks and teams of 2–4 use canoes.
Distances
- 8-hour: up to approximately 32 miles total.
- 24-hour: up to approximately 100 miles total.
- Up to 4 miles paddling.
- Up to 8 miles biking.
- Up to 10 miles trekking.
The exact order and segment distances are kept secret until race day. The course typically contains the most distance on bikes, then trekking, then paddling. Many route choices are available during the race.
Gear, rules and logistics
Mandatory gear for each racer includes a bike, bike helmet, and the ability to carry food and water for the event. Team mandatory items include the race map and passport (provided at check-in), a basic bike repair kit, a watch (GPS watches that show distance are not allowed; Garmin in AR mode is allowed), a charged cell phone kept off except for emergencies, a pen, and a small dry bag. Additional gear requirements are listed for 24-hour competitors. Teams must stay within 100 feet of each other. Use of GPS devices with visual distance or map displays is forbidden except Garmin in AR mode. Portable music players are not permitted and pets are not allowed on course. Awards are presented to the top five finishers in each race category. Registration fees are charged per person and a US Adventure Racing Association membership (1-day or 1-year) is required during registration. The race stages out of the Mountain View Pavilion; the transition area is between the pavilion and the lake. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
