October 3, 2026
October 3, 2026
The Saddles 50 Miler is a loop ultramarathon through the high desert and ponderosa pine forests surrounding Prescott, Arizona — and one of the most visually striking 50-mile courses in the West.
Presented by Satisfy Running and race director Michael Versteeg, the Saddles 50 shares a start with the Saddles 100, beginning at 5:00 AM from downtown Prescott and sending runners on a clockwise loop through the Prescott National Forest trail system. The course links together some of the best singletrack in the region across terrain that shifts from high desert scrub to granite formations to dense pine forest, all at an average elevation of roughly 5,200 feet.
The 100-mile version of this race made headlines in 2025 with over 160 runners tackling approximately 12,000 feet of elevation gain. The 50-mile course follows much of the same routing — minus the Granite Dells section — and delivers the same caliber of trail, scenery, and challenge in a single-day format.
If the Saddles 50 is on your calendar, this is not a flat desert run. It is a serious mountain ultra at altitude, through technical singletrack, on a course that demands both fitness and self-sufficiency.
The 50-mile course is a single loop starting and finishing at separate locations in the Prescott area. Runners start from downtown Prescott and finish at Willow Lake. The 2026 edition runs clockwise and omits the Granite Dells section that the 100-mile course includes.
The course features:
Runners must carry the course map loaded on a GPS device or phone — the race manual explicitly states that course markings may be tampered with in sections, and self-navigation is part of the deal.
Pacers are not allowed in the 50-mile race. Crews are permitted at most aid stations. Shuttles transport finishers from the Willow Lake finish back to the downtown start area.
Prescott sits at approximately 5,200 feet, and the course climbs higher. For runners coming from sea level or low-elevation training environments, the altitude is a genuine factor. Reduced oxygen availability at effort, combined with the dry air and sustained climbing, produces fatigue patterns that are different from anything at lower elevations.
The landscape itself shifts throughout the race. Early miles pass through high desert terrain — scrub oak, manzanita, and exposed granite. Higher sections enter ponderosa pine forest with filtered light and softer footing. The contrast across 50 miles makes the course feel like several different races stitched together.
The Prescott National Forest contains over 450 miles of multi-use trail. The Saddles course selects from the best of it — genuine singletrack that winds through forest, crosses ridgelines, and navigates rocky terrain. This is not a desert road ultra on flat packed dirt. The trail surface varies constantly: loose rock, packed earth, exposed roots, sandy washes, and granite slab.
Runners who have only raced on groomed trail or fire road will find the terrain more demanding than expected.
The race manual is direct: carry the course on your device, bring a headlamp, be an adult. The course passes through remote sections of national forest where cell coverage is unreliable and aid station spacing requires planning. The strict 3-mile-per-hour minimum pace with enforced cutoffs means there is no room for extended aid station sits or navigation mistakes that cost significant time.
This race attracts experienced ultrarunners. It expects you to arrive with the skills and preparation to match.
Early October in Prescott delivers some of the best running weather in the Southwest. Daytime highs in the 70s, overnight lows in the 40s, and low humidity. The dry conditions are a welcome contrast to summer heat — but they also mean sun exposure on exposed ridgeline sections and dehydration risk that runners accustomed to humid climates may underestimate.
The course starts in darkness at 5:00 AM and most 50-mile finishers will complete the race in daylight. But runners toward the back of the field should plan for the possibility of finishing in fading light or darkness.
This is a mountain ultra with real climbing. The 100-mile course accumulates approximately 12,000 feet of elevation gain; the 50-mile course, while shorter and bypassing the Dells, still delivers thousands of feet of climbing across sustained ascents and descents.
Runners should expect:
Your training should include significant vertical work, time on rocky and technical trail, and preparation for sustained effort at elevation.
If you are building toward your first 50-miler, explore: Trail & Ultra Running Coaching
If you live and train below 3,000 feet, the jump to 5,200+ feet will be noticeable. Your heart rate will be higher at the same effort. Your breathing will feel less efficient. Recovery between climbs will take longer. The cumulative effect across 50 miles is significant.
If you cannot train at altitude:
The climbs on this course are not optional — they define the race. Your training must include sustained uphill work and controlled descents on technical terrain.
Training should include:
(See: Strength Training for Runners)
The race director explicitly warns that course markings may be tampered with. You must have the GPX file loaded on a watch or phone and know how to use it mid-race. Practice navigating with your device on training runs. Know how to zoom in, find your position, and make a course correction without panic.
This is a race skill that belongs in your training plan, not something to figure out at mile 30.
Altitude suppresses appetite and accelerates dehydration. The dry Arizona air compounds both effects. Your fueling and hydration plan needs to account for conditions where you may not feel hungry or thirsty even when you are falling behind on calories and fluid.
Key areas to dial in:
It can be — for the right runner.
The course is well-organized. The aid stations are staffed and stocked. The trail system is beautiful and varied. The October weather conditions are typically excellent for ultrarunning. And the loop format means you are moving through new terrain the entire race.
But this is not a beginner-friendly 50-miler in the way that a flat, well-paced trail race at sea level might be. The altitude, the technical terrain, the self-navigation requirement, the strict cutoffs, and the remote sections all demand a baseline of ultra-distance readiness and trail competence that goes beyond having run a marathon.
If you have run 50K or longer on trail and are ready for a meaningful step up in distance and difficulty, the Saddles 50 is an outstanding choice. If this would be your first trail race beyond marathon distance, build toward it with intention.
If you want coaching to prepare for a race like this, see How Online Running Coaching Works.
This race is a strong fit for runners who:
This is a race for runners who want their 50 miles to mean something. The course, the terrain, and the setting deliver that.
If the Saddles 50 Miler is on your calendar, your training should reflect what this course demands: vertical strength for thousands of feet of climbing, trail confidence on rocky and technical singletrack, altitude awareness, self-navigation skills, and the durability to keep moving for up to 17 hours in the Arizona high country.
Wild Dog Athletics provides personalized trail and ultra coaching for high-achieving adults stepping into ambitious goals — without sacrificing career, life balance, or long-term health.
→ Apply for 1:1 Running & Strength Coaching
Coach Abby Heffern
14x ultramarathoner and online running and strength coach who helps ambitious adults train for marathons and ultras with structure, clarity, and a plan that fits their actual life.
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