Monument Valley Ultra

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Monument Valley Tribal Park, Monument Valley UT

Saturday, March 1st, 2025

🏞️ Monument Valley Ultra

A 50K and Half Marathon Adventure Through the Heart of the Park!

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park – March 1, 2025

🎉 Welcome to MV Ultra Weekend!

50K Start: 7:00am
Half Marathon Start: 9:00am
REGISTRATION: Online registration for the MV Ultra is now open through an hour before race time on Saturday, March 1.
Capacity: The cap for the race is 400 runners. Please contact us if you have need for a hardship discount for registration.

📍 Location

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 23 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona and 20 miles south of Mexican Hat, Utah. The park straddles the Arizona/Utah border, and the races all start and finish in Arizona.

📋 Packet Pick-Up

Packet pick-up will take place at the Monument Valley Visitor Center:

Friday: 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. for the 50K, and 8:00-9:00 for the Half Marathon.
Location: The Visitor Center is located next to The View Hotel and within sight of the Start/Finish area.

🏃 Course

The race is staged on very challenging routes, with the majority of miles on singletrack trail, dirt roads, and the Valley Drive. The 50K race starts at 7:00 a.m. and has two cut-offs. The Half starts at 9:00 a.m. and has no cut-offs.

A course map (jpg) is found HERE.

📏 Half Marathon Course

The race begins with a loop on the new Sentinel Mesa Trail, connecting with the Wildcat Trail to the top of Valley Drive Road at mile 4.5.

🗺️ 50K Course

The race starts with a loop on the new Sentinel Mesa Trail, leading into a series of segments, including:

First segment: Connects to the Valley Drive Road.
Three Sisters Aid Station: Visit at mile 9.95, and then an out and back to the top of Mitchell Mesa.
Scenic highlights: Includes Totem Pole, Rain God Mesa, Sand Springs and The Cube.
Final segment: Concludes with 3.5 miles back to the finish line.

⏰ Cut-Offs

Both cut-offs are located at Three Sisters Aid Station:

First Cut-Off: At mile 20.95 after the Mitchell Mesa segment, at 1:00 p.m. (6 hours).
Second Cut-Off: At mile 28.75 after the Backcountry segment, at 4:00 p.m. (9 hours).

💧 Aid Stations

Well-stocked aid stations throughout the course include:

Hydration: Honey Stinger energy gels, Gatorade, coffee/tea.
Nutrition: Fresh fruit, sandwiches, sweet snacks, and more.
Locations: Wildcat Trail A.S. at mile 4.5, and Three Sisters A.S. at various points.
Medical support: Provided by Utah Navajo Health System and other first responders.

👜 Drop Bags

Drop bags may be utilized at the Three Sisters Aid Station. Please:

Label: Clearly write your name and bib # on the drop bag.
Return: Drop bags will be returned to the finish throughout the afternoon.
Pick-up: Available on Sunday morning at the hogans.

🚻 Toilets & Trash

Portajohns located throughout the course: please follow backcountry etiquette if using the restroom elsewhere. This is a cup-less event, so bring a hand-held bottle or hydration pack.

🏅 Awards

Unique finisher’s medals for all finishers and special awards for top finishers:

Overall awards: For winners.
Age-group awards: For top performers in the race.

👥 Pacers

Pacers may join their runner after arriving back at Three Sisters A.S. after the Mitchell Mesa climb, approximately mile 20.

🌦️ Weather

The average March high temp in MV is 60, with an average low of 37. The weather can vary: wind, rain, and even snow are possible.

🏨 Lodging

The closest hotel is The Monument Valley View Hotel. Reserve at 435-727-5555. For more rustic options, contact Jamieson and Lorraine Black at Dineh Trailriders at (928) 209-2692.

Additional lodging options include Gouldings Lodge and Gouldings Campground.