Saturday, Mar 29, 2025 at 7:00am
The Hone Quarry Ultra is a 40 mile-ish trail endurance race that begins and ends at Briery Branch in the scenic Shenandoah Valley. After entering the George Washington National Forest, the course winds its way through the mountains surrounding the Hone Quarry Recreational Area.
The course is a large loop with a few out and back sections. Runners will climb and descend several mountain ridges, all while experiencing the area's amazing natural landmarks. Course highlights include the Hidden Rocks trail, "Lover's Leap" overlook, a 15' waterfall, and Flagpole Knob -- which showcases a commanding view of the valley below.
Although there is a 13 hour 15 minute cutoff time, we caution not to underestimate the course. This is a technical mountain race with ~8000' of elevation gain and feels comparable to running a 50 miler. While there many runable sections (particularly the first and last 3 miles on roads), several steep climbs and technical descents make this race one of the more difficult 40 milers in the east.
Event Schedule:
6:00 - 6:45 am: Drop Bag(s) Drop Off, Mandatory Check-In, and Packet Pick-up
7:00 am: Race Start
8:15 pm: Final cut-off for all runners (13 hours 15 minutes)
Drop Bags, Pacers & Crew
Drop bags will be allowed at Union Springs (mile 12.7), HQ (mile 19.5), and Big Hollow (mile 29.2). Drop bags must be clearly labeled with the runner’s bib number, name, and most importantly the aid station name!
Due to the remote nature of this course, crews and pacers will not be allowed.
