Trails Collective

Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast: 100k Division

Despite their being fewer options, some of the northeast’s biggest cult classic trail races are over the 100 km distance. 100 km is long enough to take you into, and hopefully out of, the second waive of pain cave miles. Several in the lineup below start runners at night, and, in two in the dead of winter as an extra kick in the gut. But so goes the setting that yields legendary adventure and stories. A couple are distance step-children to their 100 mile siblings. One is not only run over signature #BeastCoast technical terrain, but also provides no supplemental markings or aid. One is one of the oldest trail races in our region. A few are some of our only Western States qualifying opportunities.

For those arriving directly here, check out our lineup of the Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast across distances. We also have related articles on Most Scenic, Historic, Flat & Fast, and others to come. Here’s the Trails Collective ranking of the top 12 toughest 100k’ish distance trail races in the Northeast.

Toughest 100k Trail Races in the Northeast, Ranked

#12

DUC 100k

Pocomoke, MD

#11

Vermont 100k

West Windsor, VT

#10

Oil Creek 100k

Titusville, PA

#9

Laurel Highlands Ultra

Ohiopyle, PA

#8

UROC 100k

Vesuvius, VA

#7

Cloudsplitter 100k

Norton, VA

#6

Twisted Branch 100k

Naples, NY

#5

Virgil Crest 100k

Cortland, NY

#4

SRT 70

Rosendale, NY

#3

Black Forest

North Bend, PA

#2

Hellgate

Natural Bridge Station, VA

#1

World’s End 100k

Forksville, PA

100k Trail Race Ranking Grid

Rank	Event	Town	State	Month	Strava	Plotaroute	Hello,Drifter	TopoFusion	Avg Elevation	Mileage	Gain Per Mile	Division
12	DUC100k	Pocomoke City	MD	February					1500	62	24	100k
11	Vermont 100k	West Windsor	VT	July	9993	9504	8832	9699	9507	61.5	155	100k
10	Oil Creek 100k	Titusville	PA	October	9042	9068	10788	10106	9751	60.8	160	100k
9	Laurel Highlands Ultra	Ohiopyle	PA	June	11145	9950	11257	8506	10215	66.6	153	100k
8	UROC 100k	Vesuvius	VA	May	10463	10387	12014	8755	10405	62	168	100k
7	Cloudsplitter 100k	Norton	VA	October	14217	11171	13343	14555	13322	66.2	201	100k
6	Twisted Branch 100k	Naples	NY	August	11025	9967	11650	12709	11338	63.4	179	100k
5	Virgil Crest 100k	Cortland	NY	September	13524	12172	13990	13208	13224	61.4	215	100k
4	SRT 70	Rosendale	NY	September	12329	9680	13425	10859	11573	70.5	164	100k
3	Black Forest	North Bend	PA	October	13269	11811	13320	10187	12147	63.9	190	100k
2	Hellgate	Natural Bridge Station	VA	December	13799	14616	16106	13831	14588	67.1	217	100k
1	World’s End 100k	Forksville	PA	June	12,400	10925	11158	10054	11134	63.6	175	100k