Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast: 10k Division
Much of the mediasize and romance with trail running over the past decade + has circled around ultra. The press, the sponsorship dollars, where the bar is set for a sense of challenge and achievement. However, shorter distances don’t require consumption of life in training and breakdown. Some of the 10k’s below not only offer technical terrain and elevation, but also the opportunity to find flow and not be constrained by holding back for the final miles.
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. For now, let’s checkout the ranking of the Toughest Trail 10k’s in the Northeast.
#21
Fire On the Rocks
McElhattan, PA
Month:
March
Distance:
6.5 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,411′
Gain / Mile:
217′
#20
Smith’s Knob Scramble
Montoursville, PA
Month:
June
Distance:
7 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,534′
Gain / Mile:
219′
#19
Eagleton Trail Challenge
Location
Month:
April
Distance:
5.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,386′
Gain / Mile:
257′
#18
Sproul 10k
Hyner, PA
Month:
June
Distance:
6.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,584′
Gain / Mile:
236′
#17
Macedonia Trail Race
Kent, CT
Month:
September
Distance:
7.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,795′
Gain / Mile:
249′
#16
Lucifer’s Crossing
Ithaca, NY
Month:
May
Distance:
6.3 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,577′
Gain / Mile:
248′
#15
Tiadaghton Trail 10k
Jersey Shore, PA
Month:
November
Distance:
5.8 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,415′
Gain / Mile:
244′
#14
Rock ‘N The Knob 10k
Claysburg, PA
Month:
September
Distance:
6.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,405′
Gain / Mile:
227′
#13
TARC Blue Hills Skyline
Milton, MA
Month:
July
Distance:
7.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,853′
Gain / Mile:
244′
#12
Wicked Tough 10k
Camden, ME
Month:
September
Distance:
6.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,670′
Gain / Mile:
269′
#11
Gunstock Trail Festival Peak to Peak
Gilford, NH
Month:
June
Distance:
6 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,758′
Gain / Mile:
293′
#10
Kismet Cliff Little Beast
North Conway, NH
Month:
September
Distance:
5 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,416′
Gain / Mile:
289′
#9
Soapstone Assault
Somers, CT
Month:
August
Distance:
5.1 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,572′
Gain / Mile:
308′
#8
Mahoosuc Ridge to River
Sunday River, ME
Month:
September
Distance:
6.9 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,183′
Gain / Mile:
316′
#7
Battle of Bristol Mountain
Canandaigua, NY
Month:
July
Distance:
6.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,506′
Gain / Mile:
380′
#6
Waterville Valley Mountain Race
Waterville Valley, NH
Month:
September
Distance:
6.9 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,770′
Gain / Mile:
401′
#5
Cranmore Mountain Race
North Conway, NH
Month:
October
Distance:
6.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,486′
Gain / Mile:
401′
#4
Swain Mountain Race
Swain, NY
Month:
August
Distance:
5.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,094′
Gain / Mile:
402′
#3
Loon Mountain
Lincoln, NH
Month:
July
Distance:
6 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,794′
Gain / Mile:
466′
#2
Mohawk Mountain Race
Cornwall, CT
Month:
October
Distance:
6.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,814′
Gain / Mile:
447′
#1
Marshak’s Mountain Race
Wilmington, NY
Month:
August
Distance:
7.3 miles
Elevation Gain:
4,999′
Gain / Mile:
685′
| Rank | Event | Town | State | Month | Strava | Plotaroute | Hello,Drifter | TopoFusion | Avg Elevation | Mileage | Gain Per Mile | Division |
| 21 | Fire on the Rocks | McElhattan | PA | March | 1546 | 1236 | 1411 | 1451 | 1411 | 6.5 | 217 | 10k |
| 20 | Smith’s Knob Scramble | Montoursville | PA | June | 1589 | 1391 | 1575 | 1579 | 1534 | 7 | 219 | 10k |
| 19 | Eagleton Trail Challenge | Lock Haven | PA | April | 1513 | 1200 | 1421 | 1411 | 1386 | 5.4 | 257 | 10k |
| 18 | Sproul 10K | Hyner | PA | June | 1596 | 1600 | 1690 | 1450 | 1584 | 6.7 | 236 | 10k |
| 17 | Macedonia Trail Race | Kent | CT | September | 1864 | 1725 | 1877 | 1712 | 1795 | 7.2 | 249 | 10k |
| 16 | Lucifer’s Crossing | Ithaca | NY | May | 1447 | 1623 | 1614 | 1623 | 1577 | 6.35 | 248 | 10k |
| 15 | Tiadaghton Trail 10k | Jersey Shore | PA | November | 1390 | 1482 | 1430 | 1359 | 1415 | 5.8 | 244 | 10k |
| 14 | Rock ‘N The Knob Trail 10k | Claysburg | PA | September | 1487 | 1358 | 1378 | 1395 | 1405 | 6.2 | 227 | 10k |
| 13 | TARC Blue Hills Skyline | Milton | MA | July | 1994 | 1581 | 1955 | 1881 | 1853 | 7.6 | 244 | 10k |
| 12 | Wicked Tough 10k | Camden | ME | September | 1724 | 1614 | 1719 | 1623 | 1670 | 6.2 | 269 | 10k |
| 11 | Gunstock Trail Festival Peak to Peak Challenge | Gilford | NH | June | 1865 | 1633 | 1775 | 1760 | 1758 | 6 | 293 | 10k |
| 10 | Kismet Cliff Little Beast 5 Mile | North Conway | NH | September | 1434 | 1302 | 1460 | 1466 | 1416 | 4.9 | 289 | 10k |
| 9 | Soapstone Assault | Somers | CT | August | 1705 | 1417 | 1522 | 1645 | 1572 | 5.1 | 308 | 10k |
| 8 | Mahoosuc Ridge to River 10k | Sunday River | ME | September | 2358 | 2030 | 2172 | 2171 | 2183 | 6.9 | 316 | 10k |
| 7 | Battle at Bristol Mountain 10k | Canandaigua | NY | July | 2632 | 2484 | 2467 | 2441 | 2506 | 6.6 | 380 | 10k |
| 6 | Waterville Valley Mountain Race | Waterville Valley | NH | September | 3229 | 2962 | 3054 | 1833 | 2770 | 6.9 | 401 | 10k |
| 5 | Cranmore Mountain Race | North Conway | NH | October | 2580 | 2290 | 2477 | 2596 | 2486 | 6.2 | 401 | 10k |
| 4 | Swain Mountain Race | Swain | NY | August | 2100 | 2017 | 2146 | 2112 | 2094 | 5.2 | 402 | 10k |
| 3 | Loon Mountain | Lincoln | NH | July | 3186 | 2952 | 3051 | 1987 | 2794 | 6 | 466 | 10k |
| 2 | Mohawk Mountain Race | Cornwall | CT | October | 2831 | 2808 | 2779 | 2836 | 2814 | 6.3 | 447 | 10k |
| 1 | Whiteface – Marshak’s Mountain Race | Wilmington | NY | August | 5,115 | 4978 | 4925 | 4978 | 4999 | 7.3 | 685 | 10k |
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