Description
This is a rocky, challenging, and scenic trail race at Coopers Rock State Forest in north central West Virginia. The 50 km course covers nearly every trail on the south side of the forest, features several scenic overlooks of the Cheat Canyon and Cheat Lake, towering boulder formations, and has 5000 feet of elevation gain. The half marathon (21 km) course is a shorter version of the same trails and has 2000 feet of elevation gain. There are no repeating loops on either the 50 km or half marathon course.
Please read all of the race information that follows, as many things have been updated from previous years.
Location
Coopers Rock State Forest is located at Exit 15 off of I-68, roughly 15 minutes east of Morgantown, WV. The race starts at the Overlook Area. After exiting the interstate, turn towards Coopers Rock State Forest and continue south down the main forest road for 3 miles until reaching the Overlook Area.
Date and Time
Both the 50 km and half marathon races will start at 7:00 am, April 26, 2025. There will be a brief pre-race meeting at 6:40 am on April 26.
Entry Fees
50 km: $95 if registered by 2/2/2025. $110 if registered between 2/3/2025 and 3/10/2025. Registration between 3/11/2025 and 4/18/2025 is also $110 but you are not guaranteed to receive a shirt. Online registration closes after 4/18/2025. You can register for the race in person during packet pickup (see times below) for $120 cash or check but you are not guaranteed to receive a shirt. If you don’t get a shirt then check back with us after the race at the finish line to see if we have any extras.
Half Marathon: $70 if registered by 2/2/2025. $85 if registered between 2/3/2025 and 3/10/2025. Registration between 3/11/2025 and 4/18/2025 is also $85 but you are not guaranteed to receive a shirt. Online registration closes after 4/18/2025. You can register for the race in person during packet pickup (see times below) for $95 cash or check but you are not guaranteed to receive a shirt. If you don’t get a shirt then check back with us after the race at the finish line to see if we have any extras.
Switching Distances: 50 km entrants may switch to the Half Marathon by editing their registration in Ultrasignup before the race, or during packet pickup, but the difference will not be refunded in either case. Half Marathon entrants may switch to the 50 km before the race by editing their registration in Ultrasignup and by paying the difference in fees, or during packet pickup and by paying $25 in cash or check at that time.
Refund Policy: A 70% refund will be granted until 3/10/2025. Ultrasignup processing fees will not be refunded. After 3/10/2025 no refunds will be allowed – no exceptions. However, you may transfer your entry to another runner until 4/18/2025. Absolutely no deferrals to next year’s race will be allowed – no exceptions. Please do not register for the race if you don’t agree to the terms of this refund policy.
Race Cap
Both races combined will be limited to 250 entries.
Packet Pickup
Packets can be picked up on Friday, 4/25/2025 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Overlook Area at Coopers Rock State Forest, or on Saturday, 4/26/2025 from 5:30 am – 6:50 am at the same location.
Aid Stations
This race is now cupless! Please bring and carry your own collapsible cup on the course to use at aid stations, or use your running water bottle.
There are 6 aid stations on the 50 km course and 3 aid stations on the Half Marathon Course, spaced 3 – 7 miles apart. Please carry water and food between aid stations. Aid stations will be stocked with a standard ultra-marathon cuisine, including cookies, chips, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, water, gatorade, and et cetera. Aid station #1 will have a limited selection of food, as well as water and gatorade.
Cutoff Times
You absolutely must stop running/walking and follow instructions from the race volunteers to return to the start/finish area if you miss one of the cutoff times. You may not continue on if you miss a cutoff time. You cannot meet the cutoff times for either the 50 km course or the half marathon course by walking the entire way.
50 km Aid Stations
Aid 1: 5.0 miles Cutoff time: 8:30 am
Aid 2: 10.4 miles Cutoff time: 10:00 am
Aid 3A: 15.9 miles Cutoff time: 11:45 am
Aid 3B: 19.8 miles Cutoff time: 12:50 pm
Aid 4: 26.9 miles Cutoff time: 2:55 pm
Aid 3C: 29.5 miles
Finish: 31.1 miles Cutoff time: 4:00 pm (9 hours total)
Half Marathon Aid Stations
Aid 1: 5.0 miles Cutoff time: 8:40 am
Aid 4: 8.8 miles Cutoff time: 10:05 am
Aid 3: 11.4 miles
Finish: 13.0 miles Cutoff time: 11:30 am (4 hours 30 minutes total)
Rules
1. All entrants must be at least 18 years of age or older on the day of the race to enter either of the race distances.
2. All entrants must provide their real, legal name and actual contact information, including a cell phone number that we can reach you at immediately before and after the race, when registering for the race. You may be asked to provide a state issued photo identification as verification at check-in.
3. You must start on time. Late starts will not be permitted.
4. You must follow the marked course and check in at every aid station. One of the race volunteers will record your bib number and time at every aid station.
5. Your bib number must be worn in a place that’s clearly visible on the front of your shirt or shorts.
6. If you miss a cutoff time, you must follow the instructions from a race volunteer on how to return to the start/finish area.
7. If you drop out of the race before finishing, you must tell one of the race volunteers before leaving the course. If you don’t check in at an aid station, then a team of rescuers will be dispatched to search the forest and find you. By not telling us that you’ve dropped out of the race, you’re taking away resources that may be needed for other runners who are actually lost or injured.
8. You must comply if the race management asks you to discontinue the race at any time, if they believe that you are unfit to continue, or for any other reason deemed necessary by the race management.
9. Crews are not allowed at Aid Station #3 (near the McCollum Campground) unless they park at the Overlook area or the Day Use parking lot and walk or ride a bike to the aid station (approximately 1.5 miles from either parking lot via the Roadside Trail – we don’t recommend walking or biking on the roadway). Cars are absolutely not allowed to be parked at Aid Station #3, at McCollum Campground, or at the RV dump station near the campground. Crews may park at the large gravel parking lot at the Overlook Area to access Aid Stations #1 and #2, or at the Day Use parking lot to access Aid Station #4.
10. 50 km runners must finish the race with two punch marks on their bib from the two out-and-back sections to be considered an official finisher.
11. Pacers are not permitted.
12. Disrespectful behavior by the runners or their crews towards any of the event volunteers or the WV Division of Natural Resources staff may result in being disqualified from the race and banned from future races.
13. Failure to follow any of these rules will result in being disqualified from the race and banned from this race in the future. Please do not register for this Event if you are unable to abide by any of the rules, terms, or waiver conditions.
Shirts
All entrants who register by 3/10/2025 will receive a Sweat Vac technical shirt. Both men’s and women’s sizes will be offered. If you don’t get a shirt because you registered late, then check back with us after the race at the finish line to see if we have any extras. Specific details of the shirt to be provided are subject to change without notice.
Awards
Awards will be given to the top 3 men and women finishers of each race. There will not be a formal awards ceremony. Awards will be given out as the top finishers cross the finish line. All finishers will receive a finisher’s memento that is customized with race graphics.
Lodging
There are campsites available at Coopers Rock State Forest at the Rhododendron Campground and McCollum Campground, which are reservable in advance (61 County Line Drive, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525, https://wvstateparks.com/places-to-stay/campgrounds/coopers-rock-state-forest-camping/). We anticipate that the new star gazing cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest will also be available for rent at the time of the race. Additional camping is available nearby at Chestnut Ridge Campground (346 Chestnut Ridge Camp Road, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525, 304-594-1773, http://www.chestnutridgepark.com). There are many hotel options available in and around Morgantown.
Lunch
A post-race meal of meat and veggie sandwich burritos, and desserts will be free to registered runners after the race, starting around noon. Pepperoni and veggie rolls will be available for runners before noon. Extra lunches are available for purchase. Specific details of the post-race meal to be provided are subject to change without notice.
Drop Bags
For 50 km runners only, you may leave a bag inside Picnic Shelter #1 at the Overlook Area. This picnic shelter will be Aid Station #2 in the 50 km race. Please label your drop bag with your name and bib number. Alternatively, you may return to your car to pick up items as needed after checking in at Aid Station #2. You will run through the parking lot immediately after stopping in Aid Station #2, so it’s easy to get into your car at this point.
Finishing Times
Finishing times will be posted on Coopersrock.org under the Blog tab and at Ultrasignup.com nominally within 3 days of the race. Finishing times are provided on a best effort basis with no guarantee for accuracy or against the loss or withholding of finishing times if necessary for unforeseen reasons.
Photography
We do not hire paid, professional photographers for this event, but in the past we have been fortunate to have volunteer photographers who have donated their time and services to the race participants. If we have volunteer photographers available on the day of the race, then photographs will be distributed to the race participants after the race as we receive them. Photographs are not guaranteed, and there is no guaranteed timeline for receiving them.
Contact Us
For other questions, please use the Contact Us form on our website, coopersrock.org.
About Us
The Coopers Rock Foundation is a volunteer-based, non-profit organization that is dedicated to service projects at Coopers Rock State Forest. Any profit from this race will be reinvested into maintenance of the trails and facilities at Coopers Rock. We’re looking for new volunteers who are willing to get involved in making a difference at Coopers Rock State Forest. If you’d like to help, then get in touch.
Event's current local time: 9:30 AM ET
