Last updated June 7, 2026

Event for 2027 has not been confirmed yet… The Ice Age Trail 50 2027 is one of the oldest continuously-running ultras in the country and is rated by Strambecco as one of the Best Trail Running Race Events in the Midwest. Experience a truly unique course as you traverse the Wisconsin landscape. The Ice Age Trail 50 2027 route will take you through dense deciduous forests under the shade of tall pine trees, over rugged rocky ridges, and across sprawling open prairies. Along the way, you’ll observe a range of natural features and ice age geological and glacial formations, such as picturesque lakes, distinctive kettles, and towering kames.

There are 3 course options for participants: 50 miles, 50K, and Half Marathon. Registration includes race entry, timing chip, commemorative t-shirt, finisher’s award, catered lunch, and post-race party, including live music and awards ceremony. Awards are given to the top 3 men and women in each category, 13 categories, including overall winners. Registration opens in mid-December each year and sells out within hours.

The Ice Age Trail 50 offers a dynamic experience for those who appreciate varied landscapes. You’ll encounter changing sceneries, trail directions, elevations, grades, and diverse vegetation. Prepare for rocky paths and roots during steep ascents and descents as you navigate over the eskers. There are also delightfully runnable sections through pine forests, meadows, and alongside wetlands.

50-mile – This course is mainly single-track dirt, tree-rooted, and rocky, winding through forests and prairies with incessant hills. There are 13 aid stations, not including the start and finish line, with a mix of hydration and nutrition. The 50-mile is marked with yellow rectangles painted on trails and rocks.

50K – This 31-mile trail run has two basic sections. The part cruises along many known horse trails in the area. There is a narrow, single track winding up and over many hills with few flats. The second section has two loops of the Nordic Trail, a cross-country ski trail popular in Wisconsin’s winter months. During summer, they are wide, scenic, and runnable and provide every type of terrain possible in a gravel race. There are nine aid stations between start and finish, and 7 include fluids and food. The 50K is marked with orange ground flags.

Half-Marathon – This course is two loops on the Nordic Trail, which are wide, scenic, and a good representation of the glacial topography of the Kettle Moraine. There are three aid stations for each loop that you will hit twice along the course. The Tamarack Aid Station on your second time through the course is a marker that there are only 4.5 miles to go and all courses merge join together for the finish line. Blue ground flags mark this course.