The Mt. Taylor Experience
09.26.26
High above the mesas of western New Mexico, Mt. Taylor rises as a sacred peak long honored by Native peoples and respected by all who move across her slopes. She watches over desert, forest, and sky, a guardian of endurance, beauty, and balance.
Just 90 minutes west of Albuquerque near Grants, Mt. Taylor feels worlds apart: quiet, raw, and alive. Her trails wind through pine and aspen, open meadows, volcanic ridgelines, and the storied Continental Divide Trail.
In the Navajo tradition, we rise before dawn to run east and greet the sunrise, then climb to 11,301 feet, where 360-degree views stretch across the Southwest.
The Mt. Taylor 50K is a nonprofit, runner-built ultra celebrating this sacred landscape, scenic, demanding, and unforgettable. Come run where few have and feel why Mt. Taylor is more than a mountain.
Run The Sacred Mountain
Rising 11,301 feet above the high desert, Mt. Taylor, known as Tsoodzil in Diné (Navajo), is one of the four sacred mountains that define the traditional boundaries of the Navajo homeland. She represents the southern guardian, a symbol of strength, protection, and renewal. The mountain’s slopes are rich with history, from ancient volcanic flows to the pine and aspen forests that thrive today.
To those who visit, Mt. Taylor feels both vast and intimate. Her trails carry the scent of sage, the stillness of high meadows, and the quiet hum of wind through timberline ridges. Every step here is a reminder that the land itself has memory, and welcomes those who move with respect and gratitude.
Race Info
The Mt. Taylor 50K was born from a small group of local runners who wanted to share the beauty and solitude of these trails with others. From the beginning, this has been a non-profit, runner-built event created not for fame or spectacle, but to give back to the community and to honor the mountain that makes it possible.
What started as a grassroots mountain ultra has become a beloved fall gathering that attracts runners from across the Southwest and beyond. Each year, participants return not only for the challenge but for the sense of belonging—to the land, to the people of Grants, and to one another.
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Saturday, September 26. 2026
Mt. Taylor
La Mosca Lookout Rd
Grants, NM 87020The race begins at the Rock Tank Shelter in the Cibola National Forest. Please plan for about 40 minutes of drive time from Grants—the mountain roads are winding, and the final 5 miles are gravel.
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The Mt. Taylor 50K is a challenging mountain ultra that climbs from the high desert forest to the 11,301-foot summit of Mt. Taylor. Runners gain and descend about 7,000 feet across a course that moves through pine and aspen stands, open alpine meadows, and sections of the Continental Divide Trail. The mix of singletrack, forest roads, and rugged mountain trail offers a balance of runnable stretches, steady climbs, and fast descents.
The terrain shifts constantly—smooth forest floor, rocky ridgelines, and high meadows alive with wind and wildflowers. Each climb reveals wider horizons, and the final push to the summit delivers 360-degree views that stay with you long after the finish.
Runners should stay alert to altitude and hydration throughout the race. Aid stations are located at key points along the route, each stocked with water, electrolyte drinks, sodas, and a variety of trail snacks to keep you fueled from start to finish.
This is a course that challenges the body and steadies the mind, a route that reminds every runner why Mt. Taylor is more than a race, it is an experience of movement, respect, and awe.
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PACKET PICK-UP:
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Friday, September 25, 2026RACE DAY:
Saturday, September 26, 2026
5:45am Start line check in
6:30am Start (Rock Tank Shelter)
12:00pm Mile 16 cutoff (Rock Tank)
3:30pm Mile 25 cutoff (Caldera Rim)
5:30pm Finish cutoff at 11 hours
*Awards awarded as runners finish
*BBQ at finish line -
There is Zero Parking by the start area! However, we do have limited parking available in the camping area just before Rock Tank Shelter. Arrive early to get a spot. High Clearance vehicles will have more parking deep into the meadow area.
There are also some spots to park at below Horace Rd just before 547 turns to dirt.
Carpooling
You can attempt to carpool from the dirt lot by Horace Rd.
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Bag Drop will at the Rock Tank Shelter Aid Station.
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We need your help! Email us if you and your friends want to help out. It’s always a great time with a great group of people.
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Coming Soon!
Supporting Navajo YES
The Mt. Taylor 50K is proud to support Navajo YES, an organization dedicated to community wellness, lifelong fitness, and youth empowerment across Diné Bikeyah.
Founded in 1988 with youth adventures in the Shonto community, Navajo YES became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1994 as Youth Empowerment Services for Diné Bikeyah. Since then, the organization has inspired thousands through outdoor programs, races, and trail projects that connect people to land and tradition.
Over the years, they’ve led more than 250 wilderness outings for youth, organized events like the Tour de Rez, Chuska Challenge, and Shiprock Marathon, and in 2015 launched the Navajo Parks Race Series. Their ongoing trail and community initiatives have built and maintained hundreds of miles of trails across the Nation—helping ensure that running, cycling, and exploration remain part of Navajo life for generations to come.
Navajo YES continues to reach thousands of youth and families each year, celebrating movement, connection, and the healing power of the land.
Our Partners
The Mt. Taylor 50K is proud to partner with the City of Grants, along with valued sponsors and organizations whose generosity makes this event possible. Together, they help us strengthen our trail community, protect the mountain we run on, and celebrate the spirit of endurance that defines ultra running.
We’re deeply grateful to every partner and sponsor who helps bring this mountain experience to life.
