The course climbs Wonderland Trail Road, so this is not a flat morning. The surroundings are Blue Ridge mountain scenery, and the route is a genuine uphill challenge rather than a cruise. The new start and finish is at Robbins Pool, which gives the race a clear anchor in town.
Sticky buns, coffee, and beer are waiting at the finish line, which makes the climb feel more worthwhile once you get there.
Free race emails
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Blowing Rock on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Blowing Rock — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.