Trail de la VALLÉE DE LA MORT

Trail de la Vallée de la Mort is held at Furnace Creek, in Inyo County, California, in the heart of Death Valley, on December 5, 2026. Two distances are offered: a 42-kilometer trail marathon (26.2 miles) and a 21-kilometer half (13.1 miles). The route crosses one of the most recognizable desert landscapes in the United States, running between stretches of sand, rock formations and the mountains that ring the valley.

This is trail running in an unusually stark setting, and the particular silence of the place is part of what separates it from a conventional trail race. Expect to run slower than your road times and to pay closer attention to hydration than you would on pavement. Sixteen weeks with a weekly long run, some of it on loose or uneven ground, is a reasonable build for the 42K; the 21K is the better first step if you have never raced off road. Neither distance is the place to chase a personal best.