One of the oldest 100-milers in the country — 35 runnings and counting — a 17-mile figure-eight loop followed by an 83-mile out-and-back through the Ouachita National Forest, on forest roads, jeep trails, and the blue-blazed Ouachita Trail. Often called a great first 100, backed by legendary Southern-hospitality aid station support.
Quick facts
- Location: Camp Ouachita, SH 324, Perryville, AR (start/finish)
- Date: October 3–4, 2026 (35th annual)
- Distance: 100 miles — 17-mile figure-eight loop plus an 83-mile out-and-back; 30-hour cutoff
- Website: runarkansas.com/AT100
- Contact: Race Director Stacey Shaver, via runarkansas.com — organized by the Arkansas Ultra Running Association (AURA)
- Registration: Via RunSignup, opens Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). A Western States 100 qualifier.
Course description
Race headquarters and the start/finish are at Camp Ouachita on Highway 324. The race opens with a 17-mile, near figure-eight loop combining forest service roads with two crossings of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail before finishing at Lake Sylvia. From there, runners head out on an 83-mile out-and-back through the Ouachita Mountains — almost entirely forest roads and jeep trails of varying quality, plus about two miles of pavement on Highway 324 — turning around well past the midpoint before retracing the same route back to Camp Ouachita. In total, roughly eight miles of the course run on the permanently blue-blazed Ouachita Trail. Twenty-three fully stocked, volunteer-staffed aid stations support the route, reflecting the race’s long-standing reputation for “Good Time Running” and Southern hospitality.
Elevation change
Approximately 12,000 feet of cumulative climb — the Ouachita Mountains bring what locals call “sneaky-hard runnable hills” rather than any single monster climb, testing runners with steady, grinding elevation change from start to finish rather than dramatic peaks.
Aid stations
23 aid stations line the course, each fully stocked and staffed by volunteers, with designated crew-access points detailed in the runner packet. Drop bags are permitted at eligible aid stations (one per station), must be marked with bib number, name, and station name, and are returned to Camp Ouachita by early Sunday afternoon. Pacers may join beginning at the Powerline aid station (outbound mile 47.6), or from the start for runners 60 and older.
Special conditions & average temps
Early October in central Arkansas typically brings a high in the mid-70s and a low in the low 50s, but the race organizers are candid that conditions are unpredictable — “it has rained; it has hailed.” Darkness falls around 6:30–7:00 pm and dawn breaks near 6:30–6:45 am, so a flashlight is essential for the overnight hours. Hiking poles aren’t allowed until the Lake Sylvia aid station at mile 16.4.
Recent results — top 3, men & women
2025
- Men: 1. Justin Stewart 17:55:34 · 2. William Kent 18:42:06 · 3. Matt Smith 19:01:02
- Women: 1. Lauren Sewell 18:49:52 · 2. Bethany Madson 20:37:54 · 3. Sam Pruitt 21:02:31
2024
- Men: 1. Brendan Connell 15:08:34 (course record) · 2. Matt Pruitt 17:38:24 · 3. James Ebert 19:04:17
- Women: 1. Ashley Nordell 20:39:49 · 2. Lauren Sewell 20:55:24 · 3. Alyssa McClellan 23:13:57
2023
- Men: 1. Brendan Connell 15:48:53 · 2. Chad Hetrick 16:52:50 · 3. Wesley Hunt 17:15:15
- Women: 1. Nicole Laughton 16:53:05 · 2. Ashley Nordell 17:20:35 · 3. Laura Kearns 21:01:46
Registration deadline & how to get in
Registration opens each year on Valentine’s Day (February 14) through RunSignup and typically fills — check the race website for the current field cap and any waitlist. No qualifying race is required to enter, and the Arkansas Traveller is widely regarded as one of the more approachable first 100-mile courses in the country, though the cumulative climbing and long out-and-back still demand real preparation. Sub-24-hour finishers earn a special enameled buckle; sub-30-hour finishers earn a bronze buckle.
Traveling to this race? Find lodging near the venue via Hotels.com.