May 5-10, 2025

Cocodona 250

250 Miles

Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, AZ

The Cocodona 250 links together some of the most iconic trails and towns in Arizona for one monumental undertaking of 250 consecutive miles on foot.

Join us in May for this life altering ultramarathon adventure.

*Distances may vary slightly each year due to permitting.

Event Location

Start
Deep Canyon Ranch
8181 East Deep Canyon Rd
Black Canyon City, AZ 85324

Finish
Heritage Square
120 N Leroux St
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Event Timeline

Start
5:00 AM - Monday, May 5, 2025

Time Limit
125 Hours

Race Cutoff
10:00 AM - Saturday, May 10th, 2025

Bib Pickup

Sunday May 4th, 2025
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Race check-in and drop-bag drop off at the Start Line (Deep Canyon Ranch, Black Canyon City)
5:30 PM
Race Briefing / Q&A .
Highly recommended but not mandatory. Start Line (Deep Canyon Ranch, Black Canyon City).

Monday May 5th, 2025
3:45-4:45 AM
SPOT Trackers issued
5:00AM
Mass start of race

Register Now

Registration closes: Sun, Apr 27 @ 11:59PM MT

Pricing Information

Race
Race	5/6/24 thru 6/30/2024	6/30/24 thru 10/31/2024	11/1/24 thru 4/29/25*	Walk-Up Registration
Cocodona 250	$1,595	$1,645	$1,695	NO
Sedona Canyons 125	$645	$695	$745	NO
Flagstaff Crest 39	$175	$200	$225	NO

Prices don't include AZ State & Yavapai County taxes (6.35%) or UltraSignup registration fees.
*Runners registering after 4/15 aren't guaranteed their name on bibs, race shirts, and other race goodies.

Course Information

Key Stats

Date | Monday, May 5, 2025 - Saturday, May 10, 2025

Start Time | 5:00 am

Distance | 256.0 Miles

Time Limit | 125 Hours (10:00am on May 10th)

Total Estimated Elevation Gain + Loss | Gain: 40,667 feet + Loss: 35,674(2025)

Surface Distribution | Single-Track (45%) - Double-Track (46%) - Pavement (9%)

World Class Trail Systems | Black Canyon National Recreation Trail, Prescott Circle Trail, Sedona, Arizona Trail & Flagstaff Loop Trail

Journey Through Mainstreet | Crown King, Prescott (Whiskey Row), Jerome, Clarkdale, Sedona & Flagstaff

250 Mile Course Map

CalTopo Interactive Map

GARMIN Direct Download

250 Mile Elevation Profile

Total Estimated Elevation Gain | 40,667 feet (2025)

Total Estimated Elevation Loss | 35,674 feet (2025)

Max Elevation | 9,241 feet

Min Elevation | 1,996 feet

250 Mile Course Description

The Cocodona Trail is a curated route through central Arizona linking historic towns and trails off the beaten path. The rich history of the towns linked up through little traveled ranges makes this a one-of-a-kind tour of Arizona.

From the beauty of the Sonoran desert, through canyons and pine forests this is a magical route. The accomplishment of traveling the Cocodona Trail on foot will be one of the most life changing and epic journeys of an endurance athlete's career. We envision this as a once in a lifetime experience and the pinnacle endurance challenge in North America.

DETAILED 2025 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS HERE.

Detailed Course Descriptions

The experience of a lifetime running 250 miles across the most scenic lands in Central and Northern Arizona connecting together multiple geographic zones, towns and communities highlighting the best of what Arizona has to offer.

This point to point 250ish mile foot race will link together the towns of Black Canyon City, Crown King, Prescott, Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Sedona and Flagstaff in what can only be described as a life changing test of endurance.

This route will celebrate not only some of the best trail locations in Arizona, but also its people, history and landscapes.

In the spirit of re-education of whose lands we are on, we acknowledge that the course traverses many Indigenous lands, communities, and landscapes. The route crosses the Akimel O’odham (Upper Pima), Hohokam, Yavapai Apache, Ndee/Nnēē (Western Apache), Jumanos, and Hopitutskwa Indigenous, traditional, and ancestral lands. We offer our respect to all ancestor’s past, present, and future. The Indigenous communities across this route are still here, protecting, healing, thriving, and centering their culture and traditions. The landscape the runners, pacers, and crews follow shows an intersectionality of many Indigenous Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations since time immemorial, a place to gather, have ceremony, trade, travel, and live. We offer our care and gratitude to the land, water, and air, to the Indigenous peoples still here today, and to the next generations. We would like to thank Rising Hearts for providing this beautifully crafted land acknowledgement and all of the work they do to make this world a more socially, economically, and environmentally just place.

The run begins at Deep Canyon Ranch in Black Canyon City, the gateway to the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail. Already known nationwide for its incredible trail running opportunities, the Cocodona 250 will start on the Black Canyon Trail with winding single track through the Sonoran deserts among Saguaro Cactus and Ocotillos. The Black Canyon Trail climbs up and then descends down to the base of the Bradshaw Mountain foothills.

After leaving the Black Canyon Trail near mile 8, the course takes a series of mining roads and jeep trails to climb towards the Bradshaw Mountains. This section of double-track can get pretty steep, rugged, and hot. Near mile 30, a sharp right puts the course on the Lane Mnt Trail, a steep but worthwhile climb as scenery transitions from Sonoran desert to Ponderosa Pine and views open up to endless ridelines, valleys, and Lake Pleasant in the distance. Once in the pines, temps will cool down and it’s only 5 more miles of rolling double-track into Crown King.

Cocodona is the only trail ultra-marathon to traverse the entire Bradshaw Mountain range which parallels the Black Canyon Trail and leads north from Phoenix to Prescott. This diverse mountain range was settled by the Yavapai people beginning in the 1100’s and later mined for gold, silver and copper in the early 1900’s. From Crown King, runners have a slow and steady 4 mile climb toward Tower Mnt before getting far off of the beaten path.

Runners will be treated to ridgeline views of the whole range, Aspens and Firs, creek crossings, and some beautiful single-track. As you hit some of the highest points in the Bradshaws, including Mount Union, this area offers the first views of San Francisco Mountain above Flagstaff…it feels a long way off. Mile 70 brings runners to the first Major Aid Station at Camp Wamatochick. From here the course hits the buffed out Goldwater Lakes trails to cruise down to Prescott.

Descending from the Bradshaws and on route to Mingus Mountain, the route crosses the Prescott Valley, an extremely diverse landscape containing Ponderosa pine forests, desert grasslands, lakes, and the unique Granite Dell rock formations.

But first, runners will head directly into downtown Prescott and a Major Aid Station on the infamous Whiskey Row, also the first place runners can pick up pacers. This was the first capital of the Arizona Territory dating back to 1864 and the epicenter of Arizona mining history, not to mention a great place for a shot of whiskey. After a few miles of pavement to stretch the legs, the course skirts Watson Lake and navigates the rocks of Granite Dells before hopping onto the Iron King Trail at mile 85.

Stretching diagonally across Central Arizona, the Black Hills rise up to almost 8000 feet and separate the Prescott Valley from the Verde Valley. Runners will climb single-track switchbacks up, up, up, and over the range to the top of Mingus Mountain.

The views from the top of Mingus, across the Verde Valley to the red rock walls of Sedona and the peaks of Flagstaff beyond are some of the most spectacular of the course. Fill your lungs with the view and then get ready for a technical decent on the North Mingus trail, eventually dropping you into the old mining town of Jerome.

Through one of the only wine producing regions in Arizona, runners will hit the Clarkdale main square on their way to the Verde River. Wading across the cool Verde River at the midpoint of the course will be a great way to refresh the legs before a 40+ mile stretch of world-class single-track.

This stretch starts with Tuzigoot National Monument and then hits the Aid Station in Dead Horse Ranch State Park before heading up the Lime Kiln Trail. Views go from great to amazing to bonkers as each crest feeds you more of the red rock vistas to come in Sedona.

Red rock country and one of the most iconic landscapes in the United States, Sedona’s beauty is beyond description. Runners will have plenty of time to soak up the views from every vantage point in the valley as the course traverses the entire valley under the big red walls and through the heart of the town.

At the end of this magical loop, the course leaves the valley and starts a massive climb up the Casner Canyon Trail. Once on top of the plateau, the route looks back on the beauty below in the Sedona valley. No doubt, a tear will be shed for the burning quads, whipping wind, and/or sheer beauty of the drop-off to either side.

The Arizona Trail spans 800 miles South to North across the entire state from Mexico to Utah. The Cocodona250 joins the Arizona Trail for 11 miles near Fisher Point in Walnut Canyon. The trail first runs down the middle of the canyon, a ribbon of perfect single-track, before climbing to the north ridge of the canyon. As the views down into the canyon give way to Campbell Mesa, San Francisco Peak and Elden loom above.

The final climb of the course is a doozy and it will also bring runners to the highest point on the entire race. The Elden Summit Trail climbs to just over 9000 feet above Flagstaff and a fire lookout tower that helps monitor for fires in the summer months.

After the summit, get ready for a quad pounder, as the trail drops nearly 2,000′ in 1.5 miles. If your legs were not already destroyed…wait, nevermind…everything is destroyed at this point. Your legs will be destroyed-er. After that brutal decent you’ve got 4 miles of gentle crushed granite bike path and another 1.5 miles of sidewalk into the finish. And you are done…literally.

Additional Race Information

PLEASE NOTE: PACKET PICK UP IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT YOUR REGISTERED RACE DISTANCE. IE) At Cocodona 250 Packet pick up on Sunday only the 250 distance runners can pick up their packets.

Sunday May 4^th, 2025

2:00pm - 5:00pm Cocodona250 Race check-in and drop-bag drop-off. Start Line (Deep Canyon Ranch, 18600 E Deep Canyon Trail, Black Canyon City, AZ). Aravaipa and Cocodona specific merchandise available for purchase. Food trucks onsite.

5:30pm Cocodona250 Race Briefing / Q&A / Food trucks onsite. Highly recommended but not mandatory. Start Line (Deep Canyon Ranch, 18600 E Deep Canyon Trail, Black Canyon City, AZ).

*A pre-recorded race info session will be available prior to race week for those not able to attend.

Monday May 5^th, 2025

3:45am - 4:45am Cocodona250 4-liter capacity check & SPOT Trackers issued. Food/Coffee trucks onsite.

5:00am Cocodona250 Race start in mass.

4:00pm – 7:00pm Mingus Traverse check-in. Location in Prescott TBD.

7:00pm Mingus Traverse Race Briefing / Q&A. Highly recommended. Same Location.

*A pre-recorded race info session will be available prior to race week for those not able to attend.

Tuesday May 6^th, 2025

5:00am - 6:00am Mingus Traverse Drop bag drop off. Watson Lake Park, 3101 Watson Lake Rd.

6:00am Mingus Traverse Race start in mass. Watson Lake Park.

4:00pm - 7:00pm Sedona Canyons 125 Race check-in & drop-bag drop-off. Gold King Mine Ghost Town located at 1000 Perkinsville Rd in Jerome.

7:00pm Sedona Canyons 125 Race Briefing / Q&A. Highly recommended. Gold King Mine Ghost Town located at 1000 Perkinsville Rd in Jerome.

*A pre-recorded race info session will be available prior to race week for those not able to attend.

Wednesday May 7^th, 2025

5:45 am - 6:45am Sedona Canyons 125 SPOT Trackers issued. Gold King Mine Ghost Town located at 1000 Perkinsville Rd in Jerome.

7:00am Sedona Canyons 125 Race start in mass.

Thursday May 8^th, 2025

4:00pm - 7:00pm Flagstaff Crest Race check-in and drop-bag drop-off at the Start Line located at Fort Tuthill County Park.

*A pre-recorded race info session will be available prior to race week.

Friday May 9^th, 2025

7:00am Flagstaff Crest Race start in mass. Fort Tuthill County Park located at 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop in Flagstaff.

10:00am - 10:00pm Aravaipa and Cocodona specific merchandise available for purchase at the finish at Heritage Square in Flagstaff.

Saturday May 11^th, 2025

6:00am – ???? Aravaipa and Cocodona specific merchandise available for purchase at the finish at Heritage Square in Flagstaff. Sat 6am-until 30 mins after last finisher.

???am Last Cocodona 250 finisher celebration. Heritage Square in Flagstaff. Come spirit tunnel in the last finisher and see them receive the DFL award. Typically, sometime between 7:00am-10:00am.

Aid stations will all have water, an electrolyte drink, sodas, sweet snacks, salty snacks, and fruit. Most aid stations will also have a substantial hot meal. All aid stations will have vegan options available – please ask.

Cocodona 250 – 21 aid stations and 4 water stations.

Sedona Canyons 125 – 10 aid stations and 2 water stations.

Mingus Traverse 82 - 6 aid stations and 1 water station.

Flagstaff Crest 39 – 4 aid stations.

Pacers are allowed on the Cocodona 250 course starting at mile 79 (Whiskey Row).

Pacers are allowed on the Sedona Canyons 125 course starting at mile 55 (Munds Park).

Pacers are to accompany their runner on foot (no bikes). Multiple pacers may be used, but only one at a time and must swap out at designated pacer access aid stations.

Pacers will need to sign a pacer waiver which will be available at each pacer-access aid station. Pacers will be provided with a pacer bib which must be worn and visible while out on the course. Checkout more info for pacers in the Runner Guide.

*Pacers are not allowed for the Mingus Traverse 82 and Flagstaff Crest 39 mile race.

The course will be marked with orange plastic ribbons with black polka dots. Please pay attention to these signs at each junction. In addition, WRONG WAY flagging (blue & white checkerboard).

Although the course will be adequately marked, runners will be required to carry a GPS enabled device with the course file and are responsible for understanding the layout of the course. Please familiarize yourself with the course maps on our website prior to race day.

At Aravaipa Running, we want to create and ensure a space for every athlete, fostering inclusivity within our sport. It is important to us that all runners and participants are accepted and welcome at our events. In that respect, we have established the following Transgender & Non-Binary Policy.

Transgender Athletes – We will accept each entrant’s declared gender at face value. No additional supporting evidence is required.

Challenges of Results Involving Transgender Athletes – Aravaipa Running will not tolerate hateful or discriminatory behavior by any of our runners, or those associated with the race, regardless of the cause. Our commitment to inclusivity extends to fostering a culture of respect and understanding among all participants. We expect all parties to behave in a manner that is honest, compassionate, and respectful. Discriminatory behavior or challenges based on gender identity will not be tolerated or entertained.

Non-Binary Athletes – Non-binary and gender non-conforming athletes are encouraged to register as their self-identified gender. UltraSignup now offers a non-binary option for runners upon registration. We pass this option on to our runners when they register. If you have an existing account, you may need to edit your account to indicate your gender as non-binary.

Non-Binary Awards – Awards will be provided to the top-three Non-Binary athletes, alongside the Men’s top-three, Women’s top-three, and DFL awards.

Policy Review and Feedback – We are committed to ensuring this policy remains up-to-date and equitable. Your feedback is important to us. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email RD Steve at steve[@]aravaiparunning[dot]com.

Entry fees are non-refundable. A 75% UltraSignup credit of entry fees paid will be available until 60 days prior to event or 50% between 30-60 days. No race credits will be issued within 29 days of the event. Credits will be good for one year from date of issuance and can only be used once. If you withdraw from an event for which credits were used, you will not be reissued those credits. This reissuance policy also includes credits earned and used by volunteering. No cash refunds or transfers to another participant or event will be issued under any circumstance. No rollovers or transfers to next year. Withdrawals can be made directly in UltraSignup and the credits will be automatically credited to your account. Selling or transferring race entries is not permitted.

Whether planned or unplanned, an expected or unexpected start or end to a pregnancy, healing and recovery time are required for a woman’s overall health. Aravaipa is committed to being fair across the board…to everyone. Individuals who need a deferral due to these circumstances are eligible to receive 100% UltraSignup race credit, good for two years from date of issuance.

For merchandise or other add-ons (but not including the standard shirt or equivalent goodie), we will provide a 100% future race credit for the cost of the merchandise or other add-on in UltraSignup up until we order the items. These credits can only be used on race entry fees. After we place the order, we cannot provide any refunds or credits. Race shirts may only be picked up in person at packet pickup, we cannot mail out shirts to participants that do not attend the event.

We understand that issues arise at the last minute that can prevent a runner from arriving at the start line. We incur most costs early in the planning process, and this policy represents our ability to reasonably provide something to runners who cannot attend, while keeping our entry fees low and race quality high.

Cocodona links up some of the most diverse terrain that Arizona has to offer and it also runs through the most important historical towns in the State. Event founder Jamil Coury wanted to find a way to run from the outskirts of Phoenix to downtown Flagstaff – from the Sonoran Desert to the ponderosa pine forest of his home State while also incorporating some of Arizona’s oldest towns. The goal is to inspire not only those participating in this grand adventure on foot, but also the people who breathe life into these amazing communities the race traverses through.

The name Cocodona is derived from “Coconino”, the county and National Forest where the race ends and “Sedona” one of the most iconic towns surrounded by incredible red rocks we’ll traverse through.

2021 was the inaugural year for the event and we had 174 starters and 108 finishers (62% finish rate). Original course progressed west out of Sedona and up onto the Coconino Plateau via the Casner Mountain Grade.

2022 gave us the Crooks Fire and a major reroute (85 miles) of the course. The start line was changed to Prescott with a counterclockwise loop around town and an out-n-back to Skull Valley. Another out-n-back was added in the Munds Park area to keep the mileage up to 250. In addition to the route changes from the fire, we changed the course to leave Sedona to the east and climbed onto the Coconino Plateau via the Casner Canyon Trail. We had 220 starters and 151 finishers (69% finish rate).

2023 was the year we found our final home for the Cocodona course. No more major course changes to the 250 course. We also added the Sedona Canyons 125 and the Elden Crest 38 race distances to the event. We had 193 starters and 139 finishers (72% finish rate) for Cocodona, 65 starters and 52 finishers for Sedona Canyons, and 112 starters and 105 finishers for Elden Crest.

2024 saw no major reroutes for the Cocodona course. Although the 250 course stayed untouched, the Sedona Canyons 125 and Elden Crest 38 race distances saw significant course changes due to Forest Service permitting complications. We had 278 starters and 202 finishers (72%) for Cocodona, 197 starters and 142 finishers for Sedona Canyons, and 162 starters and 158 finishers for Elden Crest.

During the race, it is MANDATORY to carry a gps enabled device with the course file downloaded. This device can be a handheld GPS unit, watch, or smartphone. The smartphone is the easiest and least expensive option.

To use a smartphone, install a mapping App such as Gaia, GuruMapsPro, TrailForks, Strava or AllTrails to your phone. Then download the course GPX file from CalTopo. Please find the CalTopo map in the yellow button in the 250 Mile Course Map on this webpage. You can also download the GARMIN file directly to your Garmin device - this file is in the yellow button directly next to the CalTopo map. The course will appear, as well as your location (blue dot). Badabing Badaboom.

Protip – Place your phone in airplane mode to maximize battery life.

SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2026. Scholarship deadline will be 10/15/2025. Competing in the Cocodona250 is a life changing event. If you are not able to afford the Cocodona250 registration, will be ready to take on the physical challenge, and need something to do the first week of May, please fill out this google form.

Please email Assistant RD Erika at erika[@]aravaiparunning[dot]com with any questions about the scholarship.

If everyone could experience it, we feel the world would be a better place. But the barriers are high. Commitment, training time, logistics, crew, pacers, travel, and the determination needed to complete the race make this a big pill to swallow. Not to mention the large registration fee (it isn’t cheap to organize, we might add). Aravaipa extends the opportunity to one runner who might not otherwise be able to afford the race entry for Cocodona250. Selection will be made and announced on 10/30/25. If you would like to donate to our scholarship entry pool, you can do so HERE.

CHARITY BIBS SOLD OUT FOR 2025. Aravaipa has partnered with Wander Project to offer a charity bib program for Cocodona (all race distance options). Runners in this program commit to raising a minimum amount for charity ($5000 Cocodona, $3000 Sedona Canyons, or $1250 Flagstaff Crest). A portion of these funds go to cover race costs and charity bib administration and the rest goes to the non-profit(s). Runners have the ability to select their own charity as well as benefiting the official non-profit partner of the race, Wilderness Volunteers. If you are interested in participating in this program, please DO NOT register on UltraSignup. Instead, register on RunSignup. More information on the program can be found on RunSignup.

We are so lucky to make the outdoors our passion and we want to continue to keep the beautiful trails we enjoy clean and open for future use. We realize that an event of this magnitude has an environmental impact but Aravaipa has committed to minimizing that impact. To that end, Aravaipa will have recycling and Terracycling of wrappers at aid stations, will offset carbon footprint from staff travel, and the race will be cupless. We encourage runners to offset their own carbon footprint and we welcome any ideas you may have to increase the race’s environmental sustainability. Explore, enjoy, protect!

What does CUPLESS mean? There will be no paper cups for cold drinks at the aid stations. Runners will be responsible for carrying their own containers to refill along the way. Grab a cup, a hydration vest, pouch, or water bottle and we will fill it at each aid station along the way. We ask you to help us in our efforts by preparing for a cup-free race day and thank you in advance for being good stewards of the trail. We will provide hot cups for coffee, broth, and soup.

We have paired with Terracycle to help collect and recycle gel packets, energy bar wrappers, and other generally non-recyclable materials that we find every day in the running community. Look for our Terracycle containers at each aid station.