Stagecoach’s point-to-point route provides an unparalleled cross section of the southern half of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. From the Fort Valley Trailhead start line, participants travel north on the Arizona Trail across Snowbowl Road and uphill to Aspen Corner. After traversing below northern Arizona’s famous mountain skyline and past Bismark Lake, participants enjoy an aspen-lined downhill singletrack to Kelly Tank — a course highlight. At Cedar Ranch — the 55K finish line — 100-mile runners and bikers continue and cover 20 miles of relatively new singletrack through Babbitt Ranch. Once in the Kaibab National Forest historic landmarks such as Moqui Stage Station, Russell Tank, Coconino Rim, Grandview Fire Tower and Hull Cabin double as aid stations where crew, pacers and relay teammates can meet their runner or biker. The race ends in the gateway town of Tusayan a few miles from the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

Skimming past results reveals a who’s who of local Flagstaff champions. In 2018 Coleen Lingley ran to the canyon in 17 hours and 56 minutes, the women’s 100-mile course record. Last September, Trueheart Brown, this year’s Sedona Canyons 125 winner, set Stagecoach’s long course ablaze, finishing in 14:40. Coconino Cowboy Jim Walmsley holds the 55K record in 3:30 and in 2024 Lindsay Kostenlnick won the race to Cedar Ranch outright covering the 34-mile distance in 4:31. Rob Krar, Dawn Stone, Neil Weintraub, Rob Hall, Mark Thurston and Eric Senseman, all past finishers, return to mark course or captain aid stations. Each year most runners finish the 100-mile distance during the final two hours of the event, making the Stagecoach finish line a scene of celebration.

As race directors, Emily and I are grateful of all the people and organizations we collaborate with to ensure event success — Babbitt Ranches, Arizona Trail Association, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, the Coconino Amateur Radio Club, Run Flagstaff, Flagstaff Bike Revolution, Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters, Squirrel’s Nut Butter and hundreds of hardworking, selfless volunteers. We’d be remiss without a special shoutout to Dana and Jen Ernst, who help orchestrate the bike race.

If you’re interested in participating in or volunteering for Stagecoach, please visit our race website for more details: https://runazt.org/flagstaff-to-grand-canyon-stagecoach-line-100/.