Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon & 17 Mile Fun Run

Welcome to the 28th annual Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon and 17 Mile Blaylock Creek Fun Run. Both events are on an out-and-back well-marked course beginning and ending at the Big Fork Community Center, using the Athens Big Fork Trail.  Full Marathon runners will climb eight mountains twice for a total of SIXTEEN mountains with ~7,000' of cumulative gain!  Whether this is your first ABF or you're returning for your twentieth, we can't wait to welcome you back to one of Arkansas' most challenging and rewarding trail races.

For decades, the Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon has been a donation-only event thanks to the generosity of our runners, volunteers, sponsors, and the Arkansas Ultra Running Association. We are incredibly thankful for the support that has allowed this race to thrive for so many years.

Beginning with the 2027 race, ABF will transition to a traditional registration fee. This change will help us better plan for race day, maintain accurate participant registration, and ensure a safe, well-organized event for everyone on the course. 

One new benefit of the registration fee is that every registered runner will receive a catered post-race meal, which has previously been available as a separate purchase. In addition, all runners who cross the finish line will receive a commemorative award, a new tradition we're excited to introduce this year. We hope these additions make race day even more enjoyable while preserving the welcoming, community atmosphere that has always made ABF so special.

As always, this race is about giving back to the trail running community. All net proceeds from the race will be donated to the Big Fork Community Center, whose generosity allows us to use their facility as race headquarters each year, and to the Ouachita Amateur Radio Association (OARA), whose volunteers play a vital role in keeping our runners safe throughout race day.

Our goal is to keep registration as affordable as possible while preserving the friendly, grassroots spirit that has made ABF a favorite for so many years.

We will have three fully stocked aid stations. All aid stations will be fully stocked with your typical aid station fare. In addition, each of our aid captains provides their own bougie concoctions for you to enjoy (Arkansas Crepes, anyone??)! Please bring your own cup or handheld because we are a CUPLESS race. 

The post-race meal will once again be catered by Cheryl at the Big Fork Mall. Race swag and additional meal tickets for family and friends will be available as optional add-ons during registration. Please purchase extra meals in advance, as meal tickets will not be sold on race day, and race swag is available by pre-order only.

We encourage you to bring a chair, blanket and other comfort items and plan to stick around to cheer in the finishers.  The community experience at the finish is one of the many things that makes this race so unique and popular, and we love catching up with our trail family!!

Awards:

Every finisher will receive a commemorative finisher award. We will also have special awards for overall male and female in both the full and fun runs.  We offer unique awards to our 10, 15, and 20 year finishers, as well!

Aid Stations:
MARATHON RUN:
Little Missouri Trailhead
Mile 3.8 Outbound & Mile 22.4 Inbound

3:42PM Cutoff (Mile 22.4)

Blaylock Creek West Trailhead
Mile 8.5 Outbound & Mile 17.7 Inbound

10:30AM Cutoff (mile 8.5) for marathon runners

Turn Around (Forest Rd B23F – Southern Trailhead)
Mile 13.1 – the turn around

*Marathon runners may drop to the 17 mile fun run on race day. This can be a game day decision. We highly encourage all marathon runners to take a good assessment of how you are feeling when you reach Blaylock Creek (mi 8.5) and if it just isn't your day switch to the Fun Run.

*There is an early start option for those requiring more than 9 hours. Do NOT take this option if you are capable of finishing in the 9 hour timeframe. (Early start details will be included in race email.)

*Due to the remote nature of this event, there is NO SHUTTLE SERVICE with the exception of a medical emergency. You go in on your own two feet and you come out on your own two feet. Again, this is a good reason to take an honest assessment of how you are feeling when you arrive at the Blaylock Creek aid station. It can be a long and tough slog if you do not heed this warning. 

17 MILE FUN RUN:
Little Missouri Trailhead
Mile 3.8 Outbound

Blaylock Creek West Trailhead – Turnaround
Mile 8.5 Outbound – Turnaround for 17 mile fun run only

Safety/Required Gear: a hydration system (handheld or bladder) and a light source (handheld or headlamp). A windbreaker or space blanket is strongly suggested but not required. Runner safety is a high priority for us. We will have HAM radio operators at every aid station and they will be in communication with us at Net Control at all times. We also have several medical entities on standby. It is worth taking your cell phone because runners are often able to get service on the top of some of the mountain peaks. I will provide my cell number in the December runner email. 

 NOTE: This event is NOT for trail-newbies.

If you are not an experienced trail – or ultra-runner (or adventure racer), we happily invite you to one of the other UTS runs, BUT NOT THIS ONE. This is a difficult event on a difficult trail that presents many opportunities for one to get lost, injured, exhausted, or incapacitated–with sparse access for rescue.

Please do not be enticed into trying this run because of the difficulty warning–it is merely an honest attempt at preventing the run organizers from having to find and rescue someone ill-equipped for the event.

A cut-off time of 10:30am (2.5 hours) will be enforced at the turn-around (half-way) point for the 17-mile run. Runners reaching that point after 10:30 must turn around (–NOT proceed on the marathon course). 

Important: No Bib Transfers

Bibs are non-transferable. If you register and later find that you cannot attend, please do not allow another runner to use your bib or participate under another runner's registration.

These policies are in place for everyone's safety. In the event of an emergency, we must know exactly who is on the course and be able to account for every runner. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide a safe and enjoyable event for everyone.

Registration will continue to be limited in accordance with our U.S. Forest Service permit, helping preserve the quality of the event and the trail experience for everyone. We usually have a waiting list, so if you don't get in on your first try, please be patient. There's a good chance you'll be offered a spot as race day approaches. If you're unable to race, we'd also love to have you join our volunteer team!