Custer’s Last Stand

A fast, fun and challenging course utilizing Fort Custer's red, green & yellow trails awaits you!  Whether you're looking to keep up your conditioning as Iceman awaits or perhaps attempting your first Mountain Bike race, Custer's Last Stand is a great race for you.

The 7.5 miles of trail is 95% single track, but affords enough passing room for courteous racing.  Participants will be sent off in waves w/everyone in their race class every 2 minutes.

All post race proceeds donated to the House of Promise (Lansing, MI) for human trafficking victim rehabilitation.

Click for the => Trailmaps link to Custer's Last Stand XC course

Clock for the => Strava link to Custer's Last Stand KIDS COURSE

Fort Custer is bi-directional and this is a Saturday event. 

• Pre-riding the course:
  • Park at the Eagle Lake Beach.  This is the 1st right hand turn after crossing the Eagle Lake Dam.  The course will start near the NW corner of the Eagle Lake concession (brick) building and head east going UP the Eagle Lake Hill climb.
  • You'll ride behind the Hilltop Pavillion heading east, staying on the grass make the 180 degree turn around the pavement and stay parallel to the parking lot and go around the Prarie pavilion before crossing Fort Custer Drive and taking a RIGHT on Green Section 11

Fully vaccinated: there is no requirement for you to wear a mask

To summarize: there will be social distancing, masks, hand sanitizer.  Everyone's safety is the #1 priority.

Day of Registration:

• Elite - Expert - Single Speed CLOSES at 9:15 AM

• Sport - Fat Bike - Tandem CLOSES at 11:45 AM

• Beginner CLOSES at 2:00 PM

• COST: $65 for all race classes, KIDS race is FREE

Packet Pick Up:

• WHERE: Fort Custer Recreation Area (5163 Fort Custer Dr, Augusta, MI 49012) - follow ARROW signs all the way back to Eagle Lake Beach parking area

• WHEN: Saturday, October 10, 2026 @ 8:00 AM

CANCELLATION / ADVERSE WEATHER POLICY:

We reserve the right to delay or cancel the start of "Custer's Last Stand" in the event of inclement weather and or unsafe trail conditions. The definition of inclement weather and unsafe trail conditions belongs solely to the discretion of the Race Director.

TRAIL RULES: Custer's Last Stand does NOT have exclusive rights to Fort Custer trails on race day.  Therefore the potential for non-racing mountain bikers, runners and walkers on course should be considered.  When approaching someone ahead of you please let them know by verbally making them aware with as much notice as possible.

BIKE EQUIPMENT:

• Bikes allowed: Cyclocross, Mountain, Fat, or Tandem

• You must wear an ANSI/Snell approved bicycle helmet

• No aerobars, recumbents, or e-bikes allowed

 
START ORDER:

Custer's Last Stand is now a Wave Start race format.  Safety is #1 in importance, and logistics secondarily.  With that said, we'll look at final numbers within each race class the last 4-5 days before race day and determine if any race classes will be grouped together.

3 LAPS/22.5 MILES: 
ELITE MEN, EXPERT MEN, SINGLE SPEED, ELITE WOMEN, EXPERT WOMEN
​
2 LAPS/15 MILES: 
SPORT MEN, SPORT MEN CLYDESDALE, FAT BIKE MEN, FAT BIKE WOMEN, SPORT WOMEN, TANDEM
​
1 LAP/7.5 MILES: 
BEGINNER MEN, BEGINNER MEN CLYDESDALE, BEGINNER WOMEN
 

9:30 AM START TIMES:

• 9:30 AM = Elite Men Open

• 9:32 AM = Elite Men 40 +

• 9:34 AM = Expert Men 39 & under

• 9:36 AM = Expert Men 40 - 49

• 9:38 AM = Expert Men 50 +

• 9:40 AM = Elite / Expert Single Speed

• 9:42 AM = Elite Women Open

• 9:44 AM = Expert Women 39 & under

• 9:46 AM = Expert Women 40 +

12:00 PM START TIMES:

• 12:00 PM = Sport Men 30 - 39

• 12:02 PM = Sport Men 40 - 49

• 12:04 PM = Sport Men 19 - 29

• 12:06 PM = Sport Men 15 - 18

• 12:08 PM = Sport Men 50 - 59

• 12:10 PM = Sport Men 14 & under

• 12:12 PM = Fat Bike Men Open

• 12:14 PM = Sport Men Clydesdale

• 12:16 PM = Sport Men 60 - 69

• 12:18 PM = Sport Men 70 +

• 12:20 PM = Sport Women 40 - 49

• 12:22 PM = Sport Women 19 - 39

• 12:24 PM = Sport Women 50 +

• 12:26 PM = Sport Women 15 - 18

• 12:28 PM = Sport Women 14 & under

• 12:30 PM = Fat Bike Women Open

 
2:15 PM START TIMES:

• 2:15 PM = Beginner Men 40 - 49

• 2:17 PM = Beginner Men 50 - 59

• 2:19 PM = Beginner Men 30 - 39

• 2:21 PM = Beginner Men 60+

• 2:23 PM = Beginner Men 19 - 29

• 2:25 PM = Beginner Men 15 - 18

• 2:27 PM = Beginner Men Clydesdale

• 2:29 PM = Beginner Men 14 & under

• 2:31 PM = Beginner Women 40 - 49

• 2:33 PM = Beginner Women 50+

• 2:35 PM = Beginner Women 19 - 39

• 2:37 PM = Beginner Women 15 - 18

• 2:39 PM = Beginner Women 14 & under