Ultra Trail Moncayo 2027: date and distances

Plan your race pace

The mountain race in Añón de Moncayo will take place on May 1, 2027, according to the date provided for this edition. Its flagship distance crosses Moncayo Natural Park and, in the known 70-kilometre format, combines long climbs, high-altitude trails and close to 3,850 metres of positive elevation gain. The date is confirmed, but not all sporting and practical details for 2027 have yet been published in the available information.

The event starts in Añón de Moncayo, in Zaragoza province, and usually offers several options alongside the ultra: a marathon, half marathon and short speed race. Details published for the 2026 edition help explain the event’s character, but should not automatically be treated as the final 2027 regulations. The organisers still need to confirm the courses, start times, cutoffs, fees and entry conditions for the new edition.

A confirmed date in Añón de Moncayo

The 2027 calendar places the race on Saturday, May 1, with Añón de Moncayo as its host town. At the foot of the massif, the village is a natural starting point for a race that ventures into a landscape much larger than its small urban centre. The start on the Aragonese side of Moncayo connects the sporting event with paths, ravines and wooded areas in the natural park.

The date places the event at the beginning of May, a transitional time in the mountains. Spring may be felt at lower elevations, but conditions change with altitude: wind, humidity, shade and exposure on the ridge can alter the perceived temperature quickly. It therefore cannot be planned like a city race in spring, even if the morning in the village feels mild.

There is an important difference between knowing the race date and having the full programme. The available information confirms May 1, 2027, while many of the detailed figures come from previous editions. The date alone does not confirm that registration is open or that distances and start times will remain unchanged; those points require the announcement and regulations for this specific edition.

A high-mountain course through forests and scree

Moncayo’s scenery changes noticeably as the route climbs. Beech, oak and pine forests give way to more open slopes, stony sections and wind-exposed areas. The known ultra route reaches around 2,240 metres, near the massif’s highest elevations. The mountain is not just a backdrop here: it shapes pace, temperature and effort management over many hours.

Peñas de Herrera and the local ravines offer recognisable landmarks, although the precise route may vary from one edition to another. On exposed sections, runners can see far into the distance, but are also more vulnerable to the cierzo wind and changing weather. In the forest, by contrast, shade and moisture may linger even when the valley is already dry and sunny.

Moncayo is the highest peak in the Iberian System, at 2,314 metres, but the race should not be described as a direct ascent to its summit. Information from recent editions puts the route’s highest point at around 2,240 metres. That figure helps explain the challenge without overstating the course: the difficulty also comes from the distance, accumulated climbing and repeated ascents and descents.

Known distances and details still to be confirmed

The published information for the 2026 edition lists four events: a 70-kilometre ultra, a 44-kilometre marathon, a 23-kilometre half marathon and a 10-kilometre Speed Trail. Their published positive elevation gains are 3,850, 2,500, 1,130 and 380 metres, respectively. These are useful reference points for understanding the event, but they are not enough to guarantee that the 2027 programme will retain every distance and figure unchanged.

The long race has also been offered as a pairs event, a format that changes how the race is managed without making it any less demanding. Sharing the challenge means coordinating pace, nutrition and decisions on the course, as well as tackling the most exposed sections together. If the format returns in 2027, its rules—including entry requirements and how the course must be completed—will need to be checked in the updated regulations.

Previous editions have also included combined challenges linking events across the weekend. It should not be assumed that these combinations will be available in 2027, or assigned distances or names without new information. The most reliable guide to comparing events will be the official programme for the edition, particularly if the route, categories or start schedule change.

Elevation, cutoff times and checkpoints

The known ultra covers 70 kilometres with around 3,850 metres of positive elevation gain, a workload that requires runners to manage their energy from the first climbs. The published information for the 2026 edition lists a maximum time of 14 hours and 30 minutes. It also records intermediate checkpoints near kilometres 16, 35 and 55, with staggered cutoff times. These passage times refer to previous editions and are not guaranteed for 2027.

The available information is not entirely consistent about the long-distance course’s elevation gain: different listings give either 3,500 or 3,850 metres. This discrepancy is a reason to check the final technical details rather than treating one figure as fixed. Small route adjustments can change elevation data and checkpoint locations in mountain races, so the current version of the regulations should take precedence.

Cutoffs are not an administrative formality; they are part of race safety and management. The average pace needed to reach each checkpoint depends on the profile, trail conditions, stops and weather. A runner may lose minutes on a long climb or technical section without the effort feeling greater; knowing the official limits and route in advance makes it possible to assess the challenge realistically, not just by its mileage.

Equipment and weather: the mountain changes the rules

Previous editions’ published mandatory equipment for the ultra includes safety items such as a headlamp, rear light, hooded waterproof jacket, emergency blanket, gloves, whistle and long-sleeved clothing. Runners have also been told to start with at least one litre of water and carry a reusable cup, as cups are not supplied at aid stations. The final 2027 equipment list must be checked in the regulations, since requirements may vary by distance or expected conditions.

A headlamp matters if the start is scheduled before sunrise or if a runner reaches the final sections in low light. A waterproof jacket and clothing that covers the arms and legs provide protection from wind and a sudden drop in temperature, even when the day begins in sunshine. The emergency blanket and whistle take up little space and are intended for emergencies. Carrying them is not a formality: they are basic resources on a long, remote mountain course.

Historical weather data available for the date indicates temperatures of roughly 9 to 20 degrees Celsius, a perceived temperature of 7 to 18 degrees, around 12 hours and 24 minutes of sunshine, and close to 2 millimetres of average rainfall. It also records an average maximum wind speed of 17.6 kilometres per hour. These are indicative figures, not a forecast for race day: altitude and exposure can create different conditions between the village and the ridge, and a useful forecast will only be available closer to the start.

Travel, accommodation and race atmosphere

Añón de Moncayo is a small village, so accommodation in the town itself may be limited. Tarazona, Vera de Moncayo and Borja offer alternatives in the surrounding area for anyone needing a wider search. The distance to the start and each event’s scheduled time will affect the choice: an early start may make it more practical to sleep nearby than to drive before dawn. Accommodation for race weekend is worth checking in advance, although the specific conditions for 2027 still need confirmation.

A car is generally the most flexible way to reach Añón and travel between nearby towns, but transport plans should be based on information from the organisers. Mountain roads and access to a small village may require advance planning, especially when runners, supporters and visitors arrive at the same time. A special bus service or suitable public transport timetable should not be assumed: access and parking details need to be checked once the event arrangements are published.

The race also places participants near an area of natural and cultural interest. Tarazona, Veruela Monastery and the landscapes of Campo de Borja are part of the surrounding region, although sightseeing should not interfere with pre-race rest or bib collection. Runners and supporters can combine the mountains with local heritage; for the event itself, the priorities remain the course and care for a protected natural area.

How to assess the challenge before entering

Seventy kilometres and several thousand metres of climbing make the ultra an endurance mountain event, not a conventional long-distance race. The elevation requires runners to alternate between running and hiking depending on the gradient, while descents put strain on the quadriceps and ankles. The total distance alone does not tell the whole story: the distribution of climbs, the type of surface and the time spent exposed at altitude all matter.

Previous trail experience, uphill and downhill training, and familiarity with safety equipment help runners understand the challenge. It also matters to have tested the pack, hydration system and clothing on long outings rather than using them for the first time at the start line. In a race lasting many hours, an irritating seam or a difficult fastening can become a persistent problem. Specific preparation means arriving with a margin and understanding how your body responds to the terrain, not chasing a theoretical pace.

The organisers have published cutoff times and equipment requirements for previous editions; these offer context but do not replace the current rules. Anyone considering the 70-kilometre event should factor in the time limit, checkpoints, altitude and independence between aid stations once those details are published for 2027. The shorter distances also take place in the mountains, so they are not easy urban versions of the race: each event requires respect for its profile and regulations.

What to expect from the 2027 edition

The May 1 date provides an anchor for the calendar, and the event’s character is clear from its setting: a mountain race based in Añón, with routes heading into the Moncayo landscape. Figures from 2026 describe a broad programme led by a 70-kilometre ultra, alongside 44-, 23- and 10-kilometre options. For now, the 2027 edition should be viewed as a race with a confirmed date and sporting details still to be published.

Before making decisions about registration, travel or equipment, runners will need to check the organisers’ announcement for the new edition. In particular, they should confirm the final distance and elevation, start times, time limit, cutoffs, mandatory equipment and fees. Differences between elevation figures in previous sources show why an old listing is not enough to plan for a demanding race.

The appeal of the event lies in its scale and changing landscape: from the shelter of the forests to open slopes where the cierzo can be felt, on trails that demand attention and across a day measured in hours. Moncayo rewards patient preparation and caution about anything not yet confirmed. With the date set and the 2027 regulations still to come, runners and supporters will be able to distinguish the event’s lasting character from the details that change from one edition to another.

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