LOOKING FOR PRICING? GO HERE.

Announcing the 3rd run of the Smoky Mountain Relay.

The Smoky Mountain relay was patterned after the famous Hood to Coast relay (12-person, 2-van team) in the Pacific Northwest. As a team member, you will be one of the first to experience the 208 miles of trails, forest service, and rural county roads that traverse this beautiful area.

The run starts at the Pink Beds in Brevard, NC and ends at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, NC. The Smoky Mountain Relay course takes runners through some of the most beautiful, pristine, and challenging terrain in the Southeast. Along the route runners will see the magnificent granite dome of Shining Rock and spectacular views from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Mountain to Sea trail. At night you will run far from city lights, but very close to the Appalachian and Bartram trails along the upper Nantahala River.  Along the course, you will run through many picturesque valleys framed by tree-covered mountains and meandering streams.  Speaking of streams, prepare for the opportunity to run through, over, and in the streams that cross our route.

Thanks to the suggestions of last year’s participants, we have made some significant changes to make this event more runner-friendly. We have spent time on the trails and have added signage and check points with course marshals. We have changed legs to make for simpler exchanges, and we are reworking the maps to allow for more descriptive narrative (landmarks every mile or as needed); the new maps will be on-line before we open registration. We are adding new faces to our organization to help along the way, and we are committed to having signage on the course by April 12 so that participants can become familiar with the course. And finally, we are reaching out more aggressively with advertising to grow this event. With a greater number of teams, we will be able to provide a much more positive experience for all participants.

Thanks to the folks at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, we are able to provide a world-class finish line celebration with hot showers, cold drinks, yummy food and some rockin’ mountain music. These fortunate participants will return home with vivid memories of running, camaraderie, and a few brief moments of sleep with 11 supportive friends who all shared in the beauty and mystique of the Smoky Mountains.

Teams

Running Teams (12 runners)

Running teams consist of 12 runners, with each runner completing 3 legs over 208 miles from North Mills River to Bryson City, NC. Run teams should plan on starting between 5:00am and 2:00 pm on April 20, depending on your teams’ average 10k run time.

Ultra Running Teams (6 or less runners)

Ultra teams run the full 208 mile running course from North Mills River to Bryson City, NC. Each member of the ultra team must run an equal number of legs (as close as mathematically possible). Start times will be determined once average 10k team times are submitted.