The organisers of the Moab 240 cancelled the 11 October 2026 race after flooding, strong winds and fallen trees made the route dangerous in south-eastern Utah. At the time of the announcement, no runner had officially finished. The decision comes as the event was getting under way on Friday 9 October at 6am, with a 112-hour time limit.
According to the loop profile shown by Destination Trail, the Moab 240 does not correspond to a simple 240-mile distance: it is listed as 389 km (241.8 miles), with 9,660 m of elevation gain. The course, starting from Moab, crosses desert terrain and canyons, runs over slickrock and crosses two mountain ranges around the Canyonlands and Arches national parks.
During the stop call, Destination Trail asked runners still on course to stay at their next aid station until the arrival of a team or a shuttlle. The organisers cite aid structures being carried off, tree falls, wind, rain, freezing temperatures, and the prospect of conditions worsening during the night.
Before the full cancellation, the difficulties affected in particular the Cottonwood Creek area, a few kilometres after the Bridger Jack aid station, at around 154 km (96 miles). Rain caused this watercourse to rise to a level judged dangerous: runners arriving at the crossing turned back. Around 70 runners and volunteers stayed at the station during Saturday night.
The evacuation of people who were stranded was coordinated by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office with the event team. The text states that a first bus arrived at around 11am on Sunday, and that the sheriff’s office said everyone stuck on the road had been able to get out by 12:45 local time. A further instruction was also issued: road access was impracticable and organisers asked teams not to drive to retrieve the runners.
