Ultra-Trail Australia 2027: Races, Entry and Course Guide

Routes | Published 2026-10-03 | By OUTRN Team

Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

Ultra-Trail Australia in Katoomba, 13 to 16 May 2027: the five races, fees, how entry works, the course, mandatory gear, where to stay and the 2026 winners of the four longest races.

Source: official entry page, official home page, UTAMiler page.

Furber Steps: 951 of them, and all five main races at Ultra-Trail Australia finish on them. The UTA11 runners take on all 951 at the end of 731m of climbing. The UTAMiler runners reach them after about 160km and 7,200m of climbing.

Ultra-Trail Australia, known as UTA, is a trail running festival in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. It is a UTMB World Series Major, the organiser named on the official site is USM Events Pty Ltd, and the 2027 edition takes place from 13 to 16 May. Almost 450 runners took on the 2026 UTAMiler alone, according to the official recap.

What is Ultra-Trail Australia?

It became a UTMB World Series Major in 2025, when the UTAMiler (the 161km race) was added, according to the UTMB World Series announcement. The same announcement says Majors award double Running Stones, which count toward the lottery for the UTMB World Series Finals.

The event runs on the Country of the Gundungurra people. The organisers acknowledge the Gundungurra nation as the traditional custodians of the land that runners travel across, and thank Gundungurra Elder Uncle David King for consulting and educating the event team.

Which Ultra-Trail Australia races are there?

Details below are for the 2027 edition, from the official race pages for the UTAMiler, UTA100, UTA50, UTA22 and UTA11. Time limits count from when you cross the start mat, and the pages say start times and cut-offs are subject to change.

There is also a 1km kids' race on Sunday 16 May, listed on the official home page. The minimum age is 18 for the UTAMiler, UTA100 and UTA50, 16 for the UTA22 and 12 for the UTA11. The UTAMiler needs a qualifying result: the entry page asks for an official 50km-plus finish between 28 March 2025 and 28 March 2027.

How much does it cost, and how do you enter?

The 2027 fees from the official entry page, in Australian dollars including fees and GST:

• UTAMiler: $1,170
• UTA100: $620
• UTA50: $420
• UTA22: $260 (the UTA22 race page quotes $225, so confirm at checkout)
• UTA11: $160 (the UTA11 race page quotes $140, so confirm at checkout)

Entry is online. UTMB Index holders got a 48-hour head start from 11am AEST on 15 September 2026, and general registration opened at 11am AEST on 17 September 2026. The official pages describe no ballot. On 4 October 2026 the entry page said general entries were sold out, the home page listed all five main races as full, the UTAMiler race page still showed an "Open Now" button, and charity bib entries were listed. There is no general deferral option, though pregnancy and assisted-reproduction exceptions apply under the UTMB World Series Path to Parenthood policy. Withdraw before 21 February 2027 for a 45% refund of the entry fee, or before 4 April 2027 for 22%.

What is the course like?

The official race pages describe each course in a few lines and name the landmarks, so here they are as named. The maps on those pages were still labelled as 2026 courses on 4 October 2026, and the organisers say routes are subject to change.

• Furber Steps: 951 steps and the final climb for every distance.
• UTA11: Prince Henry Cliff Walk via Echo Point, Fern Bower into Leura Forest, then Federal Pass through "the Landslide" to the base of the steps.
• UTA22: from Queen Victoria Hospital through the Kedumba Valley, then up "the final section of the Furber Steps" to Scenic World.
• UTA50: cliff tops with views of Mount Solitary, Wentworth Falls at about 25km, the descent of Kedumba Pass, then the 951 steps back to Scenic World.
• UTA100: Narrow Neck, Ironpot Ridge, Leura Forest, Wentworth Falls, Kedumba Pass and the Furber Steps. Checkpoints include Foggy Knob at 23.8km, Six Foot Track Outbound at 37.3km and Six Foot Track Water Point at 45.7km, which is why this event and the Six Foot Track guide belong together.

The 2026 UTA22 started under fog, had muddy sections, and winner Ben Duffus called it "a lot wetter than previous years". The 2026 UTA100 women's winner, Katarzyna Dombrowska, described "hundreds and hundreds of stairs" and cramped on the Furber Steps while leading, stopping for nearly five minutes.

What gear is mandatory?

On the official mandatory gear page, the UTA100 and UTAMiler have the longest list, including a waterproof jacket with taped seams, a long-sleeve thermal top, a charged phone with a working SIM, a headlamp and a hi-vis vest. The UTA50 drops the thermal pants, gloves, backup light and timing tag but still needs a headlamp and a hi-vis vest. The UTA22 and UTA11 drop the hi-vis vest, headlamp and dry sack, and their thermal top and jacket depend on the weather. The organisers announce the weather-dependent decisions before each race. The hi-vis vest must be worn when running at night, from 8pm to 6am. UTA100 and UTAMiler runners must also pass a gear check before collecting a race pack. Read the official page for the current list before you buy anything.

What is the weather like in May?

Bureau of Meteorology long-term averages for Katoomba in May are a mean maximum of 13.3°C and a mean minimum of 6.1°C, with 100.3mm of rain over about 8 rain days. The organisers say the gear list is the minimum to keep you safe in "the Blue Mountain's unpredictable weather systems".

Where do you stay?

The Fairmont Resort in Leura is the official accommodation partner, about 15 minutes from Scenic World. The Katoomba Convention Centre (KCC) offers dorm and private rooms within 200m of Scenic World, booked through Nirvana Travel and Accommodation rather than KCC directly. The pre-race information page, which still carried the 2026 Runner Guide on 4 October 2026, puts race check-in and the gear check at the KCC Auditorium, opposite Scenic World. You need photo ID, and only the registered runner can collect a pack. Check the 2027 arrangements with the organisers.

Can you spectate?

Yes, you can spectate at Ultra-Trail Australia. New for 2027, spectators who want to use the official UTA buses need to buy a Spectator Bus Pass, which gives unlimited access to the services from Thursday to Sunday, according to the transport and parking page. You can also use public transport or drive to the checkpoints you can reach. The spectator page says family and friends can join a runner through the finish chute at Scenic World but not in the recovery zone. Support crew are allowed only at designated checkpoints for the UTAMiler, UTA100 and UTA50, and there are none for the UTA22 or UTA11. Live tracking is at live.utmb.world.

Who won in 2026?

Times are from the official news reports for the UTAMiler, UTA100, UTA50 and UTA22. The UTAMiler recap says both winners broke the previous course best times by more than an hour. The organisers say course routes are subject to change, so be careful comparing times across editions.

What do the steps feel like at the end? The official UTA100 course description puts you at the bottom of them after "about 99kms", with 951 steps between you and the finish at Scenic World. Matt Urbanski, co-founder of Team RunRun, finished ninth in the 2021 UTA100 in 10:41 and wrote in his race report: "And then you hit the Furber steps for the final km! Straight up, steep steps, all the way to the finish!" He was cramping by then, and his note to himself for next time was three words: "Practice more stairs!" That was the 2021 course, and routes are subject to change, but the 2027 race page still ends on the same 951 steps.

Is Ultra-Trail Australia for you?

For the UTA11 and UTA22, possibly; for the longer races, only after a proper build. The official UTA22 page calls its race achievable for newbies to trail running, but it still climbs 1,200m in 22km and finishes on the Furber Steps. The UTA50, UTA100 and UTAMiler are long races that start or finish in the dark, with mandatory gear, and the UTAMiler needs a qualifying 50km-plus finish. The entry page says UTA100 runners "should be experienced in trail running" and describes the course as "tough, demanding" and remote in sections, with steep staircases, ladders and creek crossings. If an ultra is your goal, our first ultra marathon training guide covers how to build to one.

Inspired? Run the same mountains without a race

If your race is sold out, or you want the terrain without a start line, we are building a four-day trip in the Blue Mountains: one house near Katoomba and Wentworth Falls, a different run each day, no timing chips and no race clock. Dates are still to be confirmed and the price is an estimate of about $1,650 per person. Booking is not open yet, so register your interest and we will contact you first.

Register interest in Run the Blue Mountains

Sources

All checked on 4 October 2026.

• Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB, official site: home page and 2027 dates
• Ultra-Trail Australia, official race pages: UTAMiler, UTA100, UTA50, UTA22, UTA11
• Ultra-Trail Australia: Entry info and race rules
• Ultra-Trail Australia: Mandatory gear
• Ultra-Trail Australia: Pre-race info, Transport and parking, Spectators, Accommodation, Landholders
• Ultra-Trail Australia, 2026 race reports: UTAMiler, UTA100, UTA50, UTA22
• UTMB World Series: HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB announced as the new Major for Oceania in 2025
• Bureau of Meteorology: Climate statistics for Katoomba (Farnells Rd), station 063039
• Matt Urbanski, Team RunRun: Ultra Trail Australia 100k Race Report (2021 race)

Register interest in Run the Blue Mountains