"Disney is not the happiest place on earth. Anyone believing so has not participated in the Shut In trail race before. I use the word “participated” purposefully because this race offers up so many ways to be enjoyed that it brings with it its own feeling of belonging just by showing up to watch. For many, the first Saturday of November marks a special “runners homecoming”. The Arboretum offers up a beautiful fall backdrop of the changing seasons while 200 neon clad runners manage their pre-race anxieties. It feels like the entire running community is there, some running, some supporting runners and many just there to bear witness to the eventual legendary stories that will follow over the next few hours. All of them smiling. Hugging each other. Congratulating each other on whatever their journey looked like to get to the starting line that day and whatever will follow the starting gun. Sometimes that journey got to be shared through weekly group workouts or long weekend runs. A chance to push and encourage each other. Sometimes simply passing by someone coming up Ferrin as you’re going down, sharing nothing but a smile, could inspire the rest of your run. If it’s October and they’re on a hard trail, you feel like you know why. It’s a race that requires preparation and sharing the accomplishment of putting in that work with so many in one place is truly joyful.

So, as you lace up those shoes on what will surely be a beautiful first Saturday of November once again, take a moment to be grateful for all that you have and all that you have accomplished to get to the starting line. And mostly, be thankful for getting to share these moments with so such an amazing community who will be cheering for you all the way to Pisgah. And then another mile, thanks, Norm."

- Andy Brouwer, 2022

The origins of the Shut In race date back to December 13, 1980, when some 64 intrepid men and women assembled to clamor over rocks, roots, and fallen leaves as they followed the trail of the same name originally blazed by George Vanderbilt that led from his home, Biltmore, to his hunting lodge up on Mount Pisgah. Runners have continued that tradition now for 45 years, making Shut In one of the oldest continuous-running races in the region. On the first Saturday of November, 225 runners line up to put their grit to the test on 17.8 miles of a mix of paved road, double and singletrack through Pisgah National Forest in peak fall foliage. See us featured in Trail Runner Magazine on December 2018: https://trailrunnermag.com/races/shut-in-ridge-run.html 

You can register for the race using Ultrasignup starting August 1, 2024. There will not be a lottery for 2024. Registration is capped at 225 participants. 

You can register to volunteer using Ultrasignup starting August 1, 2024. We currently have plently of sweepers but will need water stop volunteers! Thank you for your interest in helping! 

If unable to participate , you can cancel your registration in Ultrasignup for a 100% refund up until 30 days before the start of the race. This way we can offer your coveted spot to others who are interested in running the race. We continue to offer a full refund (minus the service fee) until 11:59PM on October 1. After this point there will be not be any refunds available, regardless of circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience this could potentially cause. No deferments or bib transfers. Please do still withdrawal your name at any point if unable to participate, even if it is after the 10/1 date. This way we can fill all possible spots on race morning– we try our hardest to avoid no-shows.

Friday, November 1, 3:00 to 6:00 PM at Jus Running, 523 Merrimon Ave

Saturday, November 2, 8:30 to 9:30 AM at NC Arboretum 

Runners may park in the main parking area if their vehicle is leaving after the start of the race. If a vehicle is to be left and picked up later, please park in the parking areas that are auxiliary. With the longer race this year, remember that the arboretum will be closed by 6PM and is at least an hour drive from the finish line back to the arboretum. If a vehicle is left overnight, there will be a $20 charge by the arboretum to retrieve it. Alternate parking is available outside the arboretum at the river park across from the arboretum entrance or a quarter mile up the road at Bent Creek Baptist Church. 

Full course map for 2023 can be found HERE.

The course this year will be longer due to the Blue Ridge Parkway requirement that it or any other races can no longer finish on the Parkway. The race will start at the NC Arboretum at the original start and continue on the same course as in the past to the Mt Pisgah parking area. At this point it will continue one tenth of a mile on the paved road to the Buck Springs Overlook on the left. Runners will reenter the Mtn to Sea Trail on the right side of that overlook. Runners never reach the parkway during that one tenth of a mile paved stretch. Once on the Mtn to Sea Trail, runners will go one half mile to a two way intersection and will bear left onto the Laurel Mtn Trail. Runners will stay on this trail for 1 1/2 miles until the next intersection. Runners will take a right onto the Laurel Mtn Connector Trail for three tenths of a mile until it reaches the next intersection. At this intersection runners will take a left onto the Pilot Rock Trail and run for 1.85 miles until they reach Yellow Gap RD (FSR 1206). At Yellow Gap Road they will go right for seven tenths of a mile until they reach the left that takes them to Wolf Ford Horse Camp. After that left they will go one tenth of a mile and take a left into the campground and finish about half of a tenth into the finish line. The new distance for the course will be 22.6 miles. This new 4.8 mile section is EXTREMELY technical and slow except for the last dirt road section.

Race Finish: Wolf Ford Horse Camp at Yellow Gap Road. 

The cutoff times will be 2 hours 15 minutes (11:45AM) at Bent Creek Road, four hours 15 minutes (1:45PM) at Hwy 151 and five hours 15 minutes (2:45PM) at Buck Springs Overlook.

***If your number is pulled at these locations, you are no longer in the race. This is for your safety.

Aid stations are WATER ONLY (no food). All water stops are listed below. Crew are allowed to help runners with nutrition at the aid stations. There will be more significant food and beverages at the Finish.

There will be 8 water stops. Remember that the last one allowed by the parkway will be at the HWY 151 crossing. 

Hard Times Road 

Sleepy Gap 

Bent Creek Road crossing 

Beaverdam Gap 

Stony Bald Overlook 

Big Ridge Overlook 

Mills River Overlook 

HWY 151 RD crossing

When parking along the parkway, all wheels of the vehicle must be off of the roadway. No one is allowed to stop traffic on the parkway. Runners must yield to traffic. The last possible place to see runners is at the Buck Springs Overlook just below the old Mt Pisgah finish line. However, no one from the race will be allowed in the parking areas at that overlook. parkway personnel will be there to prevent anyone associated with the race from parking there. Parking is available about 1/4 mile from there at the Mt Pisgah Overlook on the opposite side of the parkway. It's an easy 5 minute walk from that area. 

After that, they will need to drive down the parkway to Hwy 276 and take a left towards Brevard. Yellow Gap Road(FSR 1206) will be 1-2 miles on the left down Hwy 276 and is the first possible left that you can take. Once you turn left you will drive 3.3 miles on Yellow Gap Rd until you take a right into Wolf Ford Horse Camp. Cars will be waved into the campground and directed where to park. Keep in mind that Yellow Gap Rd is a narrow dirt road with a number of one car at a time bridges to cross. Two cars may pass each other along the road but will need to pass slowly and pull close to the edge of their side of the road. Do NOT SPEED on this road. It can be a dangerous road if any speed is involved. Be patient.

Join us after Saturday's race to celebrate all the runners. Location: TBD

Blue Ridge Outdoors 2011

Blue Ridge Outdoors 2015

Trailrunner Magazine 2018

Citizen Times 2018

Citizen Times 2020

2023 Results HERE