Western States Announces Completion of Granite Chief Reroute for 2027

June 27, 2026
6:00 AM MDT

Western States organizers say the Granite Chief Wilderness reroute project will be completed in 2027 after four years of trail construction and restoration work.

During the 2026 Western States 100 livestream, race officials said the project will create five miles of new trail while rehabilitating three miles of existing trail.

The new route is designed to provide a more environmentally sustainable passage through the Granite Chief Wilderness while offering a gradual descent from Watson’s Monument to Lyon Ridge.

According to the announcement, the $2 million project was funded through grants and donations and required 14-person trail crews, supported by pack horses, working over 12 weeks each year.

The reroute will also create two new recreational loop options for trail runners outside of race day.

Here is Dylan Bowman’s official verbatim announcement from the 2026 Western States livestream. Note that we don’t know if this impacts the race’s permits or field size.

“I got a note from John Katz last night. John Katz, one of these unsung heroes within the Western States organization. He is the trail manager, and he has really been leading this Granite Chief reroute project.

This is the fourth and final year of the Granite Chief Wilderness reroute project. It will have created five miles of new trail and rehabilitated three miles of seldom-used trails. There will be two new loop options for people who come out and run in the high country themselves, not on race day.

This is an environmentally superior route with an amazingly scenic, gradual descent from Watson’s Monument to Lyon Ridge Aid Station.

Fourteen-person trail crews for 12 weeks have been supported by pack horses to put this whole thing together. The project required $2 million, funded by grants and donations, to execute the Granite Chief Wilderness reroute.

So next year, in 2027, there will be an environmentally superior route through the high country for the trail racers at Western States, and we are super grateful for all the hard work and for all the generous donations from the individuals who have made this possible.”