Conquer the Rock

Upstate Ultra welcomes you to the 3rd annual CONQUER THE ROCK race series that is held in beautiful Table Rock State Park. Two events will be contested with the Foothills 50k and the Bear Crawl 10 Mile. Each event will climb to the top of Pinnacle Mountain (2nd highest point in South Carolina) with a tremendous view from Bald Knob that looks down on the rest of the foothills.

Table Rock State Park fits the bill for the natural beauty attributed to scenic Highway 11. The towering mountain, which gives the park its name, serves as a backdrop for the 3,000 acre park and its facilities. Below this section of the Blue Ridge Mountains, South Carolina natives and visitors can enjoy Table Rock State Park cabins, a campground and an old-fashioned swimming hole on one of the park’s two lakes.

Table Rock State Park hiking trails serve as an access point for the 80-mile Foothills Trail. South Carolina hikers can use to travel between several connected South Carolina State Parks. The Table Rock State Park hiking trails take hikers past mountain streams and waterfalls to the tops of Pinnacle and Table Rock mountains. While the park is well known to outdoor enthusiasts for its natural features, Table Rock also has its place in history. Many of the Table Rock State Park cabins and other structures remain standing and are on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Conquer the Rock Ultra includes the Foothills 50k and the Bear Crawl 10 mile event with a pure, gritty, and natural feel that nestles itself in the heart of the foothills trail at Table Rock State Park. The race offers two distances that encompass a 10+ mile loop within the state park that climbs Table Rock Trail before wrapping around the Ridge Trail and back down Pinnacle Mountain to our trail head and home base at the "Barn".

The Bear Crawl 10 mile starts at Pinnacle pavilion and heads down the road for about 1 mile to the trail head before starting the long but rewarding journey of climbing up Table Rock Trail to the top of Pinnacle mountain! This course climbs several thousand feet of elevation of quad burning climbs with beautiful views and breathtaking valleys. The 50k runners are really lucky... they get to do it 2 more times

Maps

THE COURSE

18,000 Feet of Elevation +/-

Starting from Pinnacle Barn head south on Campground Road around the campground. Continue south to Table Rock Road turning left hand for half a mile to the trail head Turn into the Trail Head for .2 miles through steps, stairs, and wooden walkways. At the first intersection turn left onto Pinnacle Mountain Trail (we are running the course in reverse to previous years which tends to be 15-20 minutes faster per loop to assist with the cutoff time) You will reach the Bald Knob viewpoint/overlook. Stop and take a gander snap a pic! Continue onto Pinnacle Mountain Trail to the top of Pinnacle Mountain (2nd Highest Peak in SC) Connect with the Ridge Trail that runs along the top of the park all the way to the Table Rock Trail  At the Table Rock Trail intersection turn Right to head down the trail all the way back to the trail head. Turn right back out onto the road at which you entered and head back to the start line.

(under our photos tab will be more pictures of course maps)

Course Video