ARCHIVED RACE: The Jewel 100K/50K @ Dalton, GA, Dalton, GA, GA, USA on 07 April 2012

Each 15 mile loop of this trail leaves the “The Barn” start/finish area and follows a Cypress tree lined lane. You’ll follow this dirt road through a pasture and into a small glen (valley with a stream). From the glen you’ll turn left into a forest and then begin a climb into the treed hillside. You’ll get to spend 2 miles in this treed sanctuary before returning downhill and back to the glen.

Next, you will move onto a dirt road and take a turn onto another graveled road. After leaving the dirt, the next 1⁄2 mile will have you climbing steeply (400 feet) with one brief but memorable gradient section of about 40 degrees. Having reached the top of this knoll you will have a look out over the valley containing the Barn you left about 5 miles earlier.

A short downhill through some young trees and you’ll be at a refreshing water crossing. Step up onto the other bank and you’re at the Creek aid station. If it is warm, you may want to linger in the shade and coolness of this tree covered creekside spot.

Leaving “Creekside”, you will meander through trees, hillside and pasture for a couple of miles. You will pass “The Barn” in an adjoining pasture, and follow a tree line towards the road. You will take a left on that road for 1/10 of a mile. Another dirt road will take you past another old barn, a young pine forest and a tree line, until you start an uphill climb.

The gentle 1⁄2 mile climb will bring you to a small stone cabin (that the local families use for camping), while also being treated to some good views of two surrounding valleys. A mile long downhill section will take you across and along the creek. A road crossing will bring you to the base of “the Hilltop”. You’ll spend the next mile and 330 feet of climb getting to “the Hilltop”. This is your next aid station. From here you’ll be able to look out over the Dalton valley to the east or the Acree valley and farms to the west.

Leaving the Hilltop you’ll follow a dirt road towards the conspicuous green water tank. From the water tank you’ll jump off-road and experience a delightful, gentle, wooded downhill mile. From the pasture below (mind the cows) you will cross the paved road to get on a dirt road on the other side. You will journey through these hardly explored woods to “the Barn” to complete your loop.

A single 100k loop has at least 2000 feet of elevation gain and loss.