Vertical Kilometer Races in Spain 2026
The vertical kilometer is the purest mountain discipline: climb as much as possible in the shortest distance. With courses under 10 km, these races pack 1,000 metres or more of elevation gain into routes that go practically straight to the summit. It is the perfect modality for runners with great climbing power and the ability to manage anaerobic effort. In Spain, the Pyrenees, Picos de Europa and Sierra Nevada offer ideal settings for vertical kilometres with gradients exceeding 30%. You do not need to be an ultramarathoner to enjoy them: their brevity makes them accessible in time, although the intensity is maximal from start to finish.
53
Races
2.6 – 162 km
Distance range
0 – 8,848 D+
Elevation range
Jan – Dec
Race months
Difficulty
Tips
Train short explosive hill reps (3-5 min intervals at maximum effort) to adapt your quads and calves to vertical effort.
Use poles if the race allows them: on gradients above 25% they save significant energy.
Manage your pace from the start — going out too fast in a vertical km penalises you far more than in long distances.
Choose lightweight shoes with good uphill grip; cushioning is secondary when there is barely any descent.
Race map
Click a marker to see race details
Race calendar
January2026
March2026
VII Trail e Andaina Ribeiras do Tambre
Ames, A Coruña · Galicia
Trail Laxe dos Bolos
Caldas de Reis, Pontevedra · Galicia
Kilómetro Vertical Media Legua Gruesa
Purchena · Andalusia
Reventón Trail
El Paso, La Palma · Canary Islands
Trail Cova da Bruxa
Muros, A Coruña · Galicia
April2026
Volta Peramola
Peramola · Catalonia
Arganza Trail — Cañón del Río Lobos
San Leonardo de Yagüe · Castile and Leon
Ultra Trail Muntanyes Costa Daurada
Prades, Tarragona · Catalonia
Trail Tierra de Ibias
San Antolín de Ibias · Asturias
Trail Mina de la Plata de Bustarviejo
Bustarviejo · Community of Madrid
May2026
Transvulcania
Los Llanos de Aridane, La Palma · Canary Islands
Cross de la Pedriza
Manzanares el Real · Community of Madrid
Spain Backyard Ultra
Castro Caldelas, Ourense · Galicia
Zegama-Aizkorri
Zegama · Basque Country
Neveros Vertical
Ágreda, Soria · Castile and Leon
June2026
KM Vertical Fuente Dé
Fuente Dé, Camaleño · Cantabria
Mazucator Sky
Villa de Mazo, La Palma · Canary Islands
Kilómetro Vertical de la Barranca
Navacerrada · Community of Madrid
Backyard Ultra Aranjuez
Aranjuez, Madrid · Community of Madrid
Camille Extreme
Isaba · Navarre
Backyard Ultra Montgrí
Torroella de Montgrí, Girona · Catalonia
Ultra Trail Torla-Ordesa
Torla-Ordesa, Huesca · Aragon
July2026
August2026
September2026
Trail Valle de Tena
Panticosa · Aragon
Carreña Trail
Carreña de Cabrales · Asturias
Desafío Urbión
Covaleda · Castile and Leon
Canfranc-Canfranc
Canfranc-Estación · Aragon
Backyard Baltasara
Mieres · Asturias
Ultra Montaña Palentina
Camporredondo de Alba, Palencia · Castile and Leon
Crono Asperillas
Casas del Castañar · Extremadura
Trail Picos de la Demanda
Ezcaray · La Rioja
Mañaritik Atxetara
Mañaria, Vizcaya · Basque Country
Vitoria-Gasteiz Trail
Vitoria-Gasteiz · Basque Country
Uharte-Arakil Beriain Km Bertikala
Uharte-Arakil · Navarre
Cross Trail La Triásica
Colunga · Asturias
October2026
Peña Prieta SkyRace
Vega de Liébana · Cantabria
Anboto KB
Atxondo · Basque Country
Harz-Gebirgslauf (Brocken-Marathon)
Wernigerode · Saxony-Anhalt
Abeduriu Trail Nocturna
El Entrego · Asturias
Schwarzwald-Marathon
Bräunlingen · Baden-Württemberg
Betagarri Trail
Ancín · Navarre
November2026
Trail Siero
Pola de Siero · Asturias
La Pota Roja Cervelló
Cervelló, Barcelona · Catalonia
Subida a las Antenas
Navamorcuende · Castile-La Mancha
Cross Internacional de Atapuerca
Atapuerca · Castile and Leon
December2026
April2027
53 races
UltraMediterrània
Alcoy, Alicante
162K / 90K / 55K / 25K / 16K / VRT 4K across the Mariola and Aitana mountain ranges from Alcoy
Photo: Club Corredores AfricanusEl Último León
Melilla
Backyard ultra in Melilla — 6.7 km loops through Fuerte de Rostrogordo pine forests, Silver Ticket
Photo: Real Aero Club Santiago de CompostelaVII Trail e Andaina Ribeiras do Tambre
Ames, A Coruña
VII Trail e Andaina Ribeiras do Tambre — 15K and 8K trail along the Tambre river banks in Ames, A Coruña
Photo: Trail Laxe dos BolosTrail Laxe dos Bolos
Caldas de Reis, Pontevedra
Spanish Short Trail Championship — 43K with 2300 m D+ through waterfalls and mountains in Caldas de Reis, Galicia
Kilómetro Vertical Media Legua Gruesa
Purchena
5 km and 900m elevation gain through Barranco de Geva in Purchena (Almería)
Photo: Reventón TrailReventón Trail
El Paso, La Palma
Ultra 70.5K, Marathon 42K, Classic 31K, Sprint 17K, and Subida a las Estrellas in La Palma
Photo: Trail Cova da BruxaTrail Cova da Bruxa
Muros, A Coruña
V Trail Cova da Bruxa — 26K, 15K, 9K and vertical race in the mountains of Muros, Galician Atlantic coast
Volta Peramola
Peramola
25K, 10K and 5K Hike through the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees from Peramola (Lleida)
Arganza Trail — Cañón del Río Lobos
San Leonardo de Yagüe
33K with 1,900m D+ through the Cañón del Río Lobos from San Leonardo de Yagüe, Soria
Ultra Trail Muntanyes Costa Daurada
Prades, Tarragona
From 7K to 64K through the Muntanyes de Prades: Siurana, Gorgs de la Febró and the Foradada de Mont-ral
Trail Tierra de Ibias
San Antolín de Ibias
III Trail Tierra de Ibias — 21.9K / 12.7K / 8.5K through vineyards, forests and mountains in the heart of Ibias, Asturias
Trail Mina de la Plata de Bustarviejo
Bustarviejo
Trail running in Madrid's Sierra Norte: 3 distances through the historic silver mine trails of Bustarviejo
FeaturedPhoto: TransvulcaniaTransvulcania
Los Llanos de Aridane, La Palma
73K, 43K, 25K, and VK crossing La Palma along the Ruta del Bastón
Cross de la Pedriza
Manzanares el Real
Legendary race through La Pedriza: 25 km and 1,600 m D+ across the most spectacular granite landscape of the Sierra de Guadarrama, scoring for the Copa de Hierro
Photo: Spain Backyard UltraSpain Backyard Ultra
Castro Caldelas, Ourense
Spain's official backyard ultra — 6.7 km loops with 240 m D+ in Castro Caldelas, Ribeira Sacra
FeaturedPhoto: Zegama-AizkorriZegama-Aizkorri
Zegama
42K and VK through the Aizkorri range — the most legendary skyrunning race in Spain
Neveros Vertical
Ágreda, Soria
Neveros Vertical — 5K with 1,000m D+ on Moncayo, Soria
KM Vertical Fuente Dé
Fuente Dé, Camaleño
XVI KM Vertical Fuente Dé — 2.6K with 972m D+ in Picos de Europa, Cantabria
Photo: Mazucator TrailMazucator Sky
Villa de Mazo, La Palma
Skyrunning in La Palma: 25K with 1,700m D+ through the volcanic trails of Villa de Mazo
Kilómetro Vertical de la Barranca
Navacerrada
Classic Madrid vertical race: 7.3 km and 1,010 m D+ from the Barranca Valley to the Bola del Mundo summit (2,267 m)
Photo: Only One Race / Backyard Ultra AranjuezBackyard Ultra Aranjuez
Aranjuez, Madrid
Backyard ultra in Aranjuez — 6.7 km loops with 200 m D+ along the Tagus river, Big's Backyard Ultra format
Camille Extreme
Isaba
20th Camille Extreme — 32K and 2,044m D+ through the Roncal Valley with the ascent to Ezkaurre (2,047m)
Photo: Backyard Ultra Montgrí / Oncolliga GironaBackyard Ultra Montgrí
Torroella de Montgrí, Girona
Charity backyard ultra — 6.7 km loops with 90 m D+ in Torroella de Montgrí, night start
Ultra Trail Torla-Ordesa
Torla-Ordesa, Huesca
From 2.9K to 50K in Ordesa National Park: trail running at the foot of Monte Perdido
Photo: Trifitness 31VIII Anfibios Trail Anna
Anna
9K amphibious race with swimming sections along Anna's Water Route, in the heart of the Valencian summer
Gran Trail Trangoworld Aneto-Posets
Benasque
From 5K to 105K between the Pyrenean rooftops: Aneto and Posets from the Benasque Valley
100MElite
Photo: Peón TrailPeón Trail
Peón
18K and 9K along the Cordal de Peón, in Villaviciosa
Photo: Haciendo Sed BurgosBackyard Haciendo Sed Burgos
Sedano, Burgos
Charity backyard ultra in Sedano (Burgos) — 6.7 km loops benefiting Autismo Burgos
Photo: Trail Valle de TenaTrail Valle de Tena
Panticosa
80 km, 6,820 m of climbing, and a name that lies: the '8K Trail' of the Huesca Pyrenees
Photo: Carreña TrailCarreña Trail
Carreña de Cabrales
30K, 9K and a 4.5K night race from Carreña de Cabrales, at the foot of the Picos de Europa
Desafío Urbión
Covaleda
37K with 2,600m D+ through the Picos de Urbión and Laguna Negra from Covaleda, Soria
FeaturedPhoto: TrailRunning.ar / Fabián LuengoCanfranc-Canfranc
Canfranc-Estación
From 6K to 100K through the central Pyrenees from the iconic Canfranc International Station
Photo: Club Pinineo SportBackyard Baltasara
Mieres
Backyard ultra — 6.7 km loops on the slopes of La Baltasara, above Mieres
Photo: Ultra Montaña PalentinaUltra Montaña Palentina
Camporredondo de Alba, Palencia
65K, 44K, 21K and 6K through the Montaña Palentina from Camporredondo de Alba — high mountain trail running in northern Palencia
Photo: Crono Asperillas OrganizationCrono Asperillas
Casas del Castañar
Mountain time-trial in the Jerte Valley: 14.5 km and 740 m D+, only 150 bibs
Trail Picos de la Demanda
Ezcaray
35K, 24K, 10K and Night Race through the Sierra de la Demanda from Ezcaray, summiting San Lorenzo (2,271m)
Photo: Kepe / Mañaritik AtxetaraMañaritik Atxetara
Mañaria, Vizcaya
3rd edition — 43K with 3,900m elevation gain over Anboto and Urkiolamendi, plus 22K, 13K, a vertical climb and a mountain walk
Photo: Vitoria-Gasteiz TrailVitoria-Gasteiz Trail
Vitoria-Gasteiz
You leave downtown Vitoria-Gasteiz and within 1 km you're already on the Green Ring: 26K with 1,300m D+ and UTMB Index points
Uharte-Arakil Beriain Km Bertikala
Uharte-Arakil
16th edition of the Uharte-Arakil to Beriain vertical kilometer: 5 km and 1,023 m of elevation gain in Navarra, Spain
Photo: Cross Trail La TriásicaCross Trail La Triásica
Colunga
15K and 8.8K from Colunga to La Griega beach, with aid station by the sea
Photo: Teofrasto820 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)Peña Prieta SkyRace
Vega de Liébana
Peña Prieta SkyRace — 36K and 2,600 m of climbing to the roof of Cantabria in the Liébana valley
Photo: iñaki (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)Anboto KB
Atxondo
Anboto KB — a 1,092 m D+ vertical kilometre to the summit of Anboto
Photo: Harz-GebirgslaufHarz-Gebirgslauf (Brocken-Marathon)
Wernigerode
48th edition in 2026: northern Germany's most demanding marathon, climbing to the legendary Brocken (1,141 m).
Photo: Abeduriu Trail RaceAbeduriu Trail Nocturna
El Entrego
8K with mandatory headlamp through the Labeduriu valley, near El Entrego
Photo: Schwarzwald-MarathonSchwarzwald-Marathon
Bräunlingen
58th edition in 2026: the world's most veteran forest marathon, with +620 m of elevation gain through Black Forest pine woods.
Betagarri Trail
Ancín
6th edition of the Betagarri Trail: three distances through Sierra de Lokiz in Tierra Estella (Navarra)
Photo: Trail SieroTrail Siero
Pola de Siero
25K and 1,050m of climbing from Pola de Siero to Cerro Gavio, the municipality's highest point
Photo: La Pota Roja CervellóLa Pota Roja Cervelló
Cervelló, Barcelona
42K, 24K, 14K, and 8K through the trails around Cervelló, less than an hour from Barcelona
Photo: Ricar (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)Subida a las Antenas
Navamorcuende
Subida a las Antenas — 5K and 700 m D+ of relentless climbing to the Piélago antennas, Sierra de San Vicente
Photo: Mario Modesto Mata (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)Cross Internacional de Atapuerca
Atapuerca
Cross Internacional de Atapuerca — World Athletics Gold cross country beside a UNESCO World Heritage site
Photo: Santa Cruz ExtremeAnaga Maratón
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Canary Islands Skyrunning season finale: K30 with 2,055m D+ and KVertical in Anaga, Tenerife
FeaturedPhoto: Jordi de la FuenteTenerife by UTMB
Puerto de la Cruz
110K, 82K, 68K, 47K and 24K crossing Tenerife from south to north via Mount Teide (8-10 April 2027)
100MElite
Photo: Ultra Trail Bosques del SurUltra Trail Bosques del Sur
Cazorla
70K, 42K, 21K, 10K and 4K through the Cazorla, Segura y las Villas Natural Park
Gear up for the mountains
The right gear makes the difference on race day. Our comparison guides to choose well.
