Kodiak Ultra Marathon planned for Big Bear Lake area October 8–11, 2026

A multi-day ultramarathon is in the works for Big Bear Lake this fall. A Notice of Special Event Application for the Kodiak Ultra Marathon, covering October 8–11, 2026, has been filed with the city and listed on the Big Bear Lake planning agenda^[1]. The filing is an early step in the city's review process — not yet an approval — meaning details about the course route, road closures, and trail impacts are not yet part of the public record.

What we know

The event spans four days in mid-October, a shoulder-season window when visitor traffic has typically slowed from the summer peak but the mountain remains accessible. Ultramarathons generally cover distances beyond the standard 26.2-mile marathon — common formats include 50-kilometer, 50-mile, and 100-mile races — and often use a mix of forest roads, single-track trails, and paved surfaces. What specific trails or roads the Kodiak course would use has not been detailed in the application notice as listed.

What's still unknown

Because this notice represents an application stage rather than a permitted event, key details — including the precise course route, any planned road closures, the number of participants, aid station locations, and whether any trails on San Bernardino National Forest land would be involved — have not been made public. Residents who live near popular trail corridors, as well as hikers and mountain bikers who use those trails on fall weekends, would be directly affected by any closures or course-related traffic. Local businesses near the course could also see impact, positive or negative, depending on their proximity to race activity.

What to watch for

Once the application moves forward in the city's review process, a more complete picture of the event's footprint should become available. The city's planning agenda is the place to watch for updates — residents and trail users who want to weigh in should monitor future agenda postings for a public hearing or comment period tied to this application. No hearing date has been published as of the current agenda listing^[1].