Badwater Cape Fear

Please join us for Badwater Cape Fear, our (B)east Coast Race!

The BADWATER® ultra running experience returns to the East Coast when the twelfth BADWATER CAPE FEAR takes place on Bald Head Island, North Carolina on March 21, 2026.

With 50km and 51-mile race options and a start line at the foot of the Old Baldy Lighthouse, Badwater® Cape Fear features a twelve-mile warm-up on the car-free, one-lane-wide roads and maritime forest trails of Bald Head Island, followed by either 19 or 39 miles of running on the wild and secluded sandy beach between legendary Cape Fear and Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. The beach stretch features spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Frying Pan Shoals to the east and the wild and undeveloped marshlands of the Cape Fear River to the west. Running this remote coast is a dramatic, invigorating, and inspiring manner in which to experience Bald Head Island, Fort Fisher State Recreation, and the Cape Fear region in all its grandeur!

Badwater Race Director Chris Kostman discovered Bald Head Island from the Nicholas Sparks movie "Safe Haven" and fell in love with the whole Cape Fear area. Reflecting on the island and on Badwater® Cape Fear, he states "It's a really interesting and unusual place which allows us to host an extraordinarily beautiful and challenging Badwater race." He further notes “the exquisite natural setting is the perfect antidote to the ‘real world’ and a wonderful counterpart to the desert sands and mountains of Death Valley and the Anza-Borrego Desert featured in our two West Coast Badwater races!”

Bald Head Island and nearby Southport, NC are ideal vacation get-away spots for the entire family, located less than one hour from Wilmington, NC and its major airport with Delta, American, and United service. (Flying into Myrtle Beach, SC is another convenient option.)

Due to the remarkable beauty and quaint southern charm of this area, as well as this impeccable, authentic BADWATER race experience, many Badwater Cape Fear participants are now making this race an annual pilgrimage and many have turned it into a family vacation as well. It is really that fantastic!

Policies

• Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please do not ask.

• A 50% Rollover Credit for next year's event ONLY is available until 60 days prior to the race. To withdraw from this event - and / or obtain the 50% Rollover Credit - send AdventureCORPS an email to let us know you are withdrawing.

• If the event is canceled due to pandemic, hurricane, community disaster, or other force majeure, neither refunds nor credits will be given.

•  Although we anticipate using the same or nearly the same route each year, the final, exact route is subject to approval from various government agencies and is always subject to change due to various factors beyond our control.

• This event is held subject to special use permits from the Village of Bald Head Island, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, and the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management.

SWAG AND SUPPORT PROVIDED

First and foremost, you can expect a World-Class AdventureCORPS Event Experience, an authentic Badwater race, and the Adventure Travel experience of a lifetime. Additionally, entry in the race includes:

1) Awards: For 51.4-mile official finishers only: Badwater Cape Fear Belt Buckle. For 50-km official finishers only: Badwater Cape Fear medal.

2) Badwater® Cape Fear tri-blend T-shirt

3) Badwater® Cape Fear Hat

4) Badwater® Sunglasses

5) Badwater® Cape Fear Tote Backpack

6) A special Cape Fear edition Road ID with runner's name, home town, bib #, and emergency contact and phone number

7) Badwater® / Cape Fear "Cupless Cup." We don't provide single-use, disposable cups on the race course, but we do give you a custom Badwater cup which you can carry and use on the race course and at other races!

8) Aid Stations in three locations, passed a total of six times in the 50km and 10 times in the 51.4-mile. Checkpoints will serve Hammer Gel, Endurolytes by Hammer, Tailwind electrolyte drink, Hyk Energy, water, bananas, oranges, trail mix, chips, pickles, pickle juice, and more. (See "Route & Support" on our webpage)

9) Access to personal needs ("drop bags") at Aid Station 1 at Bald Head Island Conservancy, which will be passed at Mile 3, Mile 4, Mile 12, Mile 32, and Mile 51. (This is also the location for Racer Check-In and the Social Mixer on Friday, as well as Race HQ and the race finish line.)

10) Ambulance on Bald Head Island and EMS / Ranger support on the course

11) Finish Line Food: Excellent pizza and soup, and snacks

12) Friday Afternoon Social Mixer at Bald Head Island Conservancy for racers, volunteers, family, and friends: Drinks, Veggies, Cheese, will be served for all runners and family

13) All race images

14) Race Webcast Page with links to Image Galleries, Results, Instagram, and more

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

• Those who complete Badwater Cape Fear (50km or 51mi) and Cape Fear Marathon (26.2 or 13.1) in the same calendar year will receive an additional special award in October. 

• Male and Female Winners of the 50km and 51mi races will receive a complimentary pair of Mount to Coast shoes!