WATCH: Destination Trail Racing in New Zealand

The Old Ghost Road travels 85 kilometers through the forests and meadows of New Zealand’s south island. Formerly a gold mining road, the route has been repurposed by as a running and biking trail. But the trail’s legacy remains, passing through four different ghost towns once inhabited by miners and rail builders.

To celebrate the region’s history and raise funds for trail maintenance, the Mokihinui-Lyell Backcountry Trust organizes the Old Ghost Ultra. The ultra, like the trail, is 85K in distance, with 8,530 feet of elevation gain, starting at just 99 feet above sea level and topping out at a high point of 4,396 feet above sea level.