TN's Frozen Head State Park Hosts the World's Hardest Race
Most people visit Frozen Head State Park in East Tennessee for the peaceful trails, remote campsites, and sweeping views of the Cumberland Mountains. They have no idea that tucked deep in the misty backcountry is one of the most brutal, elusive, and bizarre ultramarathons on the planet: the Barkley Marathons.
And in 2024, something extraordinary happened.
The First Woman in History to Complete the Barkley Marathons
Jasmin Paris, a 40-year-old mother of two from Great Britain, became the first woman ever to complete the Barkley — all five grueling loops — within the punishing 60-hour time limit. She crossed the finish line in 59:58:21, joining an elite club of 20 finishers in the race's nearly 40-year history, and doing it with just 99 seconds to spare.
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What Exactly are the Barkley Marathons?
The race itself is part myth, part madness. Dreamed up in 1986 by Gary 'Lazarus Lake' Cantrell and his friend Karl 'Raw Dog' Henn, the Barkley began as a darkly comedic response to a failed prison escape. When James Earl Ray — the man who assassinated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — fled the nearby Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in 1977, he only managed about eight-and-a-half miles in nearly 55 hours before being caught. Laz joked he could do at least 100 miles — and so, the Barkley was born.
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Since then, more than 1,000 people have attempted the race. Most don't make it past the first loop.
Why? The Barkley is five loops of unmarked trail over near-impossible terrain with about 60,000 feet of climbing (roughly equivalent to summiting Everest twice). There are no aid stations, no GPS devices allowed, and no cheering crowds. Just a compass, a map, and a touch of madness. To prove they've completed a loop, runners must rip a page from a hidden book at each checkpoint — books planted by Laz in twisted, hard-to-reach places across the forest.
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Even getting into the race is cryptic. There's no official website or signup form. Hopefuls must figure out the secret application process, pay a $1.60 entry fee, and bring whatever strange item Laz demands that year — from flannel shirts to a pack of Camels. Newcomers must also bring a license plate from their home state or country, which is nailed to the infamous 'Tree of Shame.'
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Into this strange, punishing world stepped soft-spoken and humble, Jasmin Paris.
Who is Jasmin Paris?
Paris lives just south of Edinburgh, where she balances a career as a veterinarian while raising two young kids. She grew up between the Peak District in England and the Šumava National Park in Czechia, and didn't take up running seriously until her twenties, when a colleague talked her into a local fell race. Fourteen years later, she's a veteran of some of the most grueling endurance events on earth.
In 2019, Paris won the 268-mile Montane Spine Race outright, shattering the course record by over 12 hours. She had given birth just 14 months earlier — and famously stopped during the race to pump milk for her infant daughter.
Paris flew under the radar heading into the 2024 Barkley, but that didn't last long. She quietly ticked off each loop, and as the clock wound down on her final lap, a crowd gathered at the yellow gate — the race's iconic finish line — holding their breath.
With grit, humility, and just 99 seconds left on the clock, Jasmin Paris didn't just finish the Barkley. She rewrote its story.
About Frozen Head State Park
Frozen Head State Park spans more than 24,000 acres of pristine, rugged wilderness. It's named for a 3,324-foot peak that's often iced over in the winter, and it's a haven for hikers, campers, and nature lovers. The park offers 50 miles of trails, scenic overlooks, and a sense of raw mountain solitude that feels untouched — the perfect setting for a race that seems designed to break the human spirit.
But now, it's also the backdrop of one of the most inspiring feats in ultrarunning history.
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About the Author Kate Feinberg
Kate Feinberg is StyleBlueprint's Associate Editor & Sponsored Content Specialist, based in Nashville. Kate is a plant-based foodie, avid runner, and fantasy reader.
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