Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon & 5k Run/Walk

The course is within the recently designated Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument.

The course is a mixed surface course.  The majority of the route is on hard-packed and soft surface dirt, with some rocky terrain.  The surface also includes a paved asphalt section, a concrete sidewalk, and a gravel lot.  You'll want to wear your trail shoes.  Below we've provided detailed advice on how to run the route. 

The start/finish line is conveniently located in the parking line on the northern side of the IMAX, enabling easy access to all pre- and post-race needs.  Parking is steps away, the bathrooms are located in the IMAX, the post-race Artisan Fair, Beer Garden and more are easily accessed by both participants and spectators.

Ten Things to Know

1. The course is marked with Forest Service flagging and chalked arrows.
2. The mile marks are marked with chalk in the middle of the trails and roads.
3. All forest roads and trails in the Kaibab National Forest will be open to others on race day. We will have signage explaining that a special event is occurring, but please note that others may be using the trails and roads.
4. Half-Marathon Water Stations: at approximately Mile 4 with water, Mile 8 and 11.5 
5. Water and Aid Stations: We want you to be self-sufficient on the race course, so please be sure to pack what you think you will need. Having said that, we will have volunteers on the course to support you.
6. Permits and insurance do not allow for dogs and other animals on the course.
7. While we appreciate the love of head-phones, we request that you do not run with headphones on.
8. While we support adaptive athletics, the half marathon course is not suited for chair athletes.  The 5k course has a paved section that is chair-capable, but the dirt road portion will be difficult to navigate for chair athletes.
9. If you have a medical emergency, ask a volunteer to call for medical help or call 911.
10. The Half-Marathon course is almost exactly 13.3 miles, hard to tell with the different measuring devices. The route has a total ascent of 555.58 ft and has a maximum elevation of 6,729.3 ft.  We expect to have a timing mat at 13.1 miles into the route, with the formal finishing line on the north side of the IMAX. 

 

 

 

 

Half-Marathon Course Overview:  The Half-Marathon course is a clockwise loop, designed to put the demanding sections of the race early, when you're more chipper.  In 2019, the course was dry and dusty, in 2020 it was very windy.  In 2022, there was a snowstorm two days before the race so the temperatures heated up the route was muddy and wet in locations.  In 2023 the route was dry and super-fast.  At this writing, we cannot predict the 2024 weather.

Start:  The race will start in the IMAX parking lot on the north side of the building.  You will go through the parking lot, then turn right (south) on the sidewalk on the west side of Highway 64.  After about 400 yards on the sidewalk, you will hit the Long Jim Loop roundabout.  Then turn right and cross onto the bike path of Long Jim Loop.  After another couple of hundred yards with a dip and a climb, you'll hit the Tusayan outdoor rec facility with a basketball court on your left; turn left past the courts and follow the arrows pointing you onto the dirt roads of the Kaibab National Forest.  Racing Advice:  No need to go like crazy in the first half mile.  Be patient on the first concrete and paved sections, then when you hit the dirt, there is plenty of room.  The first few hundred yards are on the sidewalk through town, so please watch traffic to ensure your safety.

Miles 1-4 are on Forest Service Road #2607.  This is the most technical part of the course, with some sections of this stretch that are pretty rugged.  A bunch of "rolling uphill" and some challenging footing will require that you stay focused on your form (see the photo from near Mile 3 below).   Follow the white arrows on the ground.  Again, the footing may make this a slower portion of the course, so this is a good stretch to take easily -- watch your footing, manage the early stress, and wait until the dirt smooths out near Mile 4.  Racing Advice: Be mindful of your footing, recognize that a bunch of this stretch goes uphill, and be patient.

From approximately Mile 4-8 the trail smooths out and drops in a "rolling downhill" manner -- the terrain is smoother so your footing should be easier.  You can probably get in a nice little rhythm, especially once you get onto Forest Service Road 2604.  Near Mile 7.5 you'll criss-cross under the historic railroad tracks, heading west at about Mile 7.5 then circling east and going under the tracks again near Mile  7.75 -- it's a fun little figure-S of a section with some small cliff faces on either side.  Mile 8-9 winds through what is called the Coconino Wash, with pretty smooth footing and some especially nice forested views.  Racing Advice: take advantage of the smoother footing and the gentle downhill portions on this stretch.  

Mile 9-10 rolls gently uphill, with lots of soft surface and some technical parts of the trail.  You will be under a beautiful canopy of trees, with sunlight dappling the route.  Racing Advice: people get tired at this section of the course, so pay attention to the terrain and enjoy the beautiful scenery. If you feel strong, this is a great place to push the pace.

Mile 11-12 is mostly on the well-travelled dirt road #328.  The road is open to the public, so please stay to the right-hand side.  Racing Advice: there may be some "washboard" sections on this portion of the course, so be mindful of footing. There are a couple of hills with false summits, so be ready for uphill misery.  But there is also some significant downhill -- you should be able to make good time on these portions of the course. 

From approximately Mile 12 to the finish you will be on a paved multi-use path, part of which is the famed Arizona Trail. You can run on the pavement, but there is also dirt alongside if you favor the softer surface. Racing Advice: While there is a tricky uphill cross Long Jim Road North, overall this path is largely downhill, which should give you a pretty quick finish to the finish line with nice shade and the chance to push pace a bit.

Final Steps: You will come downhill on the paved path, then cross through a gravel dirt lot, before taking a left turn onto the asphalt parking lot immediately at the finish line.  Racing Advice: When you hear the finish line music, you're super-close to the finish.  Watch your footing on the varied terrain and enjoy the turn into the finish chute.