The national park half marathons I want to run before I die, counting down: 5. Mount Rainier, 4. Glacier, 3. Yosemite, 2. Zion and 1. Grand Teton + Yellowstone. All five are put on by Vacation Races.
In July this year, I got the opportunity to go to Yosemite for the first time, and it was absolutely breathtaking. I don't know if I've ever been to a national park more beautiful.
When I found these races, I was immediately hooked. I haven't done any of them yet because I just found them, but I have big plans to do a lot of them in 2027.
Here's the pitch: you get 13.1 miles and a national park trip in one weekend. You run the race in the morning, and you spend the rest of the trip in one of the most beautiful places in the country.
These races do not actually run through the parks, but they go right next to them. I'll tell you where each one is.
5. Mount Rainier Half Marathon
- Where: Crystal Mountain Resort, near Enumclaw, WA
- When: July 17, 2027 (the 10K and 5K are July 16)
- Course: Dirt trail, mostly downhill, with technical footing
- Elevation: ~2,400 ft of descent
- Cutoff: 4 hours
- Closest airport: Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)
You take the gondola up, start at the summit of Crystal Mountain and run down through forest, ridgelines and meadows with Rainier in view. The course is at Crystal Mountain, just outside the national park, not inside it.
Why it's on my list: it's the trail race of the group, and you're running down a mountain with one of the biggest volcanoes in the country behind you.
Trip tip: make it a weekend of racing. There's also a downhill 10K and a 5K hill climb the day before. Run two for the Sasquatch Double, or all three for the Mountain Goat Triple. Your entry includes an all-day gondola pass.
Sign up for the Mount Rainier Half Marathon →
4. Glacier Half Marathon
- Where: East Glacier Park Village, MT
- When: June 26, 2027
- Course: Paved road
- Elevation gain: ~1,200 ft
- Cutoff: 4 hours
- Closest airport: Glacier Park International (FCA)
The course runs along the eastern border of Glacier National Park, not inside it. You climb for the first 5 miles, with views of the park and the prairie below, and then it's downhill from there. You'll pass Two Medicine Lake around miles 5 to 8.
Why it's on my list: you finish on the front lawn of the historic Glacier Park Lodge, with the mountains right behind you.
Trip tip: stay a few extra days and drive into the park. This is a small town, so book your lodging as early as you can.
Sign up for the Glacier Half Marathon →
3. Yosemite Half Marathon
- Where: Bass Lake, CA
- When: May 8, 2027
- Course: Mixed dirt and paved road
- Elevation: ~300 ft gain, ~2,300 ft loss
- Cutoff: 4 hours
- Closest airport: Fresno (FAT)
This one runs in the Sierra National Forest next to Yosemite, not inside the park. The first 5 miles are through the trees, then you get about 5 fast miles downhill, and you finish with 3 miles around Bass Lake.
Why it's on my list: it's a fast course with big scenery, and Yosemite is right up the road.
Trip tip: run the race Saturday, then spend the rest of the trip in Yosemite Valley.
Sign up for the Yosemite Half Marathon →
2. Zion Half Marathon
- Where: Virgin to Springdale, UT
- When: February 27, 2027
- Course: Paved road, gradual climb
- Elevation gain: ~720 ft
- Cutoff: 4 hours
- Closest airport: St. George (SGU)
It starts in the small town of Virgin and follows the Virgin River up to Springdale, with more of Zion's red cliffs coming into view every mile. You finish just outside the park entrance.
Why it's on my list: it's one of the most popular Vacation Races, and you run toward Zion's red cliffs the whole way.
Trip tip: sign up early. The early 2027 entries are already sold out. Stay in Springdale and you're walking distance from the park.
Sign up for the Zion Half Marathon →
1. Grand Teton + Yellowstone Half Marathons
- Grand Teton: June 5, 2027, Wilson to Jackson, WY. Paved, flat and fast, ~300 ft of gain.
- Yellowstone: June 12, 2027, West Yellowstone, MT. Dirt trail with rocky sections, ~550 ft of gain.
- Cutoff: 4 hours each
- Closest airports: Jackson Hole (JAC) and Bozeman (BZN)
Two parks, one trip. Grand Teton starts in Wilson and runs through Jackson Hole with the Teton Range in view the whole way. Yellowstone is the trail one: it starts in West Yellowstone and heads into the Custer Gallatin National Forest. Both courses run next to the parks, not inside them.
You can't run both in one weekend. They're on back-to-back Saturdays, one week apart. But if you're feeling extra crazy, run both and you earn the Grizzly Double.
Why it's #1: two of the most famous parks in the country, two races and one trip.
Trip tip: run Grand Teton, spend the week in between exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone (Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic), then run Yellowstone the next Saturday.
Sign up for the Grand Teton Half Marathon →
Sign up for the Yellowstone Half Marathon →
Which one I'm doing first
I'm definitely doing the Grand Teton and Yellowstone combination first, because it's a great way to get two races out of one trip.
Summary: national park half marathons
| # | Race | Where | When | Course | Inside the park? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Mount Rainier | Crystal Mountain, WA | Jul 17, 2027 | Dirt trail | No, next to it |
| 4 | Glacier | East Glacier Park, MT | Jun 26, 2027 | Paved road | No, along the border |
| 3 | Yosemite | Bass Lake, CA | May 8, 2027 | Dirt and paved | No, Sierra National Forest |
| 2 | Zion | Springdale, UT | Feb 27, 2027 | Paved road | No, finishes at the entrance |
| 1 | Grand Teton + Yellowstone | Jackson, WY + West Yellowstone, MT | Jun 5 + Jun 12, 2027 | Paved + dirt trail | No, next to both |
Want the full list? Here are 10 national park half marathons for your bucket list, with temperatures, altitude and airports for each one. Ready for something longer? Here are my easiest 50 mile races for your first finish.
I am taking a group of 10 to run the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim in 2027. Click below to be added to the waitlist and get access to apply early on November 20th.
Common questions
Are there half marathons in national parks?
Yes, but most popular ones run next to the parks, not inside them. Vacation Races puts on half marathons at Mount Rainier, Glacier, Yosemite, Zion, Grand Teton and Yellowstone, on courses just outside each park.
Can you run the Grand Teton and Yellowstone half marathons in one trip?
Yes. In 2027, Grand Teton is June 5 and Yellowstone is June 12, so you can run both a week apart and earn the Grizzly Double.
What is the easiest national park half marathon?
Grand Teton is flat and fast, with about 300 feet of gain. Yosemite is mostly downhill, with about 300 feet of gain and 2,300 feet of descent.
Who puts on the national park half marathons?
Vacation Races. All five races on this list are theirs.