10 National Park Half Marathons for Your Bucket List

The short answer

The best national park half marathons, counting down: 10. Great Smoky Mountains, 9. Joshua Tree, 8. Yosemite, 7. Mount Rainier, 6. Black Hills, 5. Rocky Mountain, 4. Yellowstone, 3. Glacier, 2. Zion and 1. Grand Teton. All 10 are run by Vacation Races, with courses just outside the parks.

I haven't run these yet, but they're all on my bucket list, and they're such cool races. You get a half marathon and a national park trip in one weekend.

All of them are put on by Vacation Races, which runs half marathons just outside some of the most beautiful national parks in the country. Here are my top 10, counting down.

At a glance

#	Race	Where	Next race	Course	Elevation
10	Great Smoky Mountains	Townsend, TN	Sept 18, 2027	Paved, uphill point-to-point	~440 ft gain
9	Joshua Tree	Joshua Tree, CA	Nov 7, 2026	Night race on sandy desert trail	~770 ft gain
8	Yosemite	Bass Lake, CA	May 8, 2027	Forest trail, fast downhill, lakeshore finish	~300 ft gain, ~2,300 ft loss
7	Mount Rainier	Crystal Mountain, WA	July 17, 2027	Technical downhill trail from the summit	~2,400 ft descent
6	Black Hills*	Keystone, SD	Aug/Sept 2027	Paved, mostly uphill	~1,850 ft gain
5	Rocky Mountain	Estes Park, CO	Aug 7, 2027	Paved loop with a big climb	~780 ft gain
4	Yellowstone	West Yellowstone, MT	June 12, 2027	Rugged dirt trail	~550 ft gain
3	Glacier	East Glacier, MT	June 26, 2027	Paved, big climb then downhill	~1,200 ft gain
2	Zion	Springdale, UT	Feb 27, 2027	Paved, gradual climb	~720 ft gain
1	Grand Teton	Jackson, WY	June 5, 2027	Mostly flat, fast	~300 ft gain

10. Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

Runners passing a log cabin on the Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon course — Runners on the Great Smoky Mountains Half course.

Where: Townsend, TN
When: September 18, 2027
Course: Paved, uphill point-to-point
Elevation gain: ~440 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

A point-to-point course along the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting near Heritage High School and finishing at the Talley Ho Inn in Townsend, Tennessee. It's paved and climbs gradually, about 440 feet over 13.1 miles.

It's an open course, so you'll share parts of the road with local traffic. There's also a 5K the night before, and you can run both for the Black Bear Double medal.

9. Joshua Tree Half Marathon

Runners at the Joshua Tree Half Marathon finish arch at sunset — The Joshua Tree Half finish line at sunset.

Where: Joshua Tree, CA
When: Early November
Start: 6 p.m. (headlamps required)
Course: Dirt roads and sandy trail
Elevation gain: ~770 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

This one is a night race. You start at 6 p.m. and run through the Mojave Desert under the stars, with a headlamp and colored lights guiding you to the finish.

Most of the course is dirt road and trail, including loose, deep sand that makes the footing tricky. The start, finish and expo are all at a desert hotel just minutes from Joshua Tree National Park.

8. Yosemite Half Marathon

Two Yosemite Half Marathon finisher medals held up at Tunnel View — Yosemite Half finisher medals at Tunnel View.

Where: Bass Lake, CA
When: May 8, 2027
Course: Fire roads and trail, then downhill, then paved
Elevation: ~300 ft gain, ~2,300 ft loss
Cutoff: 4 hours

The course runs through the Sierra National Forest just outside Yosemite. The first five miles are fire roads and trails through the trees, then you get about five fast miles downhill, and you finish with three miles around Bass Lake.

If you want a fast half with big scenery, this is the one. Then spend the rest of the trip in Yosemite Valley.

7. Mount Rainier Half Marathon

Runners on a ridgeline trail with Mount Rainier behind them — Runners on the Mount Rainier Half course, with Rainier in the background.

Where: Crystal Mountain Resort, WA
When: July 17, 2027
Course: Technical downhill trail
Elevation: mostly downhill, ~2,400 ft of descent
Cutoff: 4 hours

You take the gondola up and start at the summit of Crystal Mountain, then run down forested trails, ridgelines and meadows with technical footing the whole way. Your entry includes an all-day gondola pass.

There's also a downhill 10K and a 5K hill climb. Run two of them for the Sasquatch Double, or all three for the Mountain Goat Triple.

6. Black Hills Half Marathon*

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills — Mount Rushmore, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Photo: Dean Franklin, public domain

Where: Keystone, SD
When: August/September 2027
Course: Paved, lots of uphill
Elevation gain: ~1,850 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

Formerly the Mount Rushmore Half Marathon. It's a paved course with a lot of uphill, but you get views of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills, then a downhill stretch to the finish at the Borglum Story Museum in Keystone.

*Technically not a national park. The race runs through the Black Hills National Forest, with views of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

5. Rocky Mountain Half Marathon

Runners on the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon with mountains behind them — Runners at the Rocky Mountain Half in Estes Park.

Where: Estes Park, CO
When: August 7, 2027
Course: Paved loop
Elevation gain: ~780 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

It starts and finishes by Lake Estes in Estes Park, the gateway town to Rocky Mountain National Park. You loop around Lake Estes, then climb steadily up Dry Gulch for about three miles before rolling, mostly downhill terrain on Devil's Gulch.

Estes Park sits at about 7,500 feet, so if you live near sea level, expect to feel the altitude.

4. Yellowstone Half Marathon

Runners on a grassy forest trail during the Yellowstone Half Marathon — Runners on the forest trail at the Yellowstone Half.

Where: West Yellowstone, MT
When: June 12, 2027
Course: Dirt trail with rocky, technical sections
Elevation gain: ~550 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

This is the trail race of the group. It runs through the Custer Gallatin National Forest outside West Yellowstone, starting in town before heading into the forest for a steady climb, then rocky, uneven sections and fast downhills. You'll want some trail experience for this one.

The course itself is about 24 miles from the park, so plan a day or two in Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic.

3. Glacier Half Marathon

A runner on the Glacier Half Marathon course with a lake and mountains behind her — A runner on the Glacier Half course.

Where: East Glacier, MT
When: June 26, 2027
Course: Mostly paved
Elevation gain: ~1,200 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

The course runs along the eastern border of Glacier National Park. You climb almost 900 feet over the first five miles up Looking Glass Hill, with views of the park and the prairie below, and then it's downhill from there.

You'll see Two Medicine Lake during miles 5 to 8, and you finish on the front lawn of the historic Glacier Park Lodge.

2. Zion Half Marathon

A crowd of runners on the Zion Half Marathon course with red cliffs behind them — Runners on the Zion Half course.

Where: Virgin to Springdale, UT
When: February 27, 2027
Course: Paved, gradual climb
Elevation gain: ~720 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

It starts in the small town of Virgin and follows the Virgin River, climbing gradually toward Springdale with more of Zion's sandstone cliffs coming into view every mile. You finish just outside the park entrance.

This is one of the most popular Vacation Races, and the early 2027 entries are already sold out.

1. Grand Teton Half Marathon

A runner on the Grand Teton Half Marathon course with the Tetons behind her — The Tetons are in view most of the way.

Runners on a dirt road toward the snow-capped Teton Range — Runners on the packed-dirt section.

Where: Wilson to Jackson, WY
When: June 5, 2027
Course: Pavement and packed dirt, mostly flat
Elevation gain: ~300 ft
Cutoff: 4 hours

A point-to-point course that starts in Wilson and runs through the heart of Jackson Hole, finishing near the National Elk Refuge on the north side of Jackson. It's mostly flat with a gentle climb over the last few miles, so it's fast, and you get views of the Teton Range most of the way.

Yellowstone is one week later, so you can run both as the Grizzly Double, or add both 5Ks for the Grand Quad: four races over two weekends.

Tips for your first national park half

Sign up early. Prices go up with each release, and the popular ones sell out.
Book your lodging early too. These are small gateway towns, and race weekend fills up.
Bring your own bottle or cup. Vacation Races are cup-free, so there are no cups at the aid stations.
Plan for the shuttle. Several of these races, like Zion and Glacier, have no parking at the start, so you take a shuttle on race morning.
Respect the altitude. Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain and Glacier are all run high up. If you live near sea level, take the early miles easy.
Make it a trip. Run the race in the morning, then spend the next few days in the park.

Want something bigger after your half? Here are my bucket list 50-mile races and bucket list 100-mile races.

Ready to train for your bucket list race?

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Common questions

What are the best national park half marathons?

Counting down: Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Mount Rainier, Black Hills, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion and Grand Teton. All 10 are run by Vacation Races.

Are these races inside the national parks?

No. The courses run just outside the parks, in the gateway towns and national forests next to them, so you can race in the morning and explore the park afterward.

How do you sign up for Vacation Races?

Registration is first come, first served, and prices go up with each release. Popular races like Zion sell out, so sign up as early as you can.

What is the time limit for a Vacation Races half marathon?

All 10 of these have a 4-hour cutoff, which is about 18 minutes per mile.

Can you run two national park half marathons in one trip?

Yes. Grand Teton and Yellowstone are one week apart, and you can register for both as the Grizzly Double.