The Grand Canyon Marathon course course is within the  Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument, starting and ending in the historic Town of Tusayan, just south of the South Rim.

The Marathon route is two laps of the standard half-marathon course, a mixed-terrain route. 

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 4.5 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.  As a Trail Sisters Approved, there will be menstrual products available at the Water Stations
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 13.25 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.