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Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival
Roadpaved roadhillyfall foliage

Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival

Schroon Lake, New York, NY

A stunning fall-foliage loop through the Adirondacks — intimate, hilly, and better suited for the experience than a PR.

When
September 26, 2026
Distances
Marathon · Half Marathon · 4-Person Marathon Relay · 10K · 5K
Surface
Mixed
Course
Loop
Elevation gain
1,500 ft
Altitude
811 ft–1,110 ft
Weather
Mild
Nearest airport
ALB
Suggested trip
2 nights

Score breakdown

7.6/10

Strong. A strong destination race with real appeal.

Scenery / setting9.0· 20%
Course character7.5· 15%
Weather appeal8.0· 15%
Destination appeal7.0· 15%
Logistics practicality6.0· 15%
Difficulty clarity8.0· 10%
Data confidence7.5· 5%
Editorial judgment7.5· 5%

Also worth knowing (not weighted)

Non-runner appeal7.5
Remoteness7.0

Editorial score (v0.1) — full method on How we score. Never affected by sponsorships.

Weather

MonthAvg high / lowBand
September50–70°FMild
~1.38 in typical precipSeptember is Schroon Lake's driest month (~11.5 rain days). Early morning fog possible on course. Late September marks start of peak fall foliage.

Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.

Route & course

Marathon

Loop · Mixed · starts 8:00 AM
Elev gain
1,500 ft
Elev loss
—
High point
1,110 ft
Low point
811 ft
  • Start and finish in the same area
  • Easier spectating and repeated aid access
Start · 811 ftHigh point · 1,110 ftFinish · 811 ft

Loop around Schroon Lake on paved roads with one ~0.5-mile gravel stretch around mile 3. Miles 4–12 feature short, steep hills on the east side of the lake; miles 13–18 are flat along the east shore; miles 18–26 have long, gentle rolling hills on Route 9 north to the finish at Town Beach. Early Bird wave at 7:00 a.m. for runners needing more time. 6.5-hour cutoff (finish line closes 3:30 p.m. in 2025; 3:00 p.m. in 2026). Boston Qualifier certified (NY21011JG). Pace Bears available for 3:30–5:30 in 15-minute increments.

Course map

Half Marathon

Point-to-point · Road · starts 9:00 AM
Elev gain
—
Elev loss
—
High point
—
Low point
811 ft
  • Start and finish are in different locations
  • Plan shuttle, drop-off, or two-car logistics
  • Conditions can differ from start to finish
StartFinish · 811 ft

Starts at the 13.1-mile marker of the full marathon course (east side of lake); complimentary buses depart 7:40–8:05 a.m. from Route 9 next to the Adirondack Inn. First 5–6 miles flat along east shore of Schroon Lake, then long gentle hills on Route 9 to the Town Beach finish. Skips the steep east-shore hills of the full marathon. Field capped at 650. USATF certified NY21013JG.

Course map

4-Person Marathon Relay

Loop · Mixed · starts 8:00 AM
Elev gain
—
Elev loss
—
High point
—
Low point
—
  • Start and finish in the same area
  • Easier spectating and repeated aid access
StartCrew accessCrew accessCrew access

Four legs with exchanges at approximately miles 4.4, 13.1, and 18.2. Leg lengths: Leg 1 ~4.4 mi, Leg 2 ~8.7 mi, Leg 3 ~5.1 mi, Leg 4 ~8.0 mi.

Course map

10K

Unknown · Road · starts 9:30 AM
Elev gain
—
Elev loss
—
High point
—
Low point
—
Start

Held Saturday. Starts at Town of Chester Municipal Center, 6307 State Route 9, Chestertown, NY. Paved streets through the village; two aid stations.

5K

Unknown · Road · starts 9:30 AM
Elev gain
—
Elev loss
—
High point
—
Low point
—
Start

Held Saturday alongside the 10K. Starts at Town of Chester Municipal Center, Chestertown, NY.

Travel

Base town
Schroon Lake
Nearest airport
ALB · 75 min
Rental car
Recommended
Rideshare
Limited
Lodging
Good
Facilities
Good
Trip length
2 nights
Travel complexity
5/10

Point-to-point course

You finish in a different place than you start, so plan for transport back to your car or lodging.

Airport → start: 75 minAirport → finish: 75 min

Schroon Lake is a small Adirondack village with limited lodging; book early especially for fall foliage weekend. A rental car is effectively required. Albany is the closest major airport (~75 min drive).

Getting around

  • Crew access — Exchange Zone 1
  • Crew access — Exchange Zone 2
  • Crew access — Exchange Zone 3

Half marathoners must catch complimentary race-day buses — plan logistics carefully. Saturday events are held in Chestertown, a short drive from Schroon Lake.

Best for / avoid if

Best for

  • fall foliage seekers
  • destination half marathoners
  • runners who enjoy small-field races
  • Boston Qualifier attempts (fit runners only)
  • Scenery seekers
  • Experienced marathoners
  • Community atmosphere

Avoid if

  • chasing a flat PR course
  • you need a large race atmosphere
  • heat-sensitive runners (warm September mornings possible)
  • You dislike hills
  • You need large-city amenities

First-timer mistakes

Underestimating the sustained hills on miles 4–12 of the marathon; the first half is much harder than the second. Also, half marathoners must catch buses departing 7:40–8:05 a.m. from Route 9 — missing the shuttle means missing your start.

Photos

"Schroon At Night" by Northern Wolf Photography is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/.
"Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival" by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.
"Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival" by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.
"Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival" by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.
"Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival" by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/.

Tap a photo to enlarge.

Where to stay, eat & explore

Local picks for the weekend.

  • Schroon Lake Town Beach Activity

    Race finish venue; public beach on Schroon Lake, great for post-race relaxation and spectating.

  • Adirondack InnLodging

    Mentioned as the departure point for half marathon shuttle buses on Route 9; a local lodging landmark for race weekend.

  • The Lodge at Schroon LakeLodging

    Comfortable lakeside accommodations near the start.

  • Schroon Lake BoatingActivity

    Boating and water activities on the lake.

  • HikingActivity

    Trails with Adirondack mountain views nearby.

Happening nearby

  • Adirondack Fall Foliage Nearby event

    Late September marks peak fall color in the Adirondacks — a major draw for spectators and a highlight of the race experience.

  • Pasta DinnerNearby event

    Pre-race community meal on Sept 26, 2026, 5–7PM.

  • Kids Fun RunNearby event

    Children's run held during the race weekend.

Runner reports

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Race history

Race-trip notes

Schroon Lake village is tiny; book lodging well in advance as options fill quickly during fall foliage weekend. The race finish at the Town Beach is walkable from most local lodging. Saturday events are in Chestertown (a short drive), so plan accordingly if running both days.

About this race

Founded in 1997, the Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival circles Schroon Lake on paved roads with one gravel stretch, gaining roughly 1,500 feet of elevation. The half marathon — run on the flatter second half of the course — has been voted a top northeast half by Competitor.com readers. Fields are small (150–200 marathon finishers), the scenery is spectacular in late September, and dedicated 'Pace Bears' guide runners to finish times from 3:30 to 5:30.

Last verified June 22, 2026. Race details can change — always confirm with the official race website.

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