Yellowstone Half Marathon 2026
West Yellowstone, Montana, MT
Registration open
Weather
| Month | Avg high / low | Band |
|---|---|---|
| June | 37–62°F | Cool |
Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.
Route & course
Half Marathon
Out-and-back · Mixed · starts 6:00 AM- Elev gain
- 582 ft
- Elev loss
- 582 ft
- High point
- 6,690 ft
- Low point
- 6,666 ft
- Turnaround at the midpoint; the second half retraces the first
- Aid stations seen twice
Miles 0–1: pavement through West Yellowstone; miles 1–3: mostly forest service dirt roads with a town loop; miles 3–10: dirt roads and rocky paths through Custer Gallatin National Forest; mile 6 features a ~200 ft climb. Course subject to change depending on winter weather impact. Bear spray recommended. 4-hour cutoff (18 min/mile pace).
5K
Unknown · Mixed- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
Friday evening race on roads and forest service trails near town. Cup-free event; one aid station near mile 1.5 with water, Gnarly, and bathrooms. Starts and finishes at Old Airport Road lot.
Travel
- Base town
- West Yellowstone
- Nearest airport
- WYS · 5 min
- Rental car
- Recommended
- Rideshare
- Limited
- Lodging
- Good
- Facilities
- Good
- Trip length
- 3 nights
- Travel complexity
- 6.5/10
West Yellowstone is a small, remote gateway town. The local airport (WYS) has seasonal service; most travelers fly into Jackson Hole (JAC, ~90 min) or Bozeman (BZN, ~90 min) and rent a car. Lodging books fast in June peak season.
Getting around
- Packet pickup — Old Airport Road Expo
Friday June 12, 12:00–5:00 pm; race shirt distributed here
Start/finish lot has ample parking and is walkable from hotels on the south side of town. No camping at the race start; use recreation.gov for nearby campground options including Yellowstone Park/West Gate KOA.
Best for / avoid if
Best for
- Trail runners comfortable at altitude
- National park destination racers
- Runners doing the Bison Double or Grand Quad Challenge
- Scenery-first athletes who don't mind rugged footing
- mountain scenery
- trail runners
- park visitors
Avoid if
- You're chasing a half marathon PR
- High altitude (6,666+ ft) is a health concern for you
- You prefer flat, paved road races
- Rocky, technical terrain and possible June snow worry you
- not acclimated to elevation
- prefer road surfaces
First-timer mistakes
Underestimating the altitude — most runners arrive from sea level and feel the thin air hard by mile 4. Also, forgetting your own cup: this is a cup-free race and aid stations will not provide one.
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