From a half marathon that ends alongside a city parade to a 200-mile team relay, learn more about these destination races in Salt Lake City and nearby.

(Feature photo by Ian Cox/Ogden Marathon)

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Getting to the mountains from most major cities requires at least a small road trip. A weekday morning trail run in the foothills generally isn’t an accessible option. This is something that makes Salt Lake City so special. The Wasatch Mountains drape the east side of the city and its suburbs.

It’s likely for this reason that many destination races here are point-to-point downhill courses, with buses that take runners to high-elevation start lines. From there, runners enjoy gorgeous views of the mountainside, canyons, and rivers along their route toward downtown finish lines. These courses have the potential for fast times — even PRs — and sore quads!

Each destination race on this list offers something unique. The Deseret News Marathon, for instance, finishes alongside an annual parade. There’s also a race worth the longer drive. The St. George Marathon, in the southwest corner of the state, features tranquil desert terrain, red rock formations, and a remote small-town vibe.

For trail runners looking for a challenge not far from Salt Lake City, the Jupiter Peak 25K and Mid Mountain 50K are part of the Triple Trail Challenge, produced by Salt Lake Running Company. These race courses feature significant elevation changes and the chance for mountain wildlife sightings.

Explore details of these destination races in Salt Lake City, listed by calendar date.

• Salt Lake City Marathon
• Ogden Marathon
• Drop13 Big Cottonwood Canyon
• Ragnar Road Wasatch Back
• Utah Valley Marathon
• Deseret News Marathon
• Jupiter Peak 25K
• Mid Mountain 50K
• St. George Marathon

Looking for more information on running in Salt Lake City?
Read our Salt Lake City Guide.

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Salt Lake City Marathon

April | Salt Lake City | Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
Get a tour through Salt Lake City! Both the marathon and half marathon courses start along South Wasatch Drive at the University of Utah. Courses take runners past several of the top routes to run in Salt Lake, including City Creek Canyon and Liberty Park. The full marathon includes a loop around Sugar House Park. Both distances finish at Liberty Square. Expect an overall decrease in elevation with most of the downhill in the first 5 miles. The 5K starts and ends at Liberty Square, and the 10K starts just a few blocks to the east with the same finish line. There’s also a non-competitive bike tour option that takes riders along the full marathon course (participants must finish the bike tour within 1 hour and 45 minutes, which is equal to an average of 15 mph).

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 62 degrees; low of 42 degrees; average of 52 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: Not listed
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: 6 hours 30 Minutes (marathon, half marathon)
• Race Swag: T-shirt, finisher’s medal
• Prize Money:
  • Marathon: First place male and female receive $500; second place male and female receive $200; third place male and female receive $100
  • Half marathon: First place male and female receive $350; second place male and female receive $125; third place male and female receive $75
  • 10K and 5K: First place male and female receive $100; second place male and female receive $50; third place male and female receive $25
• Distance from Airport: 15-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Ogden Marathon

May | Ogden | Marathon, Half Marathon, 12K, 5K, Relay
A qualifier for the Boston Marathon and Abbott World Majors, the Ogden Marathon is a downhill, point-to-point race course. For the full marathon, you’ll start in the Wasatch Mountains at 5,400 feet in elevation before dropping down into the Ogden Canyon and running along the river. The half marathon and 12K courses follow the same course, starting at their respective mile markers, and all distances finish in downtown Ogden. Teams of 2-5 can sign up for the marathon relay.

A VIP race upgrade is available for the full and half marathon, which includes a coach bus to the start lines, pre-race breakfast, a VIP heated area with toilets, a 15-minute post-race massage, free gift, and more. The Ogden Marathon is organized by the GOAL Foundation, which brings athletic events to the Ogden community.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 75 degrees; low of 50 degrees; average of 62 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 1,142-foot net elevation loss (marathon); 645-foot net elevation loss (half marathon)
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: Cut-off times for reaching specific mile markers; refer to the FAQ
• Race Swag: T-shirt, finisher’s medal
• Prize Money: Marathon only.
  • First-place male, female, and nonbinary marathon finishers receive $500
  • Second-place male, female, and nonbinary marathon finishers receive $300
  • Third-place male, female, and nonbinary marathon finishers receive $200
  • First-place male, female, and nonbinary master’s (40+) marathon finishers receive $200
  • Second-place male, female, and nonbinary master’s (40+) marathon finishers receive $100
  • Third-place male, female, and nonbinary master’s (40+) marathon finishers receive $50
• Distance from Airport: 45-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Drop13 Big Cottonwood Canyon

June | Holladay | Half Marathon, 5K
Starting at Solitude Ski Resort, this downhill half marathon runs along a picturesque course and finishes in Cottonwood Heights City. At the finish line, you’ll receive a 4-inch finisher medal, and there’s an opportunity for a second medal if you set a personal record on the course (based on the honor system). Runners who lose 13 pounds by race day also receive a Drop13lbs medal. Opt for the VIP upgrade for a pair of race socks, a hat, an upgraded race shirt, and a VIP bus to take you to the start line.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 84 degrees; low of 59 degrees; average of 72 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 3,200-foot net elevation loss
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: 4 hours (half marathon)
• Race Swag: T-shirt, finisher’s medal, race photos
• Distance from Airport: 25-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Ragnar Road Wasatch Back

June | Utah | 200-mile Relay
The first leg of the relay starts at Utah State University in Logan. Along the nearly 200-mile course, teams of 12 take turns running through Avon Pass, around the Pineview Reservoir, past Snowbasin Resort at Mount Ogden, along quaint countryside roads, and through a few small towns. The finish line is at Brighton Ski Resort in the mountains southeast of Salt Lake City. Each person on your relay team will run between 13 and 21 miles, but don’t let the lower mileage fool you! Some legs of the race are rated hard and very hard due to the mountain terrain and elevation profiles.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 84 degrees; low of 59 degrees; average of 72 degrees (based on Salt Lake City area temperatures)
• Course Elevation Change: 4,540 feet at the lowest point; 9,708 feet at the highest point
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: Not listed
• Race Swag: Not listed
• Distance from Airport: 1 hour, 30-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Utah Valley Marathon

June | Provo | Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
This Boston-qualifying full marathon course has a steeper descent in the first few miles and a more gradual downhill toward the end. You’ll be able to keep your mind on the race and less on the navigation, as there are no turns on the marathon course after mile 7. The half marathon follows the same course from its respective starting point. You’ll run through Provo Canyon, along river-adjacent roads, and finish in downtown Provo.

During registration, runners who wish to set up a fundraiser page can raise money for one of the official race charities. There’s also an optional VIP upgrade for the marathon and half marathon, which gets you a pre-race dinner, race hat, and a ride up to the start line on the same bus as the elite runners.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 87 degrees; low of 55 degrees; average of 71 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 1,700-foot net elevation loss (marathon)
• Marathon Results | Half Marathon Results | 10K Results | 5K Results
• Time Limit: 6 hours (full and half marathons)
• Race Swag: T-shirt, finisher’s medal
• Prize Money:
  • Cash awards ranging from $1,600 to $200 for 1st through 5th place male and female marathon finishers
  • Cash awards ranging from $300 to $75 for 1st through 3rd place male and female master’s marathon finishers
  • Cash awards ranging from $500 to $75 for 1st through 5th place male and female half marathon finishers
  • Cash awards ranging from $150 to $50 for 1st through 3rd place male and female master’s half marathon finishers
  • Cash awards ranging from $150 to $50 for 1st through 3rd place wheelchair/handcycle half marathon finishers
  • Prize money is also awarded for high-performance marathon and half marathon finishers based on time and state records (more details here)
• Distance from Airport: 50-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Deseret News Marathon

July | Salt Lake City | Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
The Deseret News Marathon has been running since 1970, making it the oldest race in the state. It’s organized by The Deseret News, a local news organization founded in 1850. The Boston-qualifying marathon course begins at the top of Big Mountain, overlooking Emigration Canyon, and runs along a downhill course into downtown Salt Lake City. The 10K is a competitively fast race that follows a course through the University of Utah’s Research Park and into downtown Salt Lake City.

All race distances finish along the Days of ’47 Parade route, so expect plenty of cheering spectators! This event and the parade are held each year on July 24, Pioneer Day, which is a state holiday. (Yes, that means the race is a go even if it lands on a weekday!)

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 94 degrees; low of 68 degrees; average of 81 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 3,200-foot net elevation loss (marathon); 1,600-foot net elevation loss (half marathon); 600-foot net elevation loss (10K)
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: 6 hours (marathon); 5 hours (half marathon, 10K); 4 hours (5K)
• Race Swag: T-shirt, finisher’s medal
• Prize Money: Utah residents only.
  • First-place male and female marathon, half marathon, and 10K finishers receive $1,000
  • Second-place male and female marathon, half marathon, and 10K finishers receive $500
  • Third-place male and female marathon, half marathon, and 10K finishers receive $250
• Distance from Airport: 20-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Jupiter Peak 25K

July | Park City | 25K
Capped at 400 participants, the 25K trail race follows a 16-mile loop that starts at Park City Mountain Resort, runs 3,000 feet up to the top of Jupiter Peak, and back down. Wildlife sightings such as porcupine, fox, and moose are common. Expect snacks and hydration at the aid stations and finish line. This event is part of the Triple Trail Challenge, produced by Salt Lake Running Company.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 80 degrees; low of 53 degrees; average of 67 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 3,000-foot elevation gain and 3,000-foot elevation loss
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: 5 hours
• Race Swag: Custom race swag accessories, finisher’s medal
• Distance from Airport: 20-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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Mid Mountain 50K

August | Park City | 50K
The Mid Mountain 50K is part of the Triple Trail Challenge, produced by Salt Lake Running Company. A shuttle will take you to the start line where you’ll run a loop at Deer Valley Resort before continuing onto the Mid Mountain Trail. Expect various climbs, descents, and technical sections, including a steep downhill over the last 6 miles through the Utah Olympic Park trail system. Wildlife sightings along the course are possible, and there will be plenty of snacks and hydration at the aid stations and finish line.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 79 degrees; low of 52 degrees; average of 65 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 3,359-foot elevation gain and 4,646-foot elevation loss
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: 9 hours
• Race Swag: Custom race swag accessories, finisher’s medal
• Distance from Airport: 35-minute drive from Salt Lake City International Airport

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St. George Marathon

October | St. George | Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K
The Boston-qualifying St. George Marathon has been running for nearly 50 years. Located in the southwest corner of Utah, near the Mojave Desert, the scenic point-to-point marathon and half marathon courses give runners views of desert landscapes with red rock formations painted in gorgeous pinks and purples at sunrise.

While there’s a net elevation loss, it’s not a downhill coast. At mile 7 of the marathon course, for instance, you’ll see the Veyo Volcano and the famous climb along the course: Veyo Hill. The half marathon start line is shortly after that in Diamond Valley. Both marathon and half marathon runners pass Snow Canyon before winding into the small town of St. George, running through a few neighborhoods, and crossing the downtown finish line. If you’re ready for an added challenge, “double up” by running the 5K, which runs part of the Santa Clara River Trail, on Friday and the half or full marathon on Saturday.

• Average Race Month Weather: High of 79 degrees; low of 47 degrees; average of 63 degrees
• Course Elevation Change: 2,517-foot net elevation loss (marathon); 1,892-foot net elevation loss (half marathon)
• Historical Race Results
• Time Limit: Runners must reach the 23.1-mile mark in 6 hours and 15 minutes (marathon)
• Race Swag: Performance T-shirt, finisher’s medal
• Distance from Airport: 2-hour drive from Harry Reid International Airport Las Vegas

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*Average Race Month Weather is based on the National Weather Service’s historical data.

Check out more destination races to add to your race calendar.

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PLAN YOUR TRIP TO SALT LAKE CITY

Your Running Guide to Salt Lake City

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