Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon & 5K

Sunday, July 21, 2024 • Sonoma, CA • Course Map

Selected by Runner’s World magazine as the half marathon with the “best finish,” due in no small part to the Wine & Music Festival that awaits runners at the finish line in Sonoma Plaza, the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon & 5K races offer some of the country’s most beautiful and dramatic scenery for a road race, both at the finish line and all the way along the course.

Runners at this race get the chance to run through Napa and Sonoma County’s beautiful rolling farmlands, vineyards and wineries, often through early morning fog that adds a unique touch of local California character as it gives way to sunny skies as the race progresses.

The race begins near the city of Napa at the Cuvaison Carneros Estate on Duhig Road, just off California Highway 121.

From there, the course follows a winding path southward along Duhig to Ramal Road, taking runners up the affectionately named “Butt Burner Hill” and then downhill into the Carneros wine country area, where runners get to take in the beautiful vistas of the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area, the San Pablo Bay and the hills of Marin County.

Recommended Race: The La Jolla Half Marathon on May 18, 2024

After the first hill along Duhig Road, the course evens out and runners experience only gently rolling hills throughout the rest of the course, with the highest points the rest of the way coming between mile markers 5 and 6 and then again between miles 8 and 10.

In addition to the beautiful landscapes, runners will also encounter a number of working farms and ranches along the course, complete with animals ranging from horses, cows and pigs to sheep, goats and llamas.

The last few miles of the race feature plenty of shade, thanks to the tree-lined country roads that make up the last part of the 13.1-mile half marathon course.

As noted by the editors at Runner’s World, the finish line is the true reward for runners in this race.

The home stretch of the final mile takes the field on a straightway along Broadway in Sonoma to City Hall, where the festival will be in full swing by the time runners are finishing the race, with plenty of massage tents and refreshments along with wine tasting booths, food and live music.

An oak tree towers over a vineyard in Sonoma, California. (Photo by torbakhopper/flickr)

An oak tree towers over a vineyard in Sonoma, California. (Photo by torbakhopper/flickr)

Awards & Accolades

We ranked the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon as one of the Most Fun Half Marathons of 2024.

Race Weather & Climate

Nestled in the heart of Northern California’s historic Napa Valley wine growing region, about an hour’s drive north from San Francisco, Sonoma typically experiences warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

  • July 21 average low temp: 55ºF
  • July 21 average high temp: 82ºF

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

7:00 AM

Fees

  • $180 and up – half marathon
  • $45 and up – 5K

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2024 running of the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon or 5K race, register online at Active.com here.

Official Race Website

runnapatosonoma.com

Comments

Ever run in the Napa-to-Sonoma Wine Country Half? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.

See more races in California

3 comments… add one
  • Fantasys June 17, 2019, 9:47 am

    The world-renowned Napa and Sonoma Valleys serve as the host of this incredible event; offering the finest in wine country ambience and hospitality. Other activities are scheduled around the race, so bring family and friends and plan to stay and play! You’ll also meet new friends and running colleagues at this iconic event which draws from all fifty states and many foreign countries. For the h consecutive year, the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon has sold out of the half marathon individual and pairing registrations. A limited number of entries are still available for the Rose? and through the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program and our Charity Partner Programs. More information about our Charity Partner entry options . 

    Reply
  • ketsy reyes March 4, 2019, 8:55 am

    Hi, I’m Ketsy from Puerto Rico. I really want to race your half marathon, but it’s sold out… I’m so sad!! I have the opportunity to be enrolled yet? you have a lottery for this race?

    Reply
  • Wayne December 11, 2016, 11:17 am

    Is there a 2017 October napa valley half thank you

    Reply

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