Runners start the half marathon at Mesa Falls’ Bear Gulch, and for the first three miles the course takes runners across packed trails, old railroad beds and other natural surfaces alongside the scenic Warm River. For the rest of the race (the last 10 miles), the surface is paved, and offers views of the Teton Mountain Range and Idaho’s potato farming countryside. Though mostly a downhill course (with an overall elevation drop of nearly 500 feet), the race includes one big uphill between miles 4 and 6 (miles 17 and 19 in the full marathon).
(MORE: Mesa Falls Marathon & Half Marathon event details)