Set among some of the most scenic, unspoiled mountains of western North Carolina, the Scream Half Marathon takes runners through the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest, which lies at the southern end of the Appalachians and features some of the highest mountains east of the Mississippi. The race starts in Jonas Ridge, N.C., and takes runners downhill through the mountains to the finish near the town of Mortimer.
(MORE: The Scream Half Marathon event details)