Imagine crossing a finish line with red rock canyons towering behind you, or high-fiving fellow runners in front of a historic monument that changed the course of American history. That’s the magic of racing through a national park (or national monument or historic site).
Vacation Races partners with the National Park Service and other public lands agencies to host races in and around some of the most iconic landscapes in the U.S., from Yosemite to Zion. As of now, Vacation Races offer races at or near 13 national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to Zion. In addition, dozens and dozens of independent races have courses that start or run alongside national historic sites and other powerful federally-protected places of remembrance,
All of these courses are thoughtfully designed to highlight the natural beauty of each location — often on roads or trails just outside park boundaries to minimize impact on the protected environments. So, if you love a run with a view, this is a great way to combine your two loves into a running vacation.
So, if you want to race in some epic landscape, these are our favorite national par half marathons in the U.S.
Grand Teton Half Marathon
- Where: Jackson, WY
- When: June 7, 2025c
This race takes runners on a high-elevation, point-to-point climb through Wyoming’s Jackson Hole area, where they’ll cross the Snake River twice and finish within sight of the majestic Teton Mountain range, just south of the national park for which they’re named.
Arches Half Marathon
- Where: Moab, UT
- When: October 4, 2025
Rising red canyons, stunning rock formations, and the La Sal Mountain range provides the backdrop for this race, which starts just outside south of Moab at the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study Area. Formerly known as “The Other Half”, the Arches Half Marathon is run largely on a jeep road and has spectacular scenery along the course, including circling Arches’ iconic Picture Frame Arch.
Leave No Trace Trail Half Marathon
- Where: Peninsula, OH
- When: August 30, 2025
“Prepare to leave dirty.” That’s the advice organizers have for the runners at this race among the winding single-track trails of northeastern Ohio’s Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which draws a few hundred runners each year.
Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
- Where: Maryville, TN
- When: September 6, 2025
A gorgeous, scenic run through the Blue Ridge Mountains that straddle the Tennessee-North Carolina border awaits runners at this race, which takes runners on a gradual climb near the entrance to the national park just outside Knoxville.
Towpath Half Marathon
- Where: Sagamore Hills, OH
- When: October 4, 2025
Named for the Native American word for “crooked river,” the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park just outside nearby Cleveland and Akron is the setting for this race, which runs along a paved and crushed limestone trail once known as the Ohio Canal Corridor.
Zion Half Marathon
- Where: Springdale, UT
- When: February 28, 2026
Zion National Park has such special landscape, a visit should be on every person’s bucket list. This race runs through the actual park, sandwiched between massive red walls for 13.1 miles.
Rocky Mountain Half Marathon
- Where: Estes Park, CO
- When: August 2, 2025
This high-elevation race is epic on every level: The lowest point on the course is just over 7,400 feet and runners will gain roughly 500 feet over the first eight miles. But the views are worth every moment of burning lungs. Note that this race doesn’t actually take place within Rocky Mountain National Park, but the views from just outside the gate in Estes Park are just as jaw-dropping.
Lake Powell Half Marathon
- Where: Page, AZ
- When: October 2025
Runners who love desert and lake views that go on for miles will love this race, which starts at John C. Page Park and heads into the southern end of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which spans nearly 1.9 million acres of cliffs, terraces and river canyons along the Utah-Arizona border.
Rim Rock Half Marathon
- Where: Grand Junction, CO
- When: November 2, 2025
Get ready for a stunning – and all-downhill – race at this event inside Colorado National Monument, whose stunning multi-colored rock formations and canyon walls span more than 20,000 acres near the Colorado-Utah border.
Summit 2 Summit Half Marathon
- Where: Hot Springs, AR
- When: November 15, 2025
You’ll run nearly all the way to the top of West Mountain at this race inside Arkansas’ Hot Springs National Park, the oldest unit the National Park System (it predates the dedication of Yellowstone National Park by about 40 years).
Death Valley Trail Half Marathon
- Where: Death Valley, CA
- When: December 6, 2025
Held deep within California’s Death Valley National Park and limited to just 250 entrants, this trail race runs in a season when runners can expect both gorgeous views and temperatures comfortable enough for running.
Death Valley Road Half Marathon
- Where: Death Valley, CA
- When: February 7, 2026
Don’t worry road runners — there’s a race for you in Death Valley, too. Run entirely along a 6.55-mile stretch of Highway 190 through the flat, desolate desert terrain of California’s Death Valley National Park, this out-and-back race features panoramic views of nearby mountain ranges and is perhaps most famous for its elevation below sea level.
Red Rock Canyon Half Marathon
- Where: Las Vegas, NV
- When: January 24, 2026
Seemingly every hue of red, orange and burnt earth colors surround you as you run along the Scenic Canyon Road for this race, which takes place in the national conservation area by the same name about a half-hour’s drive from Las Vegas
Canyonlands Half Marathon
- Where: Moab, UT
- When: March 20, 2026
Run in the shadow of the majestic red rock formations of Utah’s Arches National Park at this race, whose USATF-certified course offers a challenging mix of rolling hills and fast descents at roughly 4,000 feet above sea level.
Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam Half Marathon
- Where: Boulder City, NV
- When: March 2026 TBD
Run on (or around) St. Patrick’s Day, this race combines a desert-like environment, the crystal-blue waters of Nevada’s Lake Mead nearby and the majestic Hoover Dam in the distance, along a mountainous trail road through the hills of Lake Mead National Recreational Area.
Flying Pirate Half Marathon
- Where: Kitty Hawk, NC
- When: April 12, 2025
Soak up both the stark natural beauty of North Carolina’s Outer Banks as well as a piece of history at this race through Wright Brothers Memorial National Park, near the spot where Wilbur and Orville Wright took their first flight.
Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon
- Where: Grand Canyon Village, AZ
- When: October 25, 2025
Run along the trails and forest roads in the Kaibab National Forest near the South Rim of Arizona’s jaw-dropping Grand Canyon. This race is just a few miles south of the park entrance, this high-elevation race never drops below about 6,450 feet above sea level.
Yosemite Half Marathon
- Where: Bass Lake, CA
- When: May 10, 2025
Run just south of Yosemite National Park in the woods of the Sierra National Forest. The first five miles are through serene trees, the second 5 miles all downhill, and the last 3 miles will a stunning lap around Bass Lake.
Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Half Marathon
- Where: Bar Harbor, ME
- When: September 13, 2025
Run largely on the Acadia National Park Loop Road, this race is one of only two permitted to run within Maine’s Acadia National Park, which spans more than 41,000 acres along this state’s rocky coastline and boasts views of cliffs, coastline, and the sea.
Yellowstone Half Marathon
- Where: West Yellowstone, MT
- When: June 14, 2025
Spread across more than 3,400 square miles, Yellowstone is a park filled with geysers, geothermal pools, canyons, mountains and forests — as well as a giant caldera volcano. This race takes you just outside its western entrance, along dirt roads and trails in the nearby Gallatin National Forest.
Bryce Canyon Half Marathon
- Where: Bryce Canyon, UT
- When: July 12, 2025
Get ready for a fast, scenic race that takes you through Utah’s spectacular Bryce Canyon National Park, a geologic wonder that lures visitors from around the world with its incredible red rock formations, stunning views of amphitheater-like canyons, and wide-open skies.
Crater Lake Rim Runs Half Marathon
- Where: Crater Lake, OR
- When: August 9, 2025
Filled with rugged Pacific Northwest mountain terrain that encircles one of the country’s most majestic and beautiful lakes, Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park is the home to this late summer race, which promises breathtaking views at altitudes ranging from 5,980 to 7,850 feet above sea level.
