There are 423 National Parks in the United States. That’s quite a lot of National Parks for one human to visit in a lifetime. Even if you tried to visit five national parks per year, it would still take you over 80 years to visit them all. But here’s great news for you – the most spectacular National Parks in the United States are complemented with some of the most spectacular national park half marathons. This way, you can cross off two items of your bucket list for next year by combining running and travel!
I wish all of my 2024 bucket list items worked that way but, unfortunately, my parents declined my invitation for their annual holiday visit to coincide with a freefall out of a plane.
These are the National Park half marathons you can run in 2024.
The Great Smoky Mountains
- Where: Townshend, TN
- Annual Visitors: 4.1M
- When: September 7-8, 2024
- The Half Marathon: Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon & 5K
Zion National Park
- Where: Springdale, UT
- Annual Visitors: 5M
- The Half Marathon: Zion Half Marathon
- When: March 1, 2025
Yellowstone National Park
- Where: West Yellowstone, MT
- Annual Visitors: 4.9M
- The Half Marathon: Yellowstone Half Marathon & 5K
- When: June 7-8, 2024
Grand Canyon National Park
- Where: Grand Canyon Village, AZ
- Annual Visitors: 4.5M
- The Half Marathon: Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon & 5K
- When: November 2, 2024
Rocky Mountain National Park
- Where: Estes Park, CO
- Annual Visitors: 4.4M
- The Half Marathon: Rocky Mountain Half & 5K
- When: August 03, 2024
Acadia National Park
- Where: Bar Harbor, ME
- Annual Visitors: 4.1M
- The Half Marathon: Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
- When: June 2, 2024
Grand Teton National Park
- Where: Jackson, WY
- Annual Visitors: 3.9M
- The Half Marathon: Grand Teton Half Marathon & 5K
- When: May 31-June 1, 2024
Yosemite National Park
- Where: Bass Lake, CA
- Annual Visitors: 3.9M
- The Half Marathon: Yosemite Half Marathon
- When: May 10, 2025
Indiana Dunes National Park
- Where: Chesterton, IN
- Annual Visitors: 3.2M
- The Half Marathon: Duneland Half Marathon & 5K
- When: October 27, 2024
Glacier National Park
- Where: East Glacier, MT
- Annual Visitors: 3.1M
- The Half Marathon: Glacier Half Marathon
- When: June 28, 2025
Joshua Tree National Park
- Where: Joshua Tree, CA
- Annual Visitors: 3.1M
- The Half Marathon: Joshua Tree Half Marathon
- When: November 2, 2024
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Where: Cleveland, OH
- Annual Visitors: 2.5M
- The Half Marathon: Towpath Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
- When: October 5, 2024
Hot Springs National Park
- Where: Hot Springs, AR
- Annual Visitors: 2.2M
- The Half Marathon: Spa Running Festival
- When: November 16, 2024
Bryce Canyon National Park
- Where: Bryce Canyon City, UT
- Annual Visitors: 2.1M
- The Half Marathon: Bryce Canyon Half Marathon
- When: July 13, 2024
Mount Rainier National Park
- Where: Ashford, WA
- Annual Visitors: 1.6M
- The Half Marathon: Mount Rainier Half Marathon & 5K
- When: July 19-20, 2024
Shenandoah National Park
- Where: Ridgeview Park, VA
- Annual Visitors: 1.6M
- The Half Marathon: Park to Park ½ Marathon
- When: April 26, 2025
Gateway Arch National Park
- Where: St. Louis, MO
- Annual Visitors: 1.1M
- The Half Marathon: Go! St Louis Marathon Weekend
- When: April 27, 2025
Death Valley National Park
- Where: Inyo County, CA
- Annual Visitors: 1.1M
- The Half Marathon: Death Valley Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
- When: February 1, 2025
Saguaro National Park
- Where: Tucson, AZ
- Annual Visitors: 1M
- The Half Marathon: Saguaro Half Marathon
- When: February 24, 2024
Everglades National Park
- Where: Homestead, FL
- Annual Visitors: 950K
- The Half Marathon: Everglades Half Marathon & 5K
- When: February 9-10, 2024
Canyonlands National Park
- Where: Moab, UT
- Annual Visitors: 900K
- The Half Marathon: Canyonlands Half Marathon & 5-mile
- When: March 15, 2025
Redwood National Park
- Where: Weott, CA
- Annual Visitors: 435K
- The Half Marathon: Avenue of the Giants Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
- When: May 4, 2025
