Part of this small Alaska panhandle city’s annual BearFest celebration — which features a symposium, workshops, live music, a film festival and photography exhibits devoted to the study of Alaska’s bears and wildlife — the BearFest Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K makes its 13th annual running at the end of the festival, which runs through the end of July. Surrounded by the water on three sides, Wrangell is the northernmost point of Wrangell Island, one of more than 1,000 islands spread throughout what is known as the Alexander Archipelago, which stretches some 300 miles along the southeastern coast of Alaska near the border with British Columbia. Rocky, snow-capped mountain peaks, pristine blue water and clear skies are just a few of what visitors see here in the summer, in addition to glaciers and abundant wildlife ranging from brown and black bears to bald eagles.
Bearfest Marathon & Half Marathon
July 27, 2025
Juneau
Road
Ready to sign up?
1-100
Fast & Flat
Lakefront, Mountain Views
High: 70°
/ Low: 50°
For runners in the half marathon — which, like the full marathon and the 5K, starts at 8:00 AM — the race will follow an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at the James & Elsie Nolan Center, part of the Wrangell Convention & Visitor Center.
From there, runners head out on what is basically a south-to-north route through town and out onto Zimovia Highway, all the way south to the half marathon turnaround point. Then, runners head north in reverse along the route they’ve just run, all the way back to the convention center for the race finish.
Overview
Part of this small Alaska panhandle city’s annual BearFest celebration — which features a symposium, workshops, live music, a film festival and photography exhibits devoted to the study of Alaska’s bears and wildlife — the BearFest Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K makes its 13th annual running at the end of the festival, which runs through the end of July. Surrounded by the water on three sides, Wrangell is the northernmost point of Wrangell Island, one of more than 1,000 islands spread throughout what is known as the Alexander Archipelago, which stretches some 300 miles along the southeastern coast of Alaska near the border with British Columbia. Rocky, snow-capped mountain peaks, pristine blue water and clear skies are just a few of what visitors see here in the summer, in addition to glaciers and abundant wildlife ranging from brown and black bears to bald eagles.
Course Description
For runners in the half marathon — which, like the full marathon and the 5K, starts at 8:00 AM — the race will follow an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at the James & Elsie Nolan Center, part of the Wrangell Convention & Visitor Center.
From there, runners head out on what is basically a south-to-north route through town and out onto Zimovia Highway, all the way south to the half marathon turnaround point. Then, runners head north in reverse along the route they’ve just run, all the way back to the convention center for the race finish.
