Grand Island Trail Marathon & Half Marathon

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Date

Jul 26, 2025

Starting Time

6:00 AM

Course

Road

Fees

$85+

Location

Munising

Participants

100-500

Terrain

Some Hills

Environment

Urban

Temperature
High: 72°
/ Low: 60°
Overview

Just off the coast of this small city that looks out onto Lake Superior along Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, runners get a chance to run the trails, hills, beaches and forests of the Grand Island National Recreation Area at the Grand Island Trail Marathon & Half Marathon, which marks its 18th annual running this year.

The race takes runners both along the shoreline and through the heart of the forest on 13,500-acre Grand Island, which lies about half a mile off the coast of Munising and is accessible only by ferry boat.

Course Description

Runners start the half marathon at William’s Landing, which lies at the southern tip of the island near the ferry docking area. From there, they follow what is roughly a counter-clockwise loop route around the southern half of the island, starting first with the trek northward along the shoreline of Murray Bay.
These first few miles are generally flat with just a few gently rolling hills as runners along the shore and then into the dense hardwood forests, along dirt forest roads. Between miles 1 and 2, runners pass Duck Lake on their left and then continue on right onto what is known as the tombolo, the narrow strip of land that connects the two larger sections of the island.

Past Results

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