The cold, blustery winter weather of February each year is never enough to deter the field of hundreds of runners at each year’s Snow Joke Half Marathon, which takes runners on a loop the run around the banks of Seeley Lake in the town of the same name in westernmost Montana, about 40 miles from Missoula.
Snow Joke Half Marathon
Date
Feb 21, 2026
Starting Time
11:00 AM
Course
Road
Fees
$30 - $50
Location
Seeley Lake
Participants
100-500
Terrain
Some Hills
Environment
Lakefront
Temperature
High: 40°
/ Low: 17°
Overview
Course Description
The half-marathon takes runners on a single, cold and snow-covered lap around the lake, making it quite likely one of the country’s coldest outdoor race events of the year.
Race organizers tell participants to expect icy patches along the course’s snow-plowed road, and allow at least some time for the sun to come out — the race starts at the unusually late time of 11:00 AM. The start and finish are at Seeley Lake’s Elementary School Gym, where runners also register between 8:30 and 10:30 AM on the day of the race.
Located right in the middle of Montana’s Bob Marshall and Mission Mountain Wilderness Areas, the town of Seeley Lake is also set in what is known locally as the Seeley-Swan Valley, home to about 2,400 permanent residents and many, many more tourists and visitors year-round.
Snowmobiling and Nordic skiing are two of the area’s most popular wintertime activities, as the surrounding area boasts about 350 miles of snowmobile trails and a world-class Nordic ski trail system, which visitors can tour on one of the town’s famous sleigh rides or dogsled rides.
The race has grown from a small event with just over 30 runners at its inaugural running in 1980 to one that attracts upwards of 700 runners today. Leashed dogs are welcome to participate alongside their humans, with a soup bone prize for the first dog to finish.
Past Results
