The race is set to start just off Highway 9 in Virgin, a town of just a few hundred residents, on Camino Del Rio.
From there, runners then turn right and head onto Highway 9 — Zion Park Road — which takes them in the direction of Zion National Park, whose mesas, mountains, waterfalls, streams, canyons, caves and red rock formations of nearly every size offer some of the country’s most stunning vistas and views, both from high above the rocks and down below in the canyons.
The course climbs some 400 feet in elevation over the course of the race, and the biggest hills come in the first couple of miles, again between miles 3 and 4, and then again just after the half-way point.
Organizers note that the race has sold out almost every year of its existence, and they encourage runners to sign up early. The scheduled starting time for the race is 7:00 AM, and runners will have 4 hours to finish the race, which is open to both runners and walkers — provided they can finish the uphill course within 4 hours. The running in 2016 saw over 2,250 runners cross the finish line.