Yellowstone Marathon

The Yellowstone Trail Marathon starts at the Rendezvous Ski Trails on the western edge of West Yellowstone, Montana. You are running on the same trail network used for cross-country skiing in winter, so the surface is natural dirt and the terrain rolls in a way that flat numbers don't fully capture. The loops mean you will see the same stretches more than once, which actually helps. By the second loop you know where the ground gets soft, where it kicks up, and where you can open the stride a little. And you're running at real altitude out here, so don't let the early miles trick you into going out too hard.

This is a trail race, not a road race, and your mindset should match that. Forget splits and run by feel and effort. The field tends to be on the smaller side and the atmosphere is low-key in a good way, more about being out in the Montana backcountry than chasing a clock. It is not a Boston qualifier, and it is not certified, so come here because you want to run trails near one of the most recognizable parks in the country, not because you're hunting a road PR. Entry is open registration through RunSignup, and it sits inside the Montana Trail Series if you want to make a weekend of more than one race.