Moab Trail Marathon,
Half Marathon,
10K Adventure Run
and Kids K
Race Dates: November 4th & 5th, 2023.
Registration Opens March 1st, 2023.
A Trail Runner Magazine "Bucket List" Race.
2023 USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championship
An unforgettable voyage through some of the world’s most scenic and unique lands. Try it!
Course Description:
Marathon: Starting at the Pritchett Canyon entrance, proceed up Pritchett Canyon Trail (5.7 miles of rugged jeep track) connecting to Hunter Canyon Rim Trail (1.8 miles), proceeding along the Hunter Canyon Rim single-track trail and down to Kane Creek Road (2.2 miles). Turn left and head south on Kane Creek Dirt Road to the Hunter Canyon singletrack trail (1.3 miles). Continue 1 mile up the canyon and turn around and come back out. Then continue south on Kane Creek Road (1 mile). Turn right and head up the “Scorched Earth Wall”. Once atop the rim, continue generally north on the faint jeep trail, which turns to singletrack, then slickrock, then off-track canyon bottom. Then you’ll turn left on the ‘Captain Ahab’ singletrack for 2.3 miles to Amasa Back jeep trail, continuing for about 3/4 mile. Then turn right onto the Jackson Trail singletrack, down to the Kane Creek drainage (1.8 miles). Continue to the aid station just after crossing Kane Creek and head through the tunnel, through the cave, through the arch, up the ladder and traverse the rope (.4 mile) then follow the technical shelf trail that parallels ‘Behind the Rocks Wilderness area’ (1.3 miles). Cross Kane Road under the culvert and continue along the flats through Kane Creek Campground (West) returning the final mile to the Kane Creek Parking lot finish area.
½ Marathon: Start at the Pritchett Canyon entrance, proceed up Pritchett Canyon trail (5.7 miles) connecting to Hunter Canyon Rim trail (1.8 miles), proceeding along the Hunter Canyon Rim single-track and down to Kane Creek Road (2.2 miles). Turn right and continue up the infamous Kane Road switchbacks for about a mile, then back down to the Hymasa singletrack into the depths of Kane Creek drainage. Continue for 1 mile in the drainage, exiting at the Amasa Back parking lot for another ½ mile dirt road before the final ½ mile of singletrack with two crossings of Kane Creek before the finish.
10K: We are excited to offer a 10K for the first time in 2023! This course starts on a dirt road for about ¾ mile with vertical walls on both sides, including the ‘Tombstone’ rock where you might see base jumpers taking the leap. It then descends into a small canyon and crawls out and up up up the Amasa Back jeep road, or “Cliffhanger” as it’s better known. You will reach the aid station at the top, about mile 3. Then you will run along the edge of a cliff looking down into the Jackson Hole with glimpses of the Colorado River. Stay away from the edge if you’re afraid of heights, it’s spooky in places. The fun starts as you descend Jackson Trail, a narrow singletrack along the edge of a beautiful canyon with views of the Colorado River and the finish line below. Be careful on this trail, it’s amazing but exposed. One last crossing of Kane Creek and a short steep hill and you’ll arrive at the finish.
5K: Not your ordinary 5K! This adventure run/walk features natural and manmade obstacles including running through an arch, through a cave, use of hand-line to go down a small cliff, two creek crossings, running through a gigantic culvert, crossing a sand pit, over a rock maze, completing a cross-word puzzle, and other FUN and Exciting obstacles. No special skills required.
Kids K: Kids love it! Parents love it! This is an adventure 1k, not your ordinary dash. There’s a gradual uphill to an arch and cave that’s the kids will run through. Then a steep technical decent to a deep drainage, then a run through the drainage to a ‘tunnel’, down a ladder, across a bridge, through the ‘jungle’ and up a short steep hill to the finish. Challenging for kids, but so much fun.
ELEVATION PROFILES |
Location of Feed/Aid Stations (for Marathon and Half Marathon Course):
- Pritchett Canyon and Hunter Rim Road intersection (mile point 5.7, Full and Half)
- Hunter Canyon Rim Trailhead (at campground on Kane Creek Road at Gatherer Canyon, mile point 9.7, Full and Half)
- Amasa Back Parking lot: Water and Tailwind only (after Kane Creek Drainage, mile point 12.2, Half only)
- Cattleguard at turn to Scorched Earth Wall (mile point 14, Marathon only)
- “Taz’s Canyon” at bottom of slickrock scramble (mile point 17.5, Marathon only)
- Amasa Back Road and Jackson Trail junction (mile point 21.3, Marathon only)
- Kane Creek Crossing (just after creek crossing, mile point .75 of the 5k and mile 23.3 of the Marathon.)
- “Nelson’s Driveway” (after ‘Behind the Rocks’ Singletrack, mile 2.1 of the 5k and mile 25.2 of the marathon.)
Feed/Aid Stations will be equipped with water, Tailwind, Cliff Shots, snack bars, fruity, salty, and sweet snacks, oranges, bananas and Endurolytes. Also, basic first-aid supplies, an evacuation vehicle and communication ability.
Due to the remote location and rugged terrain of the course, vehicles are not able to access the route with food and water other than at these locations. Please carry your own water/food if you think you’ll need it!