Black Squirrel Half
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Black Squirrel Half Marathon : Bellvue, Colorado (September 12, 2026)
The Black Squirrel Half Marathon is held on trails in Lory State Park, northwest of Fort Collins. The main event covers 13.5 miles with about 2,000 feet of total vertical gain and loss. Minimum and maximum elevations are listed as 5,400' and 7,000', with an average elevation of 6,100'. The field is capped at 400 runners and the overall time allowance is 5.5 hours.
- 13.5 miles
- 1 mile (kids race on gently rolling singletrack)
Course, services and rules
The route follows a perimeter tour of Lory State Park. After approximately one mile on dirt road the course ascends roughly 1,500 feet between mile 2 and mile 6, then descends over the next 2.5 miles before 4.5 miles of gently rolling singletrack to the finish. Surface breakdown is 12 miles dirt singletrack and 1 mile dirt road. Aid stations are located at Timber/Westridge (mile 4.5), Arthur’s West (mile 8.5), Arthur’s East (mile 11.0) and the finish; all will offer water and Gnarly Nutrition Fuel2O, and Arthur’s West will provide additional snacks. The course will be marked with pink flagging, pin flags, flour markings and directional arrows.
Parking is based at the Soldier Canyon Picnic Area with additional lots at Timber Trailhead and Eltuck Picnic Area; park entry passes are required for vehicles without a pass. Race rules note that pacers are not allowed, crewing is limited to designated aid stations, runners must carry a minimum 16 oz water container, and dogs are not allowed on course. Toilets are available at the start/finish and at designated trailheads. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
