Black Squirrel Half
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Event
The Black Squirrel Half Marathon takes place on September 12, 2026, at Lory State Park near Bellvue, Colorado. The event start and finish are at the Soldier Canyon Picnic Area. Distances offered:
- 13.5 miles - main course, ~2,000' of total vertical gain and descent.
- 1 mile - kids race on gently rolling singletrack.
The race is capped at 400 entrants and has a total time allowance of 5.5 hours. Fauna on course includes black abert squirrels and black bears. The organizer provides a gender-specific race T-shirt, a pint glass finisher award, age-group awards, fully stocked aid stations, a post-race breakfast with dietary options, and professional medical coverage.
Course and logistics
The course follows a perimeter tour of Lory State Park with views to the east of Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins and the Great Plains, and to the west toward the Rocky Mountains. Terrain is mostly singletrack: about 12 miles of dirt singletrack and 1 mile of dirt road. Runners climb roughly 1,500 feet between mile 2 and mile 6, descend over the next 2.5 miles, then run about 4.5 miles of gently rolling singletrack to the finish. Min/max elevation is 5,400' / 7,000' and average elevation is 6,100'.
Aid stations offer water and sports drink; one aid station (Arthur’s West at mile 8.5) also provides additional snacks. The course is well marked with flagging, flour and arrows. Crewing and pacing are allowed only at designated aid stations. Runners must carry a minimum 16 oz water carrier; dogs are not permitted on course. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
