Death Valley Marathon
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Event overview
The 2026 Death Valley Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K takes place at Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek, Inyo County, California. The event offers three distances:
- Marathon
- Half Marathon
- 10K
The event is limited to 300 total participants. Typical winter temperatures for the area are given as lows between 30 and 40 degrees and highs in the low 70s. The course is entirely below sea level.
Course and race details
All races use a paved out-and-back route that begins and finishes at Day Use Area #1 adjacent to Furnace Creek Ranch and follows the bike path along Highway 190 past the Harmony Borax Works and through Mustard Canyon. The course has fewer than 500 feet of total climbing and descending. The marathon is a double out-and-back with a northern turnaround about 3.5 miles out, repeated twice. The 10K turns around at the Mile 3 aid station. The half marathon is a double out-and-back with its first turnaround at the 10K turnaround and a second turnaround beyond the first aid station.
Aid stations and porta-potties are located about every 3 miles and provide water, lemonade, sports bars, and snacks; additional food and drink are available at the finish. Course markings include mile markers on the ground. Walkers are allowed in the half marathon and 10K. Headphones and audible music are not permitted; violations may result in disqualification. Runners must remain on the west shoulder of the highway and run single file when traffic is present. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
