Med Bow Rail Marathon
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Med Bow Rail Marathon & Half Marathon - August 15, 2026
The Med Bow Rail Marathon and Half Marathon take place at Lake Owen in the Medicine Bow National Forest near Albany, Wyoming. The event offers two races and is hosted by the Friends of the Medicine Bow Rail Trail. All race proceeds support trail upkeep and improvement, and the races are intended to promote use of the trail. The races are open to all-comers, are timed, and are staffed with five aid stations. The start and finish area is at Lake Owen. All participants receive a race t-shirt and all finishers are awarded a finisher medal.
The marathon follows the Medicine Bow Rail Trail end-to-end, averaging 8,926 feet in elevation with a route summit at 9,039 feet. The trail is a gently graded, wide, gravel path. Marathon runners pass through woodlands, open clearings, and old burn scars, and the route finishes with a loop around a mountain lake. The half marathon mirrors much of the northern portion of the marathon, including two loops around Lake Owen with the remainder on the Rail Trail. Course maps are available.
The Medicine Bow Rail Trail is a 21 mile gravel pathway through the Snowy Range mountains. Completed in 2007, the trail follows the former Laramie, Hahns Peak, and Pacific Railroad and is open year round to a variety of non-motorized users. The Friends of the Medicine Bow Rail Trail is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports and maintains the trail. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.