St. George Marathon

Course & Elevation

The St. George Marathon is a point-to-point road race in southwestern Utah that starts in the Pine Valley Mountains and finishes in downtown St. George. It is hosted by the city of St. George and held on the first Saturday of October; the 2026 race was the 50th edition, and the first was run in November 1977. The marathon starts at 7 a.m. on State Route 18 at about 5,240 feet (1,600 m) and descends nearly 2,600 feet (790 m) to the finish at Vernon Worthen Park, which sits at 2,680 feet (820 m). On the way the course passes through the Snow Canyon area, with formations of white, pink and red sandstone and black basalt. A half marathon runs on the same Saturday and a 5K on the Friday evening. The city sets a cut-off rather than a plain finish limit: runners must reach the corner of Snow Canyon Parkway and S.R. 18, at 23.1 miles, by 1:15 p.m., which is 6 hours 15 minutes after the start. Anyone who misses it is taken off the course and transported to the finish. Registration is first come, first served through the city and opens on 1 April at 6 a.m. Mountain time. Race times are used by many runners to qualify for the Boston Marathon.