2021 Race & Event Outlook

2/9/21 - UPDATE 4: ...And we're live! Follow this link to download the 2021 Zion Half Marathon race guide or listen to the podcast and follow along! The race guide includes everything from course info to directions and recommended activities, everything you need to have a memorable run. We highly recommend taking a look prior to race day.

2/2/21 - UPDATE 3: Zion Half Marathon is fast approaching! We expect to have our race guide available by the end of the week. We'll post a link here and on the event page when it's ready.

12/30 - UPDATE 2: Somewhat unexpectedly, the town of Springdale has denied our permit to finish our race in their town. The 2021 Zion Half Marathon is not being cancelled, but it is being drastically changed. We have a new course and some important logistical updates you should be aware of. We go into great detail to explain the circumstances that led to this decision and the changes to the event on this blog post.

12/1/20 - UPDATE 1: We have been in communication with our main permitting entity - the Town of Springdale. Per usual we have ben discussing a few improvements to our operation plan based on last year's event. We are confident we will be able to work with the town and Washington County come Feb. 27th and be able to execute an operation plan that takes COVID compliance into account. The two main areas of concern would be the shuttles and the start line. Our plan will likely include small group staggered starts throughout the morning (which would effect shuttle times) and required face coverings on shuttles - just for starters.

The reason for a lower confidence level (75%) is the unknown. Looking forward, I would think conditions would be more stable. But the current climate has everyone on edge. Utah is finally seeing higher cases (which it hadn't for most of 2020), people are waiting to see how the holidays and gatherings will impact the number of cases, the inauguration in January, etc. So there is a lot of uncertainty. I think we will get through all this and be in an okay position come February, but the uncertainty has to be accounted for when making a projection.

IF we are forced to cancel (for reasons outside of our control like a shutdown or our permit getting pulled) there will be no refunds. We have tried to be very clear about this by including strong wording on the registration, communicating what to expect on the website, and sending out emails letting runners know. There will be no refunds, but there will be full deferments to the 2022 race or any of our other races. 

Under our normal refund policy, runners can STILL get a refund now if they request it. The refund window will close on December 7th. Any runners uncomfortable with this level of uncertainty or risk and who will be happy with nothing short of a full refund should make that request before Monday. There will be no refunds offered after that.

3/15/21 - UPDATE 4: The 2021 Zion Ultras Race Guide is out and available! If you missed it in your email, check it out here!

We're also looking for volunteers, so if your friends and family are coming to watch you crush this desert course, ask if they'll give us a hand. Runners can also volunteer for days that suit them. Anyone who volunteers receives race credit for any of our future races. So those friends we mentioned...if they aren't runners, you can nicely ask them for their earned credit. Shh, we won't tell. 

2/12/21 - UPDATE 3: 

Start/Finish and Staging Area Change! We needed to change the location of our staging area due to parking capacity in Virgin. Our original location was nestled in the small town of Virgin with limited street parking. Parking would have been so tight that we were going to have some satellite locations to park at, then shuttle runners to the city park where the start/finish location was.

We have shifted to staging out of Apple Valley (South of Virgin, on the other side of the mesa). Moving the staging area is actually a positive thing for multiple reasons. First, we will have endless parking space, and won’t have to be quite as quiet as we cheer runners in during the late hours of the night. Second, this makes for an easy staging area for crew/pacers to access their runner doing the 100mile or 100k later in the race.

The trails we are utilizing for the course are not changing, but moving the location of the start and finish will affect the order of how these trail loops are strung together. Please reference our course section of the website to review an updated course description, as well as the new maps and elevation profiles. You can also view the adjusted minimum pace times.

We anticipate updating our Avenza maps very soon as well as GPX download options. 

Though this change is a little sudden, we believe that it should be a positive impact overall. So keep training, and we’ll see you soon!

2/2/21 - UPDATE 2:  Our confidence is high for the Zion Ultra race. We are still keeping an eye out for positive changes and have no reason to believe that the Zion Ultra race won't go ahead as planned.

12/30/20 - UPDATE 1: The Zion Ultra is SOLD OUT of ALL distances! Nothing in the planning of the event has given us any real cause for concern. Our permitting agencies are open with us, and having just put on a modified version of this event in September, we are confident planning will go smoothly. There *may* be some changes to start/finish and course staging if some things we are working on go our way. But otherwise - all systems GO!

We don't know what April will look like pandemic-wise. However it is not difficult to accommodate social distancing at ultra running events. We expect we'll be able to hold this race in April. 

We will post updates here once we get them, and inform registered runners.

3/11/21 - UPDATE 9: Do a happy dance because we heard back from the Pima County Health Department and they have raised our daily cap to 800 runners per day. Which means that Saguaro Half Marathon is officially a GO! 

We are going to share a lot of important information with you over the next two weeks, so please check your email regularly. We usually start to share information a month before the race, but this time communications will be delivered a condensed timeline; thank you for understanding. Most importantly, keep your eyes out for a 2021 Saguaro Race Guide coming shortly. The Race Guide covers our most common questions, so please review it thoroughly when we share it.

Each of you has shown us incredible patience and flexibility. Thank you for that. Now that we have the official thumbs up to host the event, we are looking for volunteers to help us with set-up, bib pick-up, parking, etc. Volunteers are welcome to help any day, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Each volunteer earns race credit to use on a future race. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please follow this link and select the activity and day you would like to volunteer for. Thank you! 

Again, thank you all very much and we are thrilled to be able to host this race for you. We hope you all have fun! Keep an eye out for upcoming emails and blog posts!

3/8/21 - UPDATE 8: We are still in communication with the Pima County Health Department, and we will continue to assess the outlook of this race on a week-by-week basis. As mentioned previously, we are planning to host this event over two days if our daily participant cap is raised to 800 runners per day. If the cap is not raised, we will have to cancel the event. This is why we are handling this situation on a week-by-week basis.

We have asked runners to select which day they prefer to run, should the event move forward as planned. The option to run on Saturday is now sold out. If you are unable to run on Sunday or are uncomfortable with the uncertainty of the situation, TODAY is your LAST DAY to request a refund for the Saguaro Half Marathon. The opportunity to run on Saturday is sold out, leaving Sunday as the only available day. If Sunday does not work for you, here are your options:

1. You can defer your race registration to the 2022 Saguaro Half Marathon or any of our other races.
2. Complete the race virtually! You can run this race virtually, receiving your bib, race shirt, and medal in the mail. We will also issue you a $50 race credit you can use (or gift to someone) on any of our future events. The race credit is good for two years.
3. Get a full refund. Our refund deadline was January 31st, but we have reactivated the refund option given the current circumstances. The new deadline for requesting a refund is Monday, March 8th. You will receive a full refund minus a small processing fee.*

*If you deferred into this race from a previous event or used a coupon, you are not eligible for a refund. You still have the options of deferring to next year’s race or transferring to any of our other races, but we will need to help you with that. Please email info@www.vacationraces.com for assistance.

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3/3/21 - UPDATE 7: We have received word from Pima County that our event has been approved to be held over two days with a participant cap of 500 runners per day. The health department has stated that there is a possibility of the participant cap increasing to 800 runners per day if there is a continued decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Based on the data and conversations with the health department, we are hopeful that our daily participant cap is raised to 800 runners. We are going to plan for this case. If the participant cap is not raised and is restricted to 500 runners per day, we will have to cancel the event. 

We know this raises a lot of questions, so we’ll answer questions below. Because there is a lot to review, we cover the full details of everything on the Saguaro Half Marathon Important Updates blog. Please visit this blog for complete details.

Which days will the two day event take place?

The race will be held Saturday March 27 and Sunday March 28.

How will we decide which runners participate on which day?

We will set a cap for each day and allow runners to choose which day they can run. Based on initial feedback we collected from runners, we believe participants will divide into the two days naturally, and most everyone should be able to choose their preferred day. We are hoping that runners who have the flexibility to run on Sunday opt to do so.

How do we select our day?

We have created an “add-on” question to your registration. On Thursday, March 4 at 6:00 am MST this option will be available. At that time, you can go to your RunSignup account and edit your registration to select the add-on. Full instructions on how to do this are available on our latest blog post. You can also watch our short video on how to complete this step on desktop or mobile. 

What happens if the daily participant cap is not increased?

If the cap is not raised to 800 runners per day, we will have to cancel the event. In the event of a cancellation, we will not offer refunds but we will defer registration fees to the 2022 Saguaro Half Marathon (or to a different race in our series of your choosing). 

What if I don’t like this uncertainty or the day I want to run isn’t available?

If you are not comfortable with this uncertainty, we urge you to cancel your registration for this year. If you choose to cancel, there are three options you may take:

1. You can defer your race registration to the 2022 Saguaro Half Marathon or any of our other races.
2. Complete the race virtually! You can run this race virtually, receiving your bib, race shirt, and medal in the mail. We will also issue you a $50 race credit you can use (or gift to someone) on any of our future events. The race credit is good for two years.
3. Get a full refund. Our refund deadline was January 31st, but we have reactivated the refund option given the current circumstances. The new deadline for requesting a refund is Monday, March 8th. You will receive a full refund minus a small processing fee.

A note about refunds: if you deferred into this race from a previous event or used a coupon, you are not eligible for a refund. You still have the options of deferring to next year’s race or transferring to any of our other races, but we will need to help you with that. Please email info@www.vacationraces.com for assistance.

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2/26/21 - UPDATE 6: Hi all! We want to let you know where we are at with the Saguaro Half Marathon. We have an open line of communication with Pima County and the Health Department, and following our conversation with them last week, we still don’t have a definitive answer from their team. They have been incredibly helpful and we know they are continuously evaluating case numbers to ensure the safety of the community.

While we do not have a definitive answer, we have an idea of what may happen. Based on our positive conversations to date, we think the county may raise the cap for outdoor events so that we can host the Saguaro Half over two days. Please see our update below to read what a two-day event may look like. This is the most likely case, but we will hope for our normal set-up of hosting the race on one day.

If we offer a two-day race, the race would be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 - 28. Runners will be able to select their preferred day. However they are not able to select their day at this time. We will send further details on how to make this selection when we have confirmation that this will be the format of the event.

We believe this decision will continue to evolve on a week-by-week basis. We know this can be frustrating for scheduling your travel plans. Because of this unique situation, we are offering runners a few options:*

1. Transfer your Saguaro 2021 registration to another race, or defer** to the 2022 Saguaro Half Marathon. Please see directions for this below.
2. Choose our virtual race option. You still receive the contents of a normal registration pack: bib, medal, etc. In addition, you will also receive a $50 credit toward another VR event. This credit will be emailed to you afterward and is good for two years.
3. Receive a refund. We are out of our normal refund window, but this particular situation is a special case. As such, we are opening refunds today and are offering them through Friday, March 5. Requests for a refund will close at 11:59 pm on March 5.

Should you choose to ride it out with us and then we have to cancel the event altogether (we don’t anticipate this happening), then options 2 and 3 will be available to you.

RunSignup transfer and deferral instructions:

1. Login to RunSignup
2. Select "My Registered Races" > Select your event > Select "Manage Registration" 
3. If transferring, select “Transfer to Another Race.” A list of upcoming races will appear that you may transfer to. Full transfer process details can be found here. 
4. If deferring, select “Defer Registration.” This is all you need to do for now. You can read about the full deferment process here. You will have the option to transfer or defer to another race. 

*If you used a coupon to register for the 2021 Saguaro Half Marathon OR you deferred into the 2021 Saguaro Half Marathon from another race, we will need to help you with these three options. Please email info@www.vacationraces.com for assistance.

**We do not have a date for the 2022 Saguaro Half Marathon, so if you choose to defer into this event, RunSignup will not allow you to complete deferment. However, you can still initiate the deferment process in RunSignup and complete it once we announce the dates for the 2022 event. If you choose this option, we will email you when the 2022 date is announced so you can complete this process. Thank you!

2/19/21 - UPDATE 5: Our conversation with Pima County and the Health Department on Wed (2/17) was very positive, but it was not definitive. The County is coming from a place of “we want to get to YES”. Which is awesome! However, they don’t have a crystal ball and are uncomfortable approving something TODAY based on what they think/hope conditions will be like in 5 weeks, which we get. This is the uncertainty we have been talking about. This is the world we live in. Last year, when we first had to start cancelling races, we set a 35-day deadline - 35 days before the race we would make an official decision on cancelation. We wanted to give the races as much of a fighting chance to happen as we could. However, back then it seemed like as each day passed that chance lessened. In this instance, we feel that with each day that passes, our chances of being able to hold this event the way we want to (at least close to it) increase! 

So, what does that mean? The Health Department is currently discussing internally what they are comfortable approving and what that timeline looks like. We are discussing internally what our worst-case scenario is where we still hold the race. From where we sit, we see three likely outcomes. Learn more here. 

2/16/21 - UPDATE 4: We are following up with the county health department tomorrow, February 17, to review the details of our operations plan. We are remaining sensitive to the initial feedback they provided and are hoping that tomorrow's meeting provides us with clearer direction to move forward. Keep sending out good thoughts that we get the green light! 

2/5/21 - UPDATE 3: Although planning has been going well with the county, things took an unexpected turn this week when we received some feedback from the county health department on our submitted operation plan. They made some suggestions and imposed some restrictions that seem (to us) a little arbitrary. We are sensitive to their concerns, but are also working hard to show how the plan we submitted is proven and will allow us to conduct the event safely and responsibly.

One of their suggested restrictions was a participant cap much smaller than is feasible. They have been open to conversation which is encouraging to us. We are hopeful we can get them to have more confidence in our plan and come to an agreement. However, we are ultimately subject to their decision and so we have adjusted our confidence level accordingly. Keep your fingers crossed!

This event is also SOLD OUT. Thank you so much for your support and excitement!

1/26/21 - UPDATE 2: We have spoken with the Department of Transportation and they are reviewing our permits at this time. The revision process for our traffic control plan is under way. We have yet to officially hear back from the health department on our modified operation plan and how it complies with guidelines (which makes us a little uneasy), but as far as we can tell our modifications are in compliance. We feel positive that this will race will go ahead as planned.

12/16/20 - UPDATE 1: Permits have all been submitted and communication with the county has been positive. We are very optimistic this event will go off as planned and we can't wait to host the inaugural Saguaro Half Marathon in Tucson! 

The main unknown for us now is what guidelines will be in place at the time of the event and how it will affect us. Our best guess is that we will have staggered waves and assigned start times, drive thru bib pickup, etc. - the usual modifications. But we won't know the nitty gritty details until it gets closer to the event. We will be sure to update everyone as we go along. Registration opens Friday, 12/18!

3/24/21 - UPDATE 7: Good news, folks! Madera County and the Forest Service have both signed off on our permits to hold the Yosemite Half Marathon! We have updated our confidence level to 90% to reflect this change. This is great news, but as we learned in 2020, things can change. While we don't want COVID or anything else to change our plans, we have to recognize that COVID can still affect our ability to hold this race. To continue on this confident path, we ask that our runners continue to be responsible regarding COVID by wearing masks when appropriate and getting vaccinated if you can. Thank you.

3/16/21 - UPDATE 6: Things are looking quite good for this race, and we think it will happen without hiccups. We are working with the health department, the county, and the Forest Service to secure our necessary permits to host this event. We don't have permits in hand yet, so we won't officially change our confidence rating. However, the involved parties have been open with us and seem to be moving things along. The Forest Service has also allowed us to reserve campgrounds for this event, which we see as a good sign that the race will happen. They wouldn't open reservations if they didn't feel group camping was possible. 

Expect another update in early April when we officially call the event. Thanks!

2/23/21 - UPDATE 5: With cases in California going down, our confidence in this race is increasing. We've received positive feedback from the county and are hopeful that the Forest Service also gives us the go-ahead. We will do our best to give everyone our final decision 35 days before the race.

2/2/21 - UDATE 4: The Yosemite Half Marathon is SOLD OUT! Thank you to everyone who is trusting us with putting on this event. We'll do our best to continue updating you so that you can make your travel plans with confidence.

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We don't have a waitlist but you can still signup for a charity bib! You can also find runners selling their bib on our Friends of Vacation Races Facebook page. We usually see more bibs for sale the closer we get to the event.

1/27/21 - UPDATE 3: California has moved to lift their stay at home order and is now in a "purple tier", meaning recreational sports are permitted, including running, track and field, and cross country activities. We are cautiously optimistic about these developments, but will leave the confidence level at 50%. We are continuing to monitor things locally and work with our contacts to show we are putting on a safe event.

1/6/21 - UPDATE 2: We have been in communication with our Local contacts in Oakhurst. Currently Madera County is on a mandatory quarantine of 14 days for anyone traveling into the area. They are re-accessing things every 2 weeks based on confirmed cases in the area. At this point, we are at the mercy of what the local permitting agencies will allow us to do. We are confident we will be able to execute an operation plan that takes COVID compliance into account. The two main areas of concern would be the shuttles and the start line. Our plan will likely include small group staggered starts throughout the morning (which would affect shuttle times) and required face coverings on shuttles - just for starters.

The reason for a lowered confidence level (50%) is the unknown. Looking forward, I would think conditions would be more stable. But the current climate has everyone on edge. The vaccine is finally being administered to people. This will hopefully be a turning point for this Pandemic to allow for larger gatherings to start happening again. We will still likely implement several changes to keep all of our participants and locals safe- Such as eliminating our expo and implementing a drive-thru bib pickup the day before the race. There is however, still a lot of uncertainty. I think we will get through all this and be in an okay position come May, but the uncertainty has to be accounted for when making a projection.

IF we are forced to cancel (for reasons outside of our control like a shutdown or our permit getting pulled) there will be no refunds. We have tried to be very clear about this by including strong wording on the registration, communicating what to expect on the website, and sending out emails letting runners know. There will be no refunds, but you may defer to the 2022 Yosemite race, or any of our other races on the calendar. It's your choice. 

Under our normal refund policy, runners can STILL get a refund now if they request it. The refund window will close on January 24th (Refunds are only available to new runner registrations, meaning, if you are deferred from a previous race, you will only be able to defer your registration). Any runners uncomfortable with this level of uncertainty or risk and who will be happy with nothing short of a full refund should make that request before January 24th. There will be no refunds offered after that.

12/1/20 - UPDATE 1: We have started talking to the Forest Service and Madera County. Madera County is open to events on a case by case basis - which is very encouraging. The Forest Service, like a lot of organizations, is unsure how to manage the opening of some of their facilities - like campgrounds and such. We have a five year permit with the Forest Service, but our finish line and campground are under Forest Service jurisdiction while being managed by the office of California Land Management. So as there are a lot of cooks in this kitchen... and it is California. :) As of right now we are cautiously optimistic and working with all our permitting agencies and will update you as we go.

California has been hesitant to hold any kind of event. However we are in contact with local authorities and will continue to update you as we get more info. We're hopeful that by May, we will be able to safely hold this event.

We are a part of the California Coalition for Endurance Sports and have been working aggressively with other race directors, county supervisors, and county health departments to encourage the state to recognize endurance sport as an industry and to help build a road map to return to holding events. Up until now, the state has been ignoring events. We are hoping to change that by showing there is a way to safely and responsibly hold these events. Both we (event organizers) AND runners are willing to make compromises and adjustments in order to do just that!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 3: There are no updates for Bryce Canyon Ultras at this time.

2/16/21 - UPDATE 2: We are SOLD OUT for the Bryce Canyon Ultras. You can still register through our Charity Bib program. 

2/2/21 - UPDATE 1: After being able to host the Bryce Canyon Ultras in 2020, we're confident that the measures we've taken will allow us to host this in 2021.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 7: We will see you all very soon! If you missed it, here is the Grand Teton Race Guide with everything that you need to know. Pay special attention to pages 2 through 6. These have the most important information that you need to know.

To host this event, we need to follow local health guidelines. For us, this means we will be making the following adjustments to our normal race procedures:

1. Bib pick-up. We will have both drive-thru and walk-up bib pick-up on Friday, June 4. You can get your bib starting at 9:00 am through 5:00 pm. 
2. Staggered Start. For both the 5k and the half marathon we will implement a staggered start. This will allow us to spread out runners at the start line. Everyone should have been assigned to a wave already. If you do not know what your wave is, it will be displayed on your bib when you pick it up on Friday, June 4. Please see page 3 for the half marathon staggered start schedule and page 8 for the 5k staggered start schedule. 
3. No spectators. We know this is a disappointment to many of you, but this is one of the ways that we are able to remain compliant and host the event. Don't worry, you will still be surrounding by all the other runners, volunteers, and our staff who will be there to celebrate with you at the finish line!

If you or any friends or family would like to help and volunteer at the event, you can sign up to volunteer. Please note that we have volunteer positions for both Grand Teton and Yellowstone listed on this page. Double check that you are registering for the correct location when you sign up. When you volunteer, you will receive a volunteer t-shirt and race credit of $50 or $100 to use toward any future half marathon or ultramarathon registration. Race credit can be combined. 

5/21/21 - UPDATE 6: We will see you all very soon! Expect the race guide in just a few days!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 5: There are no new updates for Grand Teton at this time. This event should happen without any challenges. Thanks!

2/16/21 - UPDATE 4: The Half Marathon distance is officially SOLD OUT. Which means any event that includes the Half Marathon is also be unavailable. This includes the Moose Double, Grizzly Double, and Grand Quad events. You can sign up for a charity bib here!

We are working with the county and everything is looking good. Any operational changes that will need to be made to successfully host this event will appear in the coming months as we see how COVID guidelines change as we approach June.

2/9/21 - UPDATE 3: The late registration period begins FEBRUARY 15TH! This includes a price jump and means that after the 15th no refunds will be granted under any circumstances. If you feel comfortable registering for the race, we encourage you to do so before late registration begins!

Although conversations with local permitting agencies for both races are going well and we are fairly confident we will be able to hold these races as planned, anything can happen. Often when things go sideways with planning it isn't until the last month or two before the race, which is unfortunately after the refund deadline. That isn't deliberate on our part, that is just the deadline we have always had to set for our refunds and the unfortunate nature of planning amid COVID. 

2/2/21 - UPDATE 2: No news is good news! Planning continues to go smoothly for the Grand Teton Half Marathon and we have no reason to to believe that permitting will work much differently from 2020.

12/1/20 - UPDATE 1: Our event in 2020 was permitted, but under the condition that at the time of the event we would comply with all guidelines. But despite our pressing the county, they were never able to provide us with clear instruction on what those guidelines were (hey, they were doing their best and making it up as they went along - just like everyone). So we felt it wasn't prudent to hold the event. In hindsight I think we could have, but it felt rushed and forced and we weren't confident then that we could do the race safely and responsibly and didn't want to jeopardize our runners or the future of the event. So we cancelled.

Our 2020 permit rolled over to 2021, so we are most of the way there. We will be issued our permit on the condition that we meet health guidelines at the time of the event (whatever they may be). I am confident we will be able to, with event adjustments.

We expect that will be common for most of these later of the year events - permits issued conditionally.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 7: We will see you all very soon! If you missed it, here is the Yellowstone Race Guide with everything that you need to know. Pay special attention to pages 2 through 6; they have the most important information that you need to know.

To host this event, we need to follow local health guidelines. For us, this means we will be making the following adjustments to our normal race procedures:

1. Bib pick-up. We will have both drive-thru and walk-up bib pick-up on Friday, June 11. You can get your bib starting at 9:00 am through 5:00 pm. 
2. Staggered Start. For both the 5k and the half marathon we will implement a staggered start. This will allow us to spread out runners at the start line. Everyone should have been assigned to a wave already. If you do not know what your wave is, it will be displayed on your bib when you pick it up on Friday, June 11. Please see page 3 for the half marathon staggered start schedule and page 7 for the 5k staggered start schedule. 
3. No spectators. We know this is a disappointment to many of you, but this is one of the ways that we are able to remain compliant and host the event. Don't worry, you will still be surrounding by all the other runners, volunteers, and our staff who will be there to celebrate with you at the finish line!

If you or any friends or family would like to help and volunteer at the event, you can sign up to volunteer. Please note that we have volunteer positions for both Grand Teton and Yellowstone listed on this page. Double check that you are registering for the correct location when you sign up. When you volunteer, you will receive a volunteer t-shirt and race credit of $50 or $100 to use toward any future half marathon or ultramarathon registration. Race credit can be combined. 

5/4/21 - UPDATE 6: The health department has stated that there are restrictions on group gathering size for outdoor events. We've seen this at other events this past year as well. We haven't gotten final approval from the Gallatin County health department yet (they tend to wait until closer to the event to issue those), but conversations have been positive. As long as our operation plan can ensure crowds do not exceed the restricted gathering size then the race should be good to go, and with runner cooperation we can ensure that. We will have several important logistical updates for race weekend including staggered start schedule, etc. coming over the next couple weeks! Thank you!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 5: There are no new updates for Yellowstone at this time.

2/16/21 - UPDATE 4: We are speaking with the Gallatin County Health Department to review our event plan. 

2/9/21 - UPDATE 3: The late registration period begins FEBRUARY 15TH! This includes a price jump and means that after the 15th no refunds will be granted under any circumstances. We will always allow you to transfer a bib to another runner or another race. If you feel comfortable registering for the race, we encourage you to do so before late registration begins!  Register here.

Although conversations with local permitting agencies for both races are going well and we are fairly confident we will be able to hold these races as planned, anything can happen. Often when things go sideways with planning it isn't until the last month or two before the race, which is unfortunately after the refund deadline. That isn't deliberate on our part, that is just the deadline we have always had to set for our refunds and the unfortunate nature of planning amid COVID. 

2/2/21 - UPDATE 2: Planning continues with no major updates. We will post any updates as they unfold.

9/21-1/26/21 - UPDATE 1: While we were unable to hold this race in 2020, we were able to host a small group half marathon later in the summer. We are confident we will be able to hold this race in June.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 11: We are stoked to see you at the end of June! We have just finalized our Glacier Race Guide and you can go ahead and read it! It answers just about everything you need to know regarding the race, so please read it.

Please pay special attention to pages 2 through 6. They contain the event schedule for the weekend, information on bib pick-up, staggered start details, course map, and course details regarding things like aid stations, spectator, and more.

To host this event, we need to follow local health guidelines. For us, this means we will be making the following adjustments to our normal race procedures:

1. Bib pick-up. We will have drive-thru bib pick-up on Friday, June 25. You can get your bib starting at 9:00 am through 7:00 pm. 
2. Staggered Start. We will implement a staggered start so that we an spread out runners at the start line. We will be assigning waves shortly which you should receive in an email. Your assigned wave will also be printed on your bib for when you pick it up on Friday, June 25. Please see page 6 of the Race Guide for the half marathon staggered start schedule.
3. No spectators. We know this is a disappointment to many of you, but this is one of the ways that we are able to remain compliant and host the event. Don't worry, you will still be surrounding by all the other runners, volunteers, and our staff who will be there to celebrate with you at the finish line!

Finally, we know that lodging is difficult to secure at Glacier. Please verify your travel and lodging details before you arrive and refer to our previous updates (shown below) for suggestions of where to look for lodging if you need ideas of where to look. We suggest places like Airbnb, VRBO, the dyrt, Hip Camp or other vacation rentals.

5/18/21 - UPDATE 10: We understand that there is a very limited supply of rental vehicles and lodging available around Glacier National Park. This is a remote location that often books quickly in normal years. Covid has made it even more challenging to find these accommodations. Here are a few ways that our runners are getting creative to find lodging and vehicles.

Lodging:

• Searching for Airbnb or Vrbo rentals near the park. You can look in East Village, Kalispell, or any of the other small, local towns. Some of these options may be further out from the race. 
• Campsite options on the dyrt or Hip Camp
• Towns you can look in:
  • Kalispell
  • East Village
  • Columbia Falls
  • St. Mary
  • Babb
  • Whitefish

Vehicles:

• Renting U-Haul trucks or pick-up trucks
• Using a car share like Turo or Zipcar
• Make a road-trip out of it and drive up with your own vehicle
• Fly into an alternate regional airports that has rental cars and road trip from there

We understand that if none of these options work for you, you may be looking to defer your registration for another year. If this is the case, you are able to defer your registration to the 2023 Glacier Half Marathon or to a different half marathon in our series. To defer, you can follow these steps:

1. Sign In to RunSignUp
2. Go to your Profile
3. Click My Registered Races
4. Click Manage Registration next to the Glacier Half Marathon Event
5. Click the Defer Registration menu item
6. Click Confirm Deferral

You can stop at this step, OR if you know which race you’d like to defer to, you may continue to the next steps.

1. Find the event you would like to defer to and click Start Transfer
2. Complete registration for that race

5/3/21 - UPDATE 9: Our charity partner, Wander Project, has organized a volunteer day for Glacier Half Marathon participants! Wander Project has partnered with the Glacier Conservancy to offer a service day within the park before the race!

In 2020, funds donated to Wander Project through our charity bib program and through other registration donations went to support the restoration of flora within the park. The restored flora was able to provide a better environment for fauna to thrive. This year, our Glacier day of service will focus on continuing our efforts with "boots on the ground" projects! These projects may include: removal of invasive species, reintroduction of native plants and education around the ecology of the area.

Come volunteer with us! This will be a small group event so reservations will be necessary.

Volunteer Day Logistics:
Thursday June 24, 2021
Half Day-Afternoon
Location TBD

For questions please email amy@wanderproject.org

4/14/21 - UPDATE 8: To verify for all our runners, the Blackfeet Nation at Glacier National Park has given us the green light to hold our half marathon in June. The Parks Service is also making preparations to open the East Glacier park entrance. 

Please note this key information: Glacier National Park has instituted ticketed entry to access the Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor from May 28 to September 6, 2021. This affects entry at West Glacier, St. Mary, and Camas Road. Access to St. Mary Lake, Virginia Falls, Lake McDonald, Avalanche Lake, Hidden Lake, and more, are all on Going-to-the-Sun Road. 

Access to Many Glacier and Lower Two Medicine Lake are not restricted and can be accessed from roads other than Going-to-the-Sun Road. You do not need to obtain a ticketed entry to get to the start or finish line of the race. However, visitors should know that if they want to drive on Going-to-the-Sun Road at all, they need to make a reservation for ticketed entry. Even if it is only to access the road at the entrance of the park. 

Our last update is that lodging around Glacier National Park is limited. Most lodging is seasonal and the towns are small. If you reserved a camping spot with us at Red Eagle Campground during registration, you are good to go. Your spot is secure for the event. If you have not already booked your lodging, do so soon! When we checked, there was still some vacancy at Glacier Park Lodge and Glacier Peaks Hotel in Browning. We suggest searching for lodging on the East Glacier Park visitor site and calling to verify vacancies and to book lodging; most establishments are best reached via phone rather than relying on online booking sites. 

Above is a table that shows some lodging options available in and around East Glacier Park Village. Driving times are approximate, and on the morning of race day, you should allow 60-90 minutes to get to the start line. Remember, there will be lots of other runners and you will want to allow time to park and get settled before the race. 

Are you more of a camper? Camping is also an option and there are some pretty spectacular campsites in the East Glacier area. Check them out! You'll probably have the best luck finding a campsite on the dyrt, a site that allows you to search for and filter campsites. Feel free to also try your luck on the recreation.gov site for Glacier National Park; these campsites are in high demand and usually fill up right after they are released at the beginning of the year.

4/6/21 - UPDATE 7: Great news! The Blackfeet Nation at Glacier National Park has given us the green light to hold our half marathon in June. We already felt confident that this event would happen, and this is just one more 'win' to let us know that things are looking good. We are immensely thankful for the graciousness and cooperation of the Blackfeet and we look forward to seeing everyone at Glacier in June!

3/30/21 - UPDATE 6: At a meeting on Wednesday, March 17, the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council voted unanimously to allow the east entrances to open based on the increased availability of COVID-19 testing and vaccines. This decision will allow the eastern entrance of Glacier National Park to open for the 2021 season. 

To reflect this change, we have updated our confidence level from 70% to 80%.

3/16/21 - UPDATE 5: There are no updates for Glacier at this time.

2/9/21 - UPDATE 4: Race Director Lyle is currently up in East Glacier meeting with members of the Blackfeet Nation. Both the reservation and town are struggling from the shutdown and eager to open up, but they are remaining cautious. We are still confident and optimistic we will be able to host this race as planned. However, Lyle is also scouting a backup course on the west side of the park in case things fall through for our current course. 

2/2/21 - UPDATE 3: We have no updates at this time, but we continue to plan and listen to the safety measures that the Blackfeet Tribal Council have implemented. 

12/30 - UPDATE 2: There was some misinformation spreading online that East Glacier would remain closed until September. This is not the case. The Blackfeet Tribe has extended Tribal Order 121 until September of 2021. Tribal Order 121 is basically social distancing guidelines (following CDC recommendations) and the authority of the Blackfeet COVID Incident Command Unit to make decisions and enforce these guidelines. The closure of East Glacier is a separate issue. It very well could continue or be effected by this, but both we and our contacts at the tribe do not foresee this interfering with the race in June. The Blackfeet tribe has a unique set of concerns that we share and are sensitive to. The protection of this country's Native populations is very important to us and we will continue to follow the tribe's lead. We just wanted to clarify that some posts circulating abut Order 121 dos not mean East Glacier will remain closed.

12/1/20 - UPDATE 1: We are hopeful this event will go on as planned. However, the entire race takes place on the Blackfeet Reservation. We are mindful of how the pandemic has impacted our brothers and sisters on reservations around the country. Ultimately, we are at the mercy of the Blackfeet Tribal Council and what actions they feel they need to take in order to protect their people. We have gotten the okay from them to announce the date and begin planning. We hope by June things will be in a stable place for them and we will be able to hold the event, although with modifications (staggered starts, etc.).

7/15/21 - UPDATE 3: We know the event is only two days away, but please know that the event is SOLD OUT. Thank you for the overwhelming support for our inaugural year running this course!

6/1/21 - UPDATE 2: From what we understand, it is still challenging to find lodging and rental cars in and around the Rainier area. We usually suggest that people look at Airbnb, VRBO, the dyrt, or Hip Camp to find lodging and camping locations.

If you haven't already registered and are struggling to find accommodations after checking these suggested websites, we recommend looking out for our 2022 race announcement. 2021 has been a challenge for travel as we come out of the pandemic, but we believe that you will have better luck securing accommodations in 2022. This will allow you to book lodging early.

We are finalizing race-day logistics and can expect to hear about a weekend event schedule soon. Thanks!

5/3/21 - UPDATE 1: Thanks to everyone who has registered for Rainier already! We have a video of the course coming soon and are excited to share it so you all can get a feel for the race. 

We felt an update was due as many of you are making your travel and lodging plans. We all know that COVID has changed a lot of things, and one of the things we're seeing (and we're sure some of you have experienced) is difficulty securing rental cars and lodging. Over the years, the National Parks have also become more popular which has also made lodging more difficult to find.

With that in mind, we wanted to share information that you may find helpful for planning travel to Mount Rainier.  If you are running a race this year and haven't thought about where you will stay, most certainly get on it! Trust us. 

Rental Cars

Sometimes it is worth flying into a smaller municipal airport to secure a rental car, just verify that cars are available at the airport or that you can take a shuttle, taxi, or Uber to an offsite car rental service. 

Lodging

We know July is a busy time for the parks which can make finding a place to stay challenging. Because the lodging options closest to Mount Rainier are limited, we recommend looking in the Tacoma and Puyallup areas. You can also look for campsites on websites like the dyrt.  You may find that the websites www.visitrainier.com and www.traveltacoma.com also have helpful information. 

Things to do

After the race, we recommend going right to the park. This will allow you to get in a bit earlier and will allow you to maximize the time that you have at the park (especially if you do not plan to stay in the area for a few days). There are limited dining options in the immediate Rainier area, so please consider this in your plans. Be patient when finding a place to eat or, better yet, pack a lunch so that you are prepared. 

7/21/21 - UPDATE 4: We will see you all very soon! This is the first race this year where we get to host our normal race expo! There are still a few restrictions we have to follow, but for the large part, this will be a normal race expo and we are thrilled to welcome back in-person sponsors and vendors. You're going to love it. See you soon! 

Get all the updates you need for the race on the Rocky Mountain Facebook Event Page.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 3: We are waiting to hear how COVID restrictions may change so that we can finalize our race weekend logistics like when we will host bib pick-up. Stay tuned!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 2: Like most of our races, there are no new updates for Rocky Mountain at this time. Again, no news is good news. Keep sending good thoughts!

2/2/21 - UPDATE 1: We haven't forgotten about this race! No news is good news as we continue to work with local partners to ensure a safe and fun race. We appreciate everyone's patience and will update here as things develop.

Based on the info we have now, we expect to be able to hold this event this summer.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 4: All systems are a go for this race! We are so glad to be heading back to the Smoky Mountains this year!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 3: Nothing new here folks! If anything changes, we'll share it with everyone.

2/2/21 - UPDATE 2: We haven't forgotten about this race! No news is good news as we continue to work with local partners to ensure a safe and fun race. We appreciate everyone's patience and will update here as things develop.

9/21/20 - UPDATE 1: We were able to host this event in 2020, and expect to be able to host it again this September.

8/10/21 - UPDATE 5: Yes, the race is happening! The race is sold out, so if you wanted to run with us, your best bet is to look on our official bib exchange on our Facebook page for a runner who is selling their bib.

6/30/21 - UPDATE 4: This event is SOLD OUT! Thank you for choosing to run with us on the last year that we are offering this race as part of our regular rotation. It isn't gone for good, but it may be a while until you see it again. We'll see you in September! 

6/1/21 - UPDATE 3: All systems are a go for this race! This is the last year that we will have this run on our regular rotation, so if you've been thinking of signing up, do so today! 

3/16/21 - UPDATE 2: There are no updates for Mount Rushmore at this time. Given the lateness in the season for this event, we don't see any issues with hosting it.

Heads up! This will likely be the last year we hold this race.

2/2/21 - UPDATE 1: Our race directors are highly confident that Mount Rushmore will be held as planned. Perhaps more confident than any other race! We continue to monitor Covid-19 regulations, however, and will post updates here in the event that our plans change.

8/31/21 - UPDATE 5: Yes, Grand Circle Trailfest is still happening, and we are thrilled that we get to host it this year! See you at the end of September! 

6/1/21 - UPDATE 4: Grand Circle Trailfest is SOLD OUT. Everything looks good for this event and we will see you at the end of September! 

4/8/21 - UPDATE 3: We have sold out of spots for Grand Circle Trailfest. There is no waitlist for the event, but there are still charity bibs available, and fundraising is needed now more than ever. At our latest Zion Ultras, we raised over $34,000 for charity and we want to crush this goal for Trailfest! 

If fundraising isn't your thing, you might be able to find someone selling their bib in the following places:

• The 2021 Grand Circle Trailfest Facebook event page
• The Friends of Vacation Races Facebook group (look for the dedicated Bib Sale/Bib Transfer thread under the Announcements tab)
• Our Vacation Races Facebook page

3/16/21 - UPDATE 2: There are no new updates for Grand Circle Trailfest at this time.

2/3/21 - UPDATE 1: We successfully held this event in 2020 and see no problems in holding it again in 2021. We are working closely with the town of Kanab to prepare an area north of the baseball fields (where we usually have camping) close to the canyon wall for our new campground! 

The only unknown we face right now is the 3-day course. In 2020, we changed our course because it normally runs entirely on Navajo land. That land remains closed to tourism and events due to the negative impact of Covid-19 on the Navajo community. October is still a long ways away, but since we cannot know the condition of the Navajo Nation so early, it is difficult to finalize our course. 

Either of the course options in front of us are spectacular, but we are hoping to return to our course along Horshoe Bend and through Waterholes Slot Canyon.

7/29/21 - UPDATE 4: There is a chance that we will modify the finish line at the Lake Powell Half Marathon to accommodate a construction project. If construction is not complete at the time of the race, we will make this small change. This will only affect the last section of the half marathon finish and will not alter the rest of the course.

It's a small potential change, but we wanted to make all runners aware of this possibility.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 3: We are working with the National Parks Service to ensure that this event will happen on the original race course. Some of you may remember we had to temporarily change it for the last time we hosted this race. Cross your fingers for us!

3/16/21 - UPDATE 2: There are no updates for Lake Powell at this time. With our later season races, we are hopeful that are permits will be in hand and we will be able to host the event without restrictions.

2/2/21 - UPDATE 1: We have been in contact with the National Park Service at Lake Powell. They foresee no issues and we fully anticipate getting the needed permits for the Lake Powell Half Marathon this year.

7/21/21 - UPDATE 9: There is no event this year (2021), but we are finally returning to Antelope Canyon in 2022! We know lots of you have anxiously been waiting for the return of Antelope Canyon. Registration for Antelope Canyon 2022 will open on August 6, 2021. All race details can be found on the Antelope Canyon race page. 

6/1/21 - UPDATE 8: A few weeks ago we announced some tentative dates for the 2022 Antelope Canyon Ultras. We still anticipate being able to hold the event on March 12-13th but we are still waiting for the Navajo Nation to open tribal lands to events and tourism. The Navajo were hit especially hard by Covid 19 and are being justifiably cautious on opening back up. Once this happens registration can officially open but for now, registration will NOT open on June 4th. We will be sure to let everyone know as soon as we have more information.

Our policy is to always defer to the local leaders of the communities where we host our events and we appreciate your support and understanding of that policy.

It is not likely that we will be able to host an Antelope Canyon Ultra in 2021, so please stay tuned for 2022.

3/16/21 - UPDATE 7: There are no updates for Antelope Canyon Ultras at this time.

2/23/21 - UPDATE 6: We have no new news for you. The Navajo Nation is still closed to all outside events, and they do not know when they may allow visitors. IF the Navajo Nation opens for events later this year, we may entertain hosting an event in the fall. Again, if you have a deferment for a previous event and were holding out for an Antelope Canyon event, we suggest registering for any of our other events on the race calendar.

1/26/21 - UPDATE 5: The Navajo Nation is still currently closed to outside events, tours, and activities. An event in March will not take place at this point. If possible, we would like to put on the event this fall, but this would be highly dependent on if the Navajo Nation reopens and we are approved to hold the race. If you have a deferment from a previous event and were holding out for a spring Antelope Canyon event, we suggest registering for any of our other events on the race calendar.

We will stay in contact with the permitting office, and provide an update in 1-2 months if we have any additional news. 

12/15/20 - UPDATE 4: The Navajo Nation has said they will be making a decision January 1st on if they will open the reservation or not. This could just be an arbitrary date and come Jan 1 it gets pushed back, but for now we are waiting to hear what happens on January 1st. Three things could happen:

1) Jan 1st the Navajo Nation announces plans to open up, allowing our race to happen early March. In that case we would quickly open registration and plan the event.

2) Jan 1st the Navajo Nation announces plans to open up, but not soon enough for our race. In this scenario we either try to reschedule for the fall or we just skip 2021.

3) Jan 1st comes and goes and there is no definitive plan. In this scenario we either try to reschedule for the fall or we just skip 2021.

11/10/20 - UPDATE 3: Unfortunately, nothing has changed since our last update. A March event doesn't look promising but all options are on the table still. We will be sure to let you know as soon as we know more.

10/14/20 - UPDATE 2: The permitting office is still closed. At this time, they are speculating that they will reopen around January 1st 2021. This is, of course, just speculation. We will continue to be in contact with our Navajo friends for updates. We would really like to open registration a minimum of 90 days prior to the event. If this is still not an option around the 1st of January, there is a good chance we’d look into doing the event at a later date in either April or early May. All options are on the table at this point so please continue to monitor this blog and our social channels for updates. We will be sure to make a big announcement as soon as we receive the green light to proceed with our event.

UPDATE 1: We were able to hold the 2020 Antelope Canyon Ultras right before everything went crazy with Covid-19. We felt extremely fortunate at the time that we were able to hold the event.

Antelope Canyon Ultras showcases some amazing views of the American Southwest. The course runs through Sacred Slot Canyons of the Navajo Nation, Runs along the Rim of Horseshoe Bend, also taking place on the Navajo Nation. With all race distances finishing the day running along Page Rim trail overlooking the Lake Powell National Recreation area. 

The Navajo Nation is about the size of West Virginia and is situated on 27,000 square miles of land spread across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The Navajo Nation is home to approximately 175,000 people.

It's also home to a coronavirus infection rate of more than 3.4% and more than 6,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the Navajo Nation Department of Health.

The Navajo Nation has suffered a great deal of loss and pain associated with this pandemic. The permitting office shut everything down around the same time as our event this year and is still uncertain about when they will reopen. Since the majority of the race is on the Navajo Nation we will be waiting for a green light from them before we open up registration for the 2021 event. We will continue to post updates on here as they come available. We will also make a big announcement before registration opens.

6/1/21 - UPDATE 3: There is still plenty of time until this event, but things look good! We successfully hosted the Yosemite Half Marathon in California earlier this year, but we are waiting to see how COVID restrictions will change throughout this summer so that we can anticipate how they may affect our race day operations and logistics. We will share more details when we have them. Thank you.

3/16/21 - UPDATE 2: We have no updates for the Joshua Tree half marathon at this time.

1/26/21 - UPDATE 1: We do anticipate being able to put on this race for you come November, but it's still a little too early to tell what that entails. If permitted, the event will most likely have covid precautions similar to our other races including drive-thru bib pick up, a staggered start schedule, etc. 

If you signed up for the Joshua Tree Half Marathon in 2020, you were automatically transferred to the 2021 race. If you want to manage your registration to transfer it to another race, or defer it you can do that by logging into RunSignup > Click on your profile > Manage Registration > Transfer Event > Start Transfer > Choose Event > Click Continue and complete registration. Race credit from any previous event will be applied at checkout. *Note: If you deferred into this race or transferred from another race, your race credit will be $0. If you want to defer again to another event, contact us at info@www.vacationraces.com.