Rocky Mountain Half Marathon & 5K
Estes Park, Colorado | August 3-4, 2018
Course Details
- Half Marathon
- 5K
- Elk Double
We will begin the Race on the Lake Estes Trail around Community Drive and N St. Vrain Ave. We will be running counter clockwise around the lake along the lake paved trail. When we come to Mall Rd we will take a left and run on Mall Rd until almost 1 mile where we will turn left back onto the lake trail. At about mile 1.5 we'll cross Big Thompson Ave through the new tunnel there.
We'll take a left onto Dry Gulch. We will run on Dry Gulch for approximately 3 miles. This will be a steady uphill grade.
At the end of Dry Gulch we will make a left onto Devil's Gulch. Devil's Gulch will have some rolling hills for the next few miles, but it will mostly be downhill. Just before after mile 8 we will take a left onto MacGregor Ave. This will be a nice flat section of the course.
We'll then take a left at Wonderview Ave. We'll run against traffic to SW Steamer Pky where we will take a left and then and immediate right onto Steamer Pky. We will run with traffic on Steamer Pky to Steamer Dr, where will will take another right. We will then run down Steamer Dr to Big Thompson Ave. We will run along Big Thompson until we get back to the tunnel, where we will cross Big Thompson again.
We'll then jump back on the Lake Estes Trail and finish running counter clockwise around the lake to the finish line which will be at the same place that we started.
The elevation is a little tough, but it will be worth it! Besides, downhill courses are for wimps. :)
Start elevation: 7,516 ft.
Max elevation: 7,934 ft.
Gain: 809 ft.
Time Limit
You'll have 4 hours to finish the race, plenty of time even for walkers.
Getting Here
Flying
Your best (and pretty much only) option to fly into is Denver International Airport (DEN). Expect about a two hour drive to Estes Park. A major airport hub, you should easily be able to find a flight to this airport, as well as a rental car. Learn more on their website.
Driving
From the NORTH: If you're coming from Wyoming for example, the best way to get to the park would be to drive south on I-25 to Loveland then west on US-34 through the dramatic Big Thompson canyon to Estes Park.
From the SOUTH: If you're coming from the Denver area you have two options:
1) From the airport, the fastest route is to take I-470 to I-25. Go north on I-25 to Colorado 66, west on 66 to Lyons, continue west on US-36 to Estes Park.
2) Another route from Denver would be to take US-36 through Boulder to Estes rather than the I25 route above.
From the EAST: If you're coming from Nebraska, from the I-80 you may take I-76 to US-34 to Estes. If you're coming from Kansas on I-70 can use the I-25 - CO-66 - US-36 route.
From the WEST: You're in luck. Access from the west in the summertime is via US-34 through the National Park. That's the scenic Trail Ridge Road over the Continental Divide. It's not open in the winter, but in August it will be a beautiful drive. You could also come on I-70 from the west and take CO-6 east of Idaho Springs to the Peak to Peak National Scenic ByWay (119 to 72 to 7) that enters Estes from the south.
Getting Around
We'll have plenty of parking near the start and finish for all of our runners and spectators. We will NOT have shuttles from around town, so please plan on driving to the start or having someone drop you off at the start. The race will start and finish by Lake Estes at the fairgrounds in Estes Park, CO.
Where to Stay
You can find some great lodging options in Estes Park here. Find more lodging options including hotels, motels, resorts, cabin rentals, bed & breakfasts, and camping!
Other Lodging Options
Whether you prefer a hotel, the convenience of a home-like living space, or want to be a part of the great outdoors there's an option for you! There are a few companies we've partnered with to search for the best options in the area for hotels, vacation rentals, and camping areas:
The Expo
The expo will take place at the Stanley Park Ball Fields east of Community Drive in Estes Park, CO on Friday, August 3rd and go from 1pm-6pm with bib pickup until 7pm*. At the expo you can pick up your bib, race shirt, and other gear. Plan to stay awhile, cook a s'more, and shop our other vendors and sponsors!
*Please note 5K bib pickup ends at 6pm as the 5K race starts at 6:30pm on Friday.
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Bib & Packet Pickup
When you registered, we asked you to indicate when you plan to pick up your bib. If your plans change, don’t worry about it. We only ask to help us plan in terms of numbers. Your choices to pick up your packet are:
Option #1 - Race Expo (recommended)
We recommend picking your bib up and attending the expo the day before race day. It will be an outdoor expo, held at the Stanley Park Ball Field (380 Community Dr, Estes Park, CO)! We’ll open up the expo at 11 am. Our vendors will leave at 6 pm, but you can pick up your bib until 7 pm.
You’re welcome to pick up a packet for a friend as long as you have a picture of their photo ID. Even a picture on a phone will do.
Option #2 - Race Morning
\We will have limited race morning packet pickup. The race starts very early, so having to worry about getting your bib on race morning will only add unneeded stress to your life. But we know sometimes it just cant be avoided. If it can be avoided, please do not pick your packet up the morning of the race. Bib pickup on race morning will be right next to the starting line. The race starts at 6:00 am. You will have until 5:30 am to pick up your packet, so please get there early!
Option #3 - Shipped to You
There is a cost of $20 if you want to have your bib and shirt mailed to you. We do this as a convenience for runners who can't arrive in time for the expo.
Refunds: Once your package is shipped, you are officially checked in to the race and no longer qualify for our refund, deferment, or transfer options.
Bring Your Own Bag
In our ongoing effort to eliminate waste during our races, our expos are bagless events. We encourage you to #BYOBag to hold your bib, race shirt, and any goodies you pick up from the race expo!
Race Shirt
If you are unhappy with the fit of your race shirt, or were unable to order the size you wanted, we will have a shirt exchange available at the finish line on race day. Please note that sizes and quantity will be limited.
Race Day
Race Day is August 4, 2018 with the race starting promptly at 6:00 am. Race HQ will be at the fairgrounds in Estes Park, CO. We'll have plenty of parking near the start and finish for all of our runners and spectators. We will not have shuttles from around town, so please plan on driving to the start. Here's a tentative schedule of events:
4:00 AM – Open start line parking
4:30 AM – First prize raffle (every 5 minutes)
5:15 AM – All cars should be parked
5:30 AM – Last prize raffle & start line parking lot closes/ Pacers line up
5:45 AM – Runners line up/ Last call for gear check.
5:55 AM – National Anthem
6:00 AM – Race starts for all divisions!
8:45 AM – Awards Ceremony.
When you finish the race, you'll grab a snack box, take some pictures, hang out and make friends for a while, and then we encourage you to go explore Rocky Mountain National Park!
Package Pricing
Elk Double |
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$205 / runner through August 3rd |
Rocky Mtn. Half |
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$135 / runner through August 3rd |
Rocky Mountain 5K |
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$55 / runner through August 3rd |
Registration Periods
Early Bird: Dec. 1, 2017 – Feb. 25, 2018
Regular: Feb. 26 – May 20, 2018
Late: May 21 – Aug. 3, 2018
