Grand Teton Half Marathon & 5K Details
June 4-5, 2021 | Jackson, WY
The Grand Teton Half Marathon takes place in the town of Jackson, Wyoming, just outside the entrance to Grand Teton National Park. It's a beautiful course with captivating views of snow capped mountain peaks, huge gulps of crisp fresh air, and maybe even some wildlife.
The race starts at 6:00 AM with a staggered start until 7:00am according to your bib wave. All runners (and even walkers) will have 4 full hours to take in the scenery and make your way to the finish line.
Please check your bib wave and follow the parking and start schedule provided in the Race Day Schedule tab.
Half Marathon Course Description (June 5)
Click for the interactive map
This is a GREAT course! Possibly our prettiest ever!
It’s very scenic and the finish line has some amazing views of the Teton range! You don’t want to miss out on running this.
The race will begin in Wilson, WY. The start line is at the Stilson Lot just off the Teton Pass Hwy at Beckley Park Way. We'll begin by running west with traffic along Teton Pass Hwy (hwy 22) for a little over a mile. We will then take a right on 3rd Street, followed by an immediate right onto Main street crossing HHR Ranch road and jump onto the jogging trail.
We will stay on this beautiful and flat paved trail until we come to Moose Wilson Rd, which we will cross, and run over Snake River using the pedestrian bridge. After crossing the bridge, we will run east against traffic on Teton Pass Hwy (hwy 22) until about mile 6.25. We will then take a left onto Spring Gulch Road where we will stay for the remainder of the race, 4 miles of which is on a packed dirt road.
The elevation change on the course is marginal. The chart makes it look like a beast, but it is only over a few hundred feet. This will be a slightly challenging, but overwhelmingly beautiful course!
You'll gain 583 feet, with a max elevation at 6,383 feet.
Time limit
All runners will have 4 hours to finish the race. That is an 18 minute mile - plenty of time for walkers! If at anytime we deem it unsafe and need to pull a runner off the course we would hope for understanding and immediate cooperation. Failure to comply will result in being banned from future events.
Course Records
Our course record holders receive a FREE RACE ENTRY every year that their time remains the course record! The current course record holders are:
Male Overall: Tyler Mogan 1:10:43 (2018)
Female Overall: Lauren Hill 1:27:00 (2015)
Male Masters: Jay Johns 1:19:14 (2016)
Female Masters: Emily Chappelear 1:35:13 (2019)
Aid Stations
Expect about 6 aid stations on the course at around mile 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12. A medic will be stationed typically at the aid station at or near mile 9. Keep in mind, the exact location of each aid station may vary from race to race. Aid stations include toilets, water, Gnarly Hydrate, Honey Stinger gels, basic first aid supplies, and sometimes more.
All stations are cup-free so plan to bring your own hydration solution or request a free HydraPouch when you register.
You have a couple of options for picking up your bib and race packet including at the Race Expo, the Start Line, or we can mail it to you. When you register, we ask you to indicate when you plan to pick up your bib. If you plans change, don’t worry about it. We only ask to help us plan in terms of numbers.
Option #1: Race Expo
We’ll have our race expo the Friday before the race from 9am–5pm at the Stilson Lot (1455 Beckley Park Way, Wilson, WY). We’ll have our merchandise table set up, so be sure to stop by and say hi!
Option #2: Race Morning (not recommended)
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 6:00am, so please get there early!
Option #3: Shipped Before the Race
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 not wanting to drive to the area early. You can add a shipped bib to your registration until one month before the race by logging into RunSignup, clicking Manage Registration, and Add Ons.
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.
Bib Pickup/Race Expo
Location: Stilson Lot (1455 Beckley Park Way, Wilson, WY)
Hours: 9:00-5:00 PM
We’ll have drive thru and walk up bib pickup available at the expo. We’ll still have our merchandise table set up, so be sure to stop by and say hi!
Drive thru Bib Pickup
This is our way of keeping everyone safe and following local covid guidelines - you'll be able to get your bib, hydrapouch, race shirt, etc...all from the comfort of your car! You can then park and shop at the merch tent, if desired.
Please enter from the northern entrance for drive thru access (marked on map)
Walkup Bib Pickup
To keep things moving, you may also enter the parking lot from the southern entrance on Beckley Park Way. Enter, park, and follow signs for walk up bib pickup
Please enter the lot from the southern entrance for walk up access (marked on map). There is NO drive thru access from the parking lot!
Bring Your Own Bag
In our ongoing effort to eliminate waste during our races, our expos are bagless events. We encourage you to BYOB (bring your own bag) to hold your bib, race shirt, and any goodies you pick up from the race expo!
Race Shirts
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.
Staggered Start - Color waves!
In order to keep everyone spread out at the start line, we are using a staggered wave system. Runners will start according to the wave indicated on their bib (you can check this on your bib or by logging into RunSignup and checking your registration).
Please arrive according to your wave (shown in the table). Once on-site, you can stay warm in your car until your line-up time. The Blue group will start their race at 6:00 am and then a rolling start begins (with an exception of a small walker group starting at 5:45 am). All runners must start their race no later than 7:00 am.
Tune in to FM 107.5 to hear morning announcements from our crew! They'll let you know when it's time to head to the start line, as our start schedule may shift!
Race Day Schedule
The race starts at 6:00 am sharp at the Stilson Lot! We do not start our races late so please get to the start line early. Runners will have 4 hours to finish the race. That is a 18 minute mile- plenty of time for walkers!
4:00 am – Parking lots open and shuttles begin from Ranch lot
4:30 am - Last shuttle leaves from 250 N Cache Rd lot & bib pickup opens
5:00 am – Stilson Lot closes (remaining cars proceed to Ranch Lot)
5:43 am – Sunrise
5:45 am – Walkers start their race!
5:50 am – Runners line up at the start line & Last call for gear check
5:55 am – National Anthem
6:00 am – 
Runners Start!
6:00 - 7:00 am - All divisions will begin on a rolling basis according to wave color
*Shuttles will start return trips to all parking lots as they fill up
*There are no dogs allowed on the shuttles or at the finish line.
Parking Lots
The race will have 3 parking areas for runners, with one being at the start line (Stilson Lot).
Stilson Lot
on the corner of Stilson Ranch Rd and Beckley Park Way in Wilson, WY.
No shuttles - located at start line
(marked in green on the map below)
Ranch Lot at Teton Village
West of Moose Wilson Rd, on Apres Vous Rd in Teton Village, WY.
Shuttles from 4:00-5:45am
(marked in red on the map below)
250 N Cache St Parking Lot
On the corner of Cache St and E Gill Ave.
One shuttle at 4:30am
(marked in blue on the map below)
Parking lots will open at 4:00 am, and shuttles will begin running from the Ranch Lot at Teton Village. To avoid traffic congestion, we strongly encourage runners to arrive early- we will have plenty of coffee and hot chocolate waiting for you at the start line race morning.
Note: The Stilson Lot parking will close at 5:00 am (drop-offs still allowed – see below for drop off details).
Runners who arrive at the Stilson lot after 5:00 will not be able to park there – they should proceed to the Ranch Lot at Teton Village where they can get on a shuttle to the start. We encourage all runners who want to park at the start line to be there before 5:00am. If you are staying close to a parking lot, we recommend walking, or getting dropped off to avoid congestion. The last shuttle leaves the Ranch Lot at Teton Village at 5:45 am.
For runners Staying in Jackson, we recommend going to the lot at 250 N Cache St Parking Lot. to catch a shuttle. However, parking is very limited there and we strongly encourage runners to walk to that lot from their hotel or get dropped off. The shuttle will leave 250 N Cache St at 4:30 am.
*There are no dogs allowed on the shuttles or at the finish line.
Runner Drop-off
To help with congestion at the start line, we have two drop-off locations:
1) Across the street at Rendezvous Park (runners will walk to the start line via a tunnel!)
2) Off Teton Pass Highway
We will have people directing traffic to avoid congestion. Once runners are dropped off, they will be directed how to reach the start line.
Post-race Shuttles
There is no parking at the finish line.
Shuttles will transport runners back to all three parking lots after the race. These shuttles will be leaving continuously as they fill up. The last shuttle will leave shortly after the last runners have completed their race.
Spectators at Grand Teton 2021
Spectators will not be allowed at the finish line. County health guidelines and regulations do not allow spectators at the finish. For an outdoor sporting event like this we would need to enforce assigned seating for spectators. Although there is a lot of space at the golf course at the finish line, the finish line staging is not conducive to this demand.
We know this is very disappointing to many of you and we are terribly sorry for the inconvenience. This is one of the aspects of the event we have had to make compromises on in order to get our permits approved and we thank you for your cooperation.
We recommend downloading the RaceJoy app to track your runner's progress and send them cheers!
Grand Teton 5K Information
We are excited to be offering a 5K race! In addition to the half marathon, a 5 kilometer race will take place on Friday, June 4th at 6:00 pm.
The Course
This is a beautiful course to give you a chance to work your legs out and enjoy a run with friends and family. The race begins from the expo location in Wilson, then run along Beckley Park Way before getting on Teton Pass Hwy (Hwy 22). Runners will then jump onto a jogging trail and loop around the pasture before returning to the finish line.
Click for the interactive map
Aid Station
There will be one aid station on the course near the half way point (mile 1.5). The aid station will have water, Gnarly, and bathrooms. Like the half marathon, this race will be cupless!
Bib Pickup
The race starts at 6:00pm sharp! Our expo will be in the same place as the start line (Stilson lot in Wilson, WY). 5K runners will have until 5:30pm to pick up their bibs so that we can get you all lined up and ready to go!
Staggered Start
We will have a staggered start to reduce crowds at the start line - please check your wave color on your bib or via RunSignup. You can wait in your car and tune into FM 107.5 to hear when it is time for your wave to line up!
Note: The standard 5K registration is a timed race where runners will receive a race shirt, bib, and finisher medal. The 5K FUN RUN registration in not timed, but runner will still receive a race shirt, bib, and finisher medal.
Looking for more fun, more of a challenge, and more swag? Sign up for the Moose Double (5K + Half)!
Moose Double
Runners who register for the Moose Double are signed up for both the Grand Teton 5K and the Grand Teton Half Marathon! In addition to a race shirt and bib, Moose Double registrants will also get a Moose Double swag item. Once runners finish both races- they are also awarded a special Moose Double finisher medal (in addition to a 5K and half marathon medal)!
The Moose Double is the perfect way to challenge yourself and extend the fun in one weekend. On Friday, June 4th we will hold a 5K race, and then Saturday morning the half marathon will take place. We know a lot of you will be coming with family and friends so we wanted an event where more could participate. Those that sign up for the Moose Double during registration commit to running both the 5K and the Half Marathon. Pretty hard, core right?
MEDALS AND SWAG CANNOT BE BOUGHT.
THEY MUST BE EARNED.
Note: Signing up for the two races individually will not earn the Moose Double medal. In order to receive the special medal and swag item, runners must officially register for the Moose Double during registration.
Grizzly Double
The Grizzly Double is a back to back weekend half marathon race. Runners who complete The Grizzly Double will participate in the Grand Teton Half on June 5, then (hopefully) spend the week exploring Jenny Lake, hiking Table Mountain, walking around Grand Prismatic, meditating at Artist Point, climbing Mt. Washburn and getting lost in the beauty of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. Then on June 12 they will finish the Yellowstone Half Marathon. Two half marathons, two Saturdays, and one week of exploring in one of the most incredible places in the United States.
Grand Quad
The Grand Quad is for those looking to be even more hardcore! With four races, we initially thought that would be too intense, but for you champions- the demand was there! Grand Quad participants will run the Grand Teton 5K (June 4) and Grand Teton Half Marathon (June 5) and then return for the Yellowstone 5K (June 11) and Yellowstone Half Marathon (June 12).
In between, they’ll get to hike and explore both parks, making this one of the most hardcore vacations we can imagine!
Not only are our Double and Grand Quad runners special in the eyes of their loved ones, but we think they’re pretty neat as well- So those who complete it will receive a special swag item and medal (in addition to the finisher medal for the separate races).
Those of you running the Moose Double will still pick up your bibs and race shirt at the Grand Teton Half expo. Those registered for the Moose Double will receive:
- 1 Grand Teton Half Marathon & 5K race shirt
- 3 finisher medals (1 5K medal, 1 half marathon medal, and 1 special Moose Double medal!)
- 1 special swag item (unless you opted out during registration)
Double Or Quad Pricing: You may wonder why it costs more to sign up for a double or quad event. For example, the fee to register for the Moose Double is more than it would cost to register for the Grand Teton 5K and the Grand Teton Half separately. While it doesn't save you money signing up for a packaged event, what runners WILL get is additional swag, and an additional finisher's medal...not to mention the runner's high and satisfaction for completing all the races involved! We highly recommend registering for the double/quad if you're on the fence about doing multiple events!
Need to upgrade to the Moose Double, grizzly double, or Grand Quad?
It's easy!
>> Log into your Run Signup Account >> Go to "Profile" >> Click "Manage Registration"
>> Click "Transfer Event" on the top menu bar
>> Click "Start Transfer"
>> Choose your Event
>> Continue and complete your registration!
*if you deferred into this race or transferred from another race your race credit will be $0 and we will need to help you upgrade your event. Contact us at info@www.vacationraces.com.
Before we get into specifics… be sure the check out The National Park Service’s “Planning Your Trip” information. It’s packed with useful tips.
Getting Here
Flying
Flying to Jackson Hole Airport is by far your best option. It’s only a 15 minute drive into town and there are several rental car services on site. If you book soon, you shouldn’t have trouble flying here.If you can’t do Jackson Hole, you can try Idaho Falls Regional Airport. It’s just under a 2 hour drive to Jackson and you have car rental options there as well.
Driving
Driving is a little trickier, since no interstates go through Jackson.
From the West Coast or Southwest
If you’re driving from the west coast, you’ll want to take I-80 or I-84 going east. You’ll then connect with I-15, heading north to I-80 E. Take UT-16 N, U.S. 30 W and US-89 N to N Cache St in Jackson.
From the East
There are two general routes you can take from the eastern U.S., depending on where you start from. You can take I-90 west to Route 89. Take 89 south, to 287, right through Yellowstone National Park. Be warned that this will take some time, since traffic through the park can be slow as people watch the wildlife. From 287 take the 26 south to Jackson. You can also take I-80 west to US-191 N. This will take you to N Cache St in Jackson.
Where to Stay
We recommend staying in Jackson Hole. There's plenty of lodging throughout the valley, up at Teton Village, and in the town of Jackson. You can review our race day shuttle and parking plan in the Parking & Shuttles tab, if you like to plan around that.
Additional Hotel Options
We've partnered with Booking.com to search for the best hotel options in the area. Check them out below!
HOTEL
Grand Teton Explorer Club
If you've run any of our National Park half marathons before, you may be familiar with our "club hikes" and "trifecta" programs. The "Explorer Club" series is our new iteration of this idea! We want you to have as broad or as deep of an experience of our National Parks and their surrounding areas as possible. We have created a scavenger hunt made up of all kinds of adventures and experiences you can have around each National Park.
The challenge consists of activities that fit into 6 categories: History, Hiking, Explore, Food/Dining, Education, and Stewardship.
Each activity is worth points towards your Explorer badge! They are worth a different number of points based on difficulty and you can choose which to tackle based on your interests. Whether you have an afternoon or a week, you should be able to plan an amazing itinerary with these suggestions!
Here's how to become a Grand Teton Explorer:
- Install the free Spark Challenges app
- Sign-up using the same email address you used to register for the race
- Join the Grand Teton Explorer Club challenge and start completing activities
- Earn at least 1,500 points within 7-days of the race and you’ll earn a special in-app achievement with a coupon code to claim your free Grand Teton Explorer badge
Club Hikes & Trifecta
We are phasing out our Club and Trifecta hikes after the 2021 year! You can find all the Club and Trifecta hikes included as part of the Grand Teton Explorer Club activities list.
Log any of these Club Hikes in the Spark Challenges app within 7 days of the end of the race and you'll still receive a club hike medallion. Completing the the Trifecta activites in the app earns you an official Trifecta pin!
You can still snap a photo and share it with us on social by using #GrandTetonHalf. We love to see our runners out in the wild!
Bradley Club
Bradley Club Hike Medallion
The Bradley Club is a salute the hardcore among us.
This hike is a 6 mile loop up to Bradley Lake and back down past Taggart Lake, with extremely scenic views of the Tetons, pretty much the whole way. You’ll start at the Taggart Lake Trailhead, then connect with Bradley Lake Trail. You can get detailed directions and stats on this hike on the Trail Run Project website.
Be sure to take share a picture of you at Bradley Lake (at about the 2 mile mark) and don’t forget to bring lots of water!
Table Club
Table Club Hike Medallion
The Table Club is a salute the hardcore among us.
This hike is BEAUTIFUL and offers amazing views of the Grand Teton range. It’s a 12 mile round-trip hike that will take about 8 hours to complete. During race weekend, there will likely be some snow toward the top of the trail. Please bring plenty of water and do not act irresponsibly!
Amphitheater Club
Amphitheater Club Hike Medallion
This hike is just under 10 miles round-trip and actually takes you up into the Teton Range. Please bring plenty of water and act responsibly!
Grand Teton Trifecta
Grand Teton Trifecta Pin
The Grand Teton Trifecta is made up of 3 different activities, which focus more on you experiencing the park rather than doing one big hike. You must complete all 3 in order to complete the Trifecta. When you complete the Trifecta, log it in the Spark Challenges app as part of the Grand Teton Explorer Club and you will receive a Grand Teton Trifecta pin to commemorate!
The Trifecta is meant to be challenging, but less strenuous. Each section of the three-part challenge is iconic to the park, but doable with children. The three Grand Teton Trifecta activities are:
Snake River Overlook
This is the location where Ansel Adams took his iconic picture of the Tetons in 1942. The overlook is easily accessible from the roadside parking lot located nine miles north of Moose on the main highway. This is easily one of the most beautiful views of the mountain range. You don’t want to miss it!
Mormon Row
Note: This is a substitute for Rendezvous Point, as the trams are not running in 2021
Mormon Row, formerly known as the town of
Grovont, was settled in the late 1890s. A visit the
old barns here to get a feel for the history of the
area!
Cascade Canyon/Jenny Lake
You can take the Jenny Lake shuttle boat across
the lake, or hike around the lake. Then make a
short hike into Cascade Canyon. The boat ride and the hike are both beautiful!
You can view race results from past races below:
2020 Grand Teton Half Virtual Results | Virtual 5K Results
2019 Grand Teton Half Results | 5K Results
2018 Grand Teton Half Half Results
2017 Grand Teton Half Half Results
2016 Grand Teton Half Half Results
If you see that you placed, but didn't stick around for the awards ceremony, no worries! You can request to have your place medal shipped to you!
If you have questions about your placement or results, please email timing@www.vacationraces.com.
Photos
Race photos are available the Friday following the week of the race. We will send out an email when they're posted to the album as well as place the link below. This year we are offering race photos FREE to all our runners!
Award Ceremony Photos
Award ceremony photos are posted within a week of the race. You can find a link to the award ceremony photos below:
Share your experiences with us!
Be sure to use #TetonHalf in any photos you post from the race or your adventures exploring the park so we can share in the fun with you!
Exclusive Grand Teton Half Marathon merchandise is available in our online store.
