Aspen Backcountry Marathon
Aspen, United States • 1 Aug 2026
Aspen Backcountry
The Aspen Backcountry is a trail running event in Aspen, Colorado, using trails that surround the town and centered at Rio Grande Park. The event offers three distances, each run almost exclusively on dirt trails with notable elevation change and high-alpine sections.
- 50K : ~30.39 miles, 5,512 ft total elevation gain, max elevation 10,385 ft
- Marathon : ~26.35 miles, 4,764 ft total elevation gain, max elevation 10,090 ft
- Heavy Half-Marathon : ~14.64 miles, 3,169 ft total elevation gain, max elevation 10,090 ft
Course support is limited. Routes are marked and there are remote aid stations with light offerings at some points; participants are recommended to carry the official GPX track on a personal device. Portable toilets and a medical team are provided at the start/finish area, and volunteer medical personnel are positioned along the course, but there is no guarantee of formal rescue or treatment. Drop bags are allowed at the start/finish.
Pitkin County requires a valid CORSAR card for the day of the event and presentation of that card at packet pickup. Parking in Aspen is restricted during summer; carpooling and use of local transit services are suggested. The race shares Rio Grande Park with a same-day festival hosted by the Rotary Club, which includes live music, food trucks, booths and other family activities. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.