Grand Island Trail Marathon

Event overview

Grand Island Trail Runs take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Williams Landing on Grand Island, offshore from Munising, Michigan. The event offers the following distances:

• 50K
• Marathon
• Half Marathon

The combined field is limited to 500 participants. Time limits are set by distance: the 50K has an 8.5 hour limit, the marathon a 7 hour limit, and the half marathon a 4 hour limit. Registration closes July 20, 2026.

Course, aid stations and logistics

All courses follow trails on Grand Island and include single track, two-track, narrow dirt roads, and sections on sandy beach. Notable course features include the tombolo, Trout Bay, Echo Lake, Murray Bay, Duck Lake, North Beach, and colored Jacobsville sandstone cliffs. The 50K route continues inland around mile 22 to Echo Lake and the island summit, then returns to the western coastal trail.

Aid stations for the 50K are located near miles 4, 7, 11, 16, 22 and 27; the marathon shares these except the 27-mile station; the half marathon has aid at about miles 4 and 9. All runners must carry a 20 oz water bottle or functional hydration system that can be refilled at aid stations. Race entry fees include roundtrip shuttle and ferry transportation, and race numbers serve as shuttle/ferry passes. Gear storage is provided at a tent near the start/finish area. Dogs are allowed on the shuttle, ferry and start/finish area but not on the race course. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.