Mt Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon

Mt Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon

The event takes place in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and includes a Marathon and the Mt Mitchell Challenge, a 40 mile mountain run that can include a summit of Mount Mitchell. The course begins and ends in the Black Mountain start/finish area and uses local trails and roads.

Distances:

• Marathon
• Mt Mitchell Challenge (40 miles)

Course surface and aid: the first and final three miles are paved. From mile three the route becomes a mix of single track trail and rough gravel. The section to the summit combines pavement and trail when trail access is possible. The Challenge includes ten aid stations and the Marathon includes six aid stations; they provide water, Gatorade, fruit, salty and sweet snacks, and some stations offer hot soup. Participants must follow a pack in pack out gear policy; there is no place to drop gear along the course.

Summit option and field limits: every entrant registers as a Marathon runner. The first 250 runners who reach the Blue Ridge Parkway turnaround within the event cutoff are offered the option to continue to the Summit. Open entries are accepted until the field limit is reached.

Logistics and policy: a course map is available. There is a drop date of January 1 for deferrals or refunds; before that date an entry may be deferred to the following year or refunded minus $30, and after that date refunds or deferrals are not available.

Recent impact: significant trail and park damage from Hurricane Helene required canceling the races in 2025 and 2026 due to limited access, park closures, and permit holds. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.