About the Big Sky Marathon
The course runs almost entirely downhill, dropping from the high plateau of the Gravelly Range through the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and down a steep switchback section that will work your quads hard. After that descent, the road flattens onto a gravel valley floor before hitting pavement near a fish hatchery and finishing at a bridge over the Madison River. Most of the route sees little to no traffic.
This race is designed to pair with the Madison Marathon the day before, so the field skews toward runners chasing back-to-back marathon weekends. The finish is at Varney Bridge on the river, not in town, so plan your post-race logistics accordingly. Both a full and a half are offered, with the half starting further down the mountain for a straighter shot to the finish.
