About the Yakima River Canyon Marathon and Half-Marathon
The course runs point to point through the Yakima River Canyon along a paved state highway, following the river downstream the whole way. There are a couple of genuine hills and plenty of curves, but the route trends downhill overall, finishing near the canyon's mouth where the landscape opens into orchard and ranch country. It qualifies for Boston, and the net descent is part of why.
Packet pickup runs the evening before at the Selah Civic Center, with race-morning pickup available at separate locations depending on which distance you are running. Drop bags can be left at a designated spot near the marathon start before the gun goes off. The finish is back at the Selah Civic Center.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Yakima on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Finish-Time Stats
Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
26.2 Miles · 2026 results
190finishers
2:37:10winner
4:18:25median
6:51:59cutoff
Top 3: Blake Hilty (2:37:10) · Miguel Ramirez (2:47:11) · Baylen Bean (2:48:14)
13.1 Miles · 2026 results
172finishers
1:25:17winner
2:22:21median
4:49:08cutoff
Top 3: Nathan Pougher (1:25:17) · Angela Castronuovo (1:31:37) · Tyler Morgan (1:35:54)
The Yakima River Canyon Marathon and Half-Marathon has been held every year since at least 2024. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
13.1 Miles4/3/2027 09:30$85
26.2 Miles4/3/2027 08:00$85
26.2 Miles4/3/2027 06:00$85
Going for a Time?
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Plan Your TripWhere to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Yakima — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.