Missoula Marathon

A boutique, scenic marathon that starts before dawn outside Missoula and ends in the heart of the city. It’s a point-to-point course beginning in the rural community of Frenchtown and following country roads along the Clark Fork River valley, finishing in downtown Missoula at the historic Hell Gate Bridge. The first half of the course treats runners to open Big Sky country – rolling wheat fields with mountain backdrops – while the second half enters town along tree-lined roads and riverfront bike paths​. The route is flat and fast (USATF certified and Boston-qualifying)​. There is one notable hill around the halfway point (often called “the Johnson Bell hill”), but what goes up must come down – the elevation you gain, you promptly lose on the other side​. Overall elevation gain is modest (~150 feet). Missoula’s course showcases the area’s natural beauty and has a friendly downtown finish in Caras Park.