HRCA Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon

HRCA Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon

2025 marks the 17th Annual Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon in Highlands Ranch! This highly-anticipated event invites participants to embark on a 13.1-mile trail race through captivating landscapes, encompassing both the Douglas County East/West trail and the picturesque trails of the Highlands Ranch Community Association's Backcountry Wilderness Area. Prize money will be awarded to the top three male and female overall winners in the following amounts: 1st - $400, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100

The exhilarating race is set to commence on Saturday, November 8, at 9:00 am. It promises to be a captivating and challenging experience for all participants!

Race Amenities

• Long sleeve technical race shirt
• Custom race bib
• Custom finisher medal
• FREE pancake breakfast from Flippin' Flapjacks
• Post-race beers compliments of Living the Dream Brewing!

Course: The Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon offers a challenging trail race in gorgeous front-range surroundings. The course encompasses one single loop that traverses 100% dirt/gravel/singletrack paths, giving runners the opportunity to see wildlife and take in the awe-inspiring mountain views. There will be four aid stations on the course with water available. To uphold the principles of "leave no trace" and preserve the trails' integrity, we aim to minimize waste. Thus, we strongly encourage participants to bring their own hydration systems. As a November trail race, the Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon may present poor trail challenges such as mud, snow, or ice. We embrace the elements, proceeding in rain, shine, sleet, or snow, except in cases where excessive moisture renders the trails inaccessible or poses significant safety risks. In such instances, the race may be postponed. For the safety of participants and potential Backcountry Wilderness Area wildlife, dogs and strollers are STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

Cut-off checkpoints:

• Grigs Rd Pavilion/Approximately 8.9 miles - 2 hours 50 minutes from the last corral start, or approximately 12:00 p.m.
• Finish line - 4 hours 5 minutes from the last corral start, or approximately 1:15 pm