Las Vegas is home to a number of running races, from 5Ks to marathons to ultras. We also have mud runs and obstacle runs. This article will focus on Las Vegas marathon, half-marathons, and ultra or endurance races. There are local race organizers, and we also attract national groups to host in town. Here’s our list of Las Vegas marathons, with links to our own frank reviews of the races we’ve participated in.

Las Vegas Race Organizers

Let’s start with some home-grown race organizers. These companies are based in Vegas or have a southwest focus and host runs tailored to the desert environment.

Calico Racing Las Vegas Marathons

Calico Racing organizes a bunch of Las Vegas marathons on pavement. The races are well-organized, with a good selection of nature-focused races and more urban, pop themed races. The field is smaller, but there’s patience for the slowpokes. Post-race refreshments are always present, but there isn’t necessarily a big party atmosphere at the finish line. Maybe that’s because we’re always last to come in?

ET Full Moon Marathon

Their most unique is the ET Full Moon Marathon and Half. Costumes abound for this race that goes along the famous “Extraterrestrial Highway,” the closest civilians can get to Area 51. We ran this race in 2019 and had a blast. This race doesn’t quite start in Las Vegas. There’s a collection point in town, and then everybody boards a bus to get out to Rachel. So you spend 4 hours chatting with fellow racers or getting in some shut-eye, as the race starts at midnight.

Red Rock Marathon

Calico also does marathons and half marathons at Red Rock Canyon National Recreation Area. Currently, there’s a day race in the spring and a night race in the early summer. We ran this in 2017, and it wound up raining the whole time. It never rains in Vegas! But the run was great anyways, despite the section with a 10% incline and the water sloshing in our shoes.

Desert Dash

Desert Dash hosts trail races in the hilly desert around Las Vegas. Besides offering Las Vegas marathons, Desert Dash organizes endurance races, including 50k and 100k options. So if you want to do a trail century in the desert, this is the company!

Blood, Sweat, and Beers (Now Bootlegger)

This race takes place out towards Boulder City, NV, in the popular Bootleg Canyon area. Popular with mountain bikers, the organizers take over the trails one weekend a year. We ran the 10k version of this Las Vegas marathon in 2018 with co-workers and had a really good time. There were some really rough switchbacks that kicked our butts, but it was all worth it for fantastic views of Lake Mead and beer from the local brewery sponsor.

Triple Dare Running Company

Triple Dare does a wild mix of races, including trail, road and ultras. Triple Dare often combines races with water, as in their Vegas Polar Plunge or Three Degrees of Hell races.

BBSC

BBSC specializes in road races and triathlons in Henderson and Boulder City, south and east of Las Vegas proper, and also has some highlights in southern Utah and Colorado. Their November Turkey Trot race, with distances from 1 mile to a half-marathon, is very popular.

National Las Vegas Marathon

The big daddy here is the Rock N Roll Las Vegas Marathon. This classic is the only opportunity to run on the Strip at night, with all the casinos in the background. In 2024, only a half-marathon distance is offered, but previous years have included a full marathon. It really is an experience when the runners take over Sin City. The standard hype of a Rock N Roll Marathon is totally on key – a party race for a city that knows how to party. The only downside is the massive numbers mean a slow start, no matter what corral you’re put in.

Revel Las Vegas

Revel Races also hosts a marathon in Las Vegas. The race starts in Kyle Canyon on Mt Charleston at just under 8,000 feet elevation, dropping 5,000 feet over the race distance. Revel provides transportation to the race start from the Strip-adjacent Tuscany Hotel. The course is quite lovely, as you start in forested mountains and run into sleek deserts. Be prepared for massive changes in temperature as you shift elevation and environment.

Original Las Vegas Marathon

A newcomer to the Las Vegas, Elite Sports CA has been putting on races since 2008. The course goes on Las Vegas Blvd – just the part way south, starting and the M and heading towards the Seven Magic Mountains art installation. Nice and flat, if not the exciting neon and casino action, the Original Las Vegas Marathon should be an interesting race.

Marathons in National Parks Near Las Vegas

Finally, we want to address one more type of race: marathons and endurance races in the national parks near Las Vegas. Vegas is a half-day’s drive to five national parks:

• Zion
• Bryce Canyon
• Joshua Tree
• Death Valley
• Grand Canyon

This section will also cover smaller cities and towns where Vegas is the best airport access, like St. George, UT, or Page, AZ. If you’re running in Las Vegas, these races are pretty much in your backyard.

Vacation Races puts on impressive runs in quite a few of these areas, including Zion, Bryce, Joshua Tree, and Antelope Canyon near Page. Here’s the thing about Vacation Races – none of the races go through the actual park, with the exception of Antelope Canyon. That particular race DOES go through Upper Antelope Canyon at the 50 mile and 100 mile distances.

Ragnar Relays also do a Zion-based race, this one starting on the east side of the park. Ragnars are a team-based, multi-day relay event with amazing atmosphere.

Greater Zion Marathons

The St. George Marathon started in 1977 and now offers a 5K, half and full marathon options. It’s also a Boston Qualifying course. Just between Las Vegas and Zion National Park, St George is a quaint town with stunning mountain views. The October marathon is a community highlight.

The Sand Hollow Marathon takes place in Hurricane, UT (pronounced “hurr-ih-can”) and offers both a full and half race. Located between St. George and Zion, this March race will give you all the small town feels. Expect high levels of engagement from locals, but take care on the race course – the roads are not closed to traffic.

The Southern Utah Half Marathon heads from Washington, UT to St. George every April.

The Snow Canyon Half Marathon delivers on its name – it actually goes through Snow Canyon State Park! Organized by the city of St George, this November race promises beautiful scenery and a quick downhill course.

Death Valley Marathons

Death Valley is a mere 2 hours from Las Vegas, so it makes sense to talk about these races. Yes, races plural.

For those looking for a comfortable marathon, Enviro-Sports puts on a road and a trail run in late winter/early spring – February and March in 2024. The trail run is the stunning Titus Canyon, a Jeep trail with significant elevation changes and a final slot canyon. Both runs take place in Death Valley itself.

If you’re up for a challenge, there’s the Badwater 135. Starting at Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the US, the race routes up to Whitney Portal, the last bit of road before the trail to Whitney Summit, the highest point in the contiguous US. That’s an elevation gain of about 8,500 feet over 135 miles. It also happens in the middle of summer, when daytime temps in Death Valley are in the 120F range. That’s why the race starts at 10 at night. Definitely a race that requires a lot of prep!

Grand Canyon Marathons

The Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon starts and ends in Tusayan, AZ, as close to the South Rim as you’re going to get.

However, the North Rim Ramble follows the Grand Canyon North Rim’s Arizona Trail into the park itself. The Arizona Trail Association, the race organizer, also puts on the Stagecoach 100, an ultrarunning and cycling event that goes from Flagstaff to Tusayan.

Did we miss anything? Let us know!