Overview The Yellowstone Half Marathon is a trail half marathon in West Yellowstone, Montana, the gateway town at the park's west entrance. Vacation Races, the national-park race series now run by Motiv Sports, stages it each June as a two-day race weekend: a 5K on Friday evening and the half marathon on Saturday morning. The course runs through the Custer Gallatin National Forest rather than inside the park, which gives runners fewer crowds, quiet pine forest and a real chance of seeing wildlife. On site The expo and bib pickup open Friday afternoon at the Old Airport Road lot off Iris Street, the start and finish for both races. The 5K goes off from the expo site that evening, loops through town and onto forest service roads, and ends with an awards ceremony. On Saturday the half starts at dawn, runs its first mile through town, then climbs into the forest on rocky dirt roads before a long descent to the finish. The race is cup-free, so runners carry a hydration pack or bottle and refill from coolers at the aid stations. Race shirts are handed out at check-in, merchandise is sold at the expo and near the finish, and every finisher gets a medal. Audience Nearly everyone travels in and stays to explore the park. At the most recent race, about six in ten finishers were women. Across the series the main age group is 30 to 40, and nine in ten runners visit a national park while in town. Many stack races: the Bison Double pairs the 5K and the half, and the Grand Quad adds the Grand Teton races a week earlier. Talent and Influencers There is no paid elite field. Course record holders race for free every year their record stands, and place medals go five deep overall, for masters and in every age group. Charity runners race on Wander Project bibs, raising money for the communities and wild places around the parks, and those who hit their fundraising goal can have their entry fee waived. Track record The race has been part of the Vacation Races calendar for years, with course records going back to its early editions. The most recent weekend drew more than 1,300 finishers across the half and the 5K, and the series as a whole brings over 30,000 runners a year to events in and around the national parks. Brand presence Partners include HotelPlanner for race-weekend lodging, Runna as the training app, Honey Stinger, whose gels are handed out on course, and Grüns, Neuma, Siete Foods, Kate's Real Food, Aloe Up, Good Wipes and Sawyer. Sponsors can brand the finish arch, course signage, race shirt and race website, run a booth at the Friday expo, sample at aid stations and the finish, get PA mentions at the awards, and reach runners through emails, the digital race guide, blog and social posts.