This is a stunningly beautiful early-season race through the spectacular Arizona desert landscape. The Antelope Canyon region is one of the most photographed places in the country and a sacred region for the Navajo people. From the spectacular Horseshoe Bend to the mesmerizing Waterholes Canyon (Ultras distances only) there is something uniquely breathtaking around every turn.
To get prepared for this race, please read our race guide and listen to the audio version of the guide. Both resources provide a comprehensive overview of what to expect for this event.
When you read the Race Guide, please pay special attention to the following pages:
Pages 2-3: Race Expo + Bib Pick-up
Pages 4-6: 100 Mile Race Details
Pages 7-9: 50 Mile Race Details
Pages 10-11: 55k Race Details
Pages 12-13: Half Marathon Race Details
Toward the end of the guide, we share how you can participate in the Explorer Club to get suggestions on what to see and do while you're in the area. When you complete the Explorer Club challenge you earn a special badge (in addition to your race medal) for completing it! Learn more here.
Read the Guide
Listen to Audio GuideA PLACE OF BEAUTY AND SOLITUDE
Antelope Canyon is made up of two magnificent slot canyons that lie on land belonging to the Navajo Nation and is part of a series of Navajo Tribal Parks preserved and managed by the Navajo People. It is considered a sacred site and can only be visited with a permit. Antelope Canyon was formed over many hundreds of years by water that ran through sandstone, giving it its unique geography. Upper Antelope is called Tsé bighánílíní in Navajo, which can be translated to “The place where water runs through rocks” in English. Antelope Canyon got its name from the belief that Antelopes once grazed within the canyon in the winter, marking it as a place of shelter and solitude.
Learn more: navajonationparks.org/tribal-parks
Fun Facts
- For 53% of you, this is your first Vacation Races event
- For 46% this is your first time running the 100 Mile distance
- For 53% this is your first time running the 50 Mile distance
- For 54% of you, this is your first time running the 55k distance
- For 14% of you, this is your first time running the Half Marathon distance
- For 78% of you, this is your first time visiting Zion National Park
- We have runners from 50 states and 14 countries