Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

Our Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon and 5K courses are scenic runs with gorgeous views of the Smoky Mountains and Tennessee countryside. Both events finish in front of the Talley Ho Inn in Townsend, TN - "The Peaceful Side of the Smokies"!

We'll have plenty of parking near the finish for all of our runners and spectators. The 5K starts and finishes in front of the Talley Ho on Friday September 7th. For the half marathon on Saturday the 8th, runners will be shuttled to the start and will finish at the Talley Ho.

>>View more half marathon course details here

>>View more 5K course details and maps here

Traveling to the Smokies

Where to Stay

Two good sources for your stay are the Peaceful Smokies website and the NPS website.

We recommend looking for lodging in Townsend, TN, but Gatlinburg has lots of options as well, though it will be about a 45 minute drive to race HQ.

The start, finish, and race expo will be at the Tally Ho Inn in Townsend, TN.

Where to Fly

If you're flying here you'll want to check for flights into McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS). Plan for a 40 minute drive from Knoxville.

Driving to the Race

Race HQ will be at the Tally Ho Inn in Townsend, TN. Find directions here.

>> View more detailed Lodging and Travel info here.

Bib & Packet Pickup

You have a couple of options for picking up your bib and race packet including: at the Race Expo, at the Start Line, or mailed to you.

>>Read more about your options here.

Race Day

Race HQ will be at the Tally Ho Inn in Townsend, TN. We'll have plenty of parking near the start and finish for all of our runners and spectators. We will not have shuttles from around town, so please plan on driving to the start, or walking if you're staying at or close to the Tally Ho Inn. Here's a tentative schedule of events:

4:30 am - Finish line parking area opens
5:00 am – Start line bib pickup begins
5:20 am – First shuttle departs for start line
5:30 am – First prize raffle (every 5 minutes)
6:30 am – Last call for bib pickup / Pacers line up
6:45 am – Runners line up / Last call for gear check
6:55 am – National Anthem
7:00 am – RACE STARTS!
9:45 am – Awards Ceremony

When you finish the race, you'll grab a snack box, take some pictures, hang out and make friends for a while, and then we encourage you to go explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Training

We are pleased to share with you FREE training programs to prepare for the Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon!

Active at Altitude has teamed up with Vacation Races to be the Official Training Partner and offers two levels of training plans for each race. The Beginner program is 16 weeks, and the Intermediate program is 12 weeks. These programs are free and are sent via e-newsletter every 4 weeks.

Let's get training!

Race Packages & Pricing

Black Bear Double
Sep. 7-8, 2018
Great Smoky 5K Race Entry Great Smoky Half Race Entry 1 Race Shirt 1 Race Bib Hydrapouch (if requested) 2 Finisher Medals 1 Black Bear Double Medal
~~$214 / runner~~ $189 / runner Save $25 thru June 17 Sign Up Now Charity Bib$1200 Fundraising Commitment Not quite ready?

Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon
Sep. 8, 2018
Great Smoky Half Race Entry Race Shirt Race Bib Hydrapouch (if requested) Finisher Medal
~~$139 / runner~~ $119 / runner Save $20 thru June 17 Sign Up Now Charity Bib$1000 Fundraising Commitment Not quite ready?

Great Smoky Mountains 5K
Sep. 7, 2018
Great Smoky 5K Race Entry Race Shirt Race Bib Finisher Medal
~~$60 / runner~~ $55 / runner Save $10 thru June 17 Sign Up Now 5K Fun Run (not timed) Not quite ready?