PLEASE NOTE: THE COURSE HAS CHANGED. The Descriptions below are accurate; we will have updated maps posted soon.
Before you put your shoes on to walk or run the trails and roads, explore the history of the land you will explore. We give great thanks to our partners in the National Park Service, the towns of Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown, and Shepherd University for the privilege of hosting this event.
The entire marathon course is encased in National Park Land, with some brief detours through the country roads and preserved history towns that connect them.
The full marathon is a point to point with a small net elevation loss. You course 4.5 miles Harpers Ferry National Park, cover 11 flat miles on C&O Canal, roll over a country road (Millers Saw Mill Rd) to Antietam Battlefield (via Branch Ave) for for 4.5 mile with 2 miles of which, rolling cross country style grassy paths through historic battlefields and finish the 6.2 miles back to rolling country roads (Miller Saw Mill Rd) back to the canal and into Shepherdstown.
Marathon Schedule
6:00am Shuttles to the marathon start will leave from Shepherd Student Center, located at 210 N King St, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. Park at A or B lot, conveniently located near the finish line! See parking map here There will be several buses but all buses will leave at 6am so please arrive by 5:45am.
6:00 – 7:00am: Late Packet Pick Up at Marathon Start (Harper's Ferry Natioanal Park Vistor's Center)
7:30am – Marathon Start
Important Notes for Marathoners
- There will be a bag drop at the start line, your bags will be taken to the finish.
- Runners will not be able to register to run the marathon on Race Day.
- Shuttles back to the marathon start will take place every 30 minutes from 10:30am – 2:30pm from C Lot, located next to the stadium - see parking map here .
- Parking is available at the start at Harper's Ferry Vistor Center and at the finish in Shepherdstown
- All courses will be open until 2pm to allow participants to experience the rich scenery and history of the course, this gives marathon participants 6.5 hours to complete the course.
