Aspen Backcountry Marathon

The Aspen Backcountry Marathon is a 26-mile mountain trail race looping through the hills above Aspen, Colorado. Starting at Rio Grande Park at 7,900 feet, the course climbs to a high point above 10,090 feet across nearly all-singletrack terrain before returning to the valley floor. With nearly 4,800 feet of elevation gain and a mix of forested valleys and open ridgelines, the race challenges both aerobic capacity and technical footing. Remote aid stations provide limited support; the 8.5-hour cutoff is generous but the terrain demands respect. The finish returns to Rio Grande Park for the Duck Derby festival.