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Built on bad decisions in Boulder, CO.

Moose Mountain Marathon

Basic Listing
  1. Rocksteady Running
  2. 2026 Edition

A brutally technical trail marathon above Lake Superior — no qualifier needed

Directions
Registration OpensJanuary 01, 2026
DeadlineJanuary 15, 2026
Lottery DateJanuary 16, 2026
Register
All trail races in Minnesota→
September 12, 2026
Saturday 8:00am CDT start
Lutsen, MN
United States
26.2 miles
Point to Point Course
4,050 ft
Elevation Gain
52°F – 66°FTemp Range
55% – 59%Cloud Cover
0% (0.13 in)Precipitation
9 mphWind Speed
82% – 85%Humidity
6:36 AMSunrise
7:24 PMSunset
Lottery
Race selection via lottery
No Service Requirement
Does not require trail or volunteer work
No Qualifier
No qualifier race required
Challenging
Some ultra experience recommended
Low Lottery Demand
Lottery has good selection odds
Links
WebsiteInstagramFacebook
1991
Established
445
Field Size
3:31 M / 4:07 W
Course Record

What Makes It Great

A 26.2-mile point-to-point trail marathon on the Superior Hiking Trail from Cramer Road near Schroeder to Caribou Highlands Lodge in Lutsen. The course is 98% technical singletrack with 4,050 feet of elevation gain and only 3 aid stations — a demanding experience despite the marathon distance. No qualifying standard is required, making it the most accessible entry point to the Superior Trail Race experience. The generous 14-hour cutoff reflects just how rugged this course truly is compared to a road marathon.

Difficulty

Intermediate
4/10

Some ultra experience recommended

Technical Terrain
Steep Climbing
Variable Weather

Race Highlights

98% technical singletrack
One of the most technical trail marathons in the Midwest on rocky, rooty terrain
8,100 feet of elevation change
4,050 feet of gain packed into just 26.2 miles of Sawtooth Mountain ridgeline
14-hour cutoff
The generous cutoff reflects how rugged this course is compared to any road marathon
No qualifier required
The most accessible entry point to the legendary Superior Trail Race weekend

Finish Awards

Wood Finisher's Medal
All finishers within the 14-hour cutoff receive a wood finisher's medal

Moose Mountain Marathon

Lutsen, MN, United StatesSeptember 12, 2026

September 12, 2026
Course map for Moose Mountain Marathon
DistDistance26.2 mi
GainElevation Gain4,050 ft
LimitCutoff14 h
Terrain Technical Terrain
Steep ClimbingVariable Weather

Entry Timeline

Registration OpensJanuary 01, 2026
Registration DeadlineJanuary 15, 2026
Lottery DrawJanuary 16, 2026
Race DaySeptember 12, 2026

Lottery

Registration conducted via a 15-day lottery period (January 1-15). No waiting list maintained. No refunds, transfers, or distance switches. No qualifier required.

Qualifier

This event does not require a qualifier for entry.

Service Requirement

This race does not have a service requirement for entry.

Entry Demand Analysis

Low
Entry Demand Level
445
Available Spots

Terrain

Technical Difficulty7/10

Challenging terrain with rocks, roots, and steep grades

Surface Types
Singletrack98%
Unknown2%
26.2 mi
Distance
Point to Point
Route
14h
Cutoff Time
1,296 ft
Average Elevation
4,050 ft
Total Ascent
4,050 ft
Total Descent
1,555 ft
High Point
994 ft
Low Point
Course map
Launch Course Explorer

Aid Stations

LocationMileElevation
Cramer Road
Start
0.01,283 ft
Temperance
Aid Station
7.8837 ft
Sawbill
Aid Station
13.21,211 ft
Oberg
Aid Station
18.71,220 ft
Caribou Highlands
Finish
26.21,178 ft

Sign in to see cutoffs, crew access, drop bags, and services for every aid station.

No Dogs Allowed
No on-site camping available

Crew Access Points

Pacer Rules

No Pacers Allowed

Crew Rules

  • Crew may administer aid to runners at crew-accessible aid stations only, not elsewhere on course
  • No crew access at Temperance River aid station
Daylight
12h 48m
6:36 AM7:24 PM
65°F / 52°F
Feels like 65°F / 50°F
Temperature Hi/Lo
0% (0.13 in)
Precipitation
9 mph
Wind
82%
Humidity
59%
Cloud Cover
Based on historical averages for September 12

Early September in Northern Minnesota brings variable conditions. The average high is 65°F (18°C) and average low is 47°F (8°C), with temperatures potentially ranging from mid-30s to mid-80s. Rain is common. Slower marathon runners should carry headlamps as sunset is around 7:30 PM and the cutoff extends to 10:00 PM.

Gear Rules

Trekking poles allowed

Required Gear

No required gear specified

Recommended Gear

No recommended gear specified

Videos from other Superior Fall Trail Race events

Superior 50 Mile Runner Perspective Recap 090923
Superior 50 Mile Runner Perspective Recap 090923
Superior Fall Trail Race 50 Mile
dan lipman runs•2023
Superior Fall 100 Mile Trail Race 2025
Superior Fall 100 Mile Trail Race 2025
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile
Ultra-MN•2025
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile | 2024 | Rocksteady Running
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile | 2024 | Rocksteady Running
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile
Ultra-MN•2024
Superior Fall Trail Race | Rugged | Relentless | Remote
Superior Fall Trail Race | Rugged | Relentless | Remote
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile
Fresh Tracks Media

Race reports from other Superior Fall Trail Race events

Superior Fall 50 Mile Race ReportSuperior Fall Trail Race 50 Mile
By Mike Ward
Superior 50 Mile Trail Run – Race ReportSuperior Fall Trail Race 50 Mile
By The Liles Trials
Superior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile Race ReportSuperior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile
By Mike Ward
Race Report: Superior Fall Trail Race – 100 MilesSuperior Fall Trail Race 100 Mile
By Terrain Trail Runners

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Register•September 12, 2026