Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival | Jim Thorpe
Saturday, April 25 & Sunday, April 26, 2026 | Multiple Start Times
The 2026 Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival will take place in Jim Thorpe on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, 2026. The weekend features multiple race options, including a Half Marathon, a scenic 7-Miler with a train ride to the start, and a Boston-qualifying Full Marathon.
Saturday’s schedule includes the Half Marathon at 8:00 AM and the 7-Miler, with runners taking a scenic train from Jim Thorpe Station at 7:30 AM to reach the starting line. The Half Marathon follows a flat, fast out-and-back rail-trail route from the Jim Thorpe Train Station into Lehigh Gorge State Park, with views of the Lehigh River and surrounding gorge scenery.
Sunday’s Full Marathon offers two starting times at 7:15 AM and 8:00 AM. The point-to-point course features a steady 0.5–1% downhill grade for most of the race, making it one of the fastest Boston-qualifying courses on the East Coast. Runners in the later start wave can take a scenic train from Jim Thorpe to White Haven at 6:30 AM to reach the starting area.
