⏵ Course guide · Deception Pass State Park
The Fidalgo Trail Run sends its 5 Mile, Half, and Full Marathon fields through Deception Pass State Park, crossing the roughly 180 foot Deception Pass Bridge and summiting Goose Rock, with 6,600 feet of gain on the full marathon. I will walk you through the loop structure and vert first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan for a genuinely climbing-heavy coastal course. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official Evergreen Trail Runs event page. Check the current year details, cutoffs, and aid stations before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.
Every distance starts north with the Rosario Head loop before heading south through the Lighthouse and Lottie Point loops. From there, the Half and Full Marathon continue to Pass Lake, cross the Deception Pass Bridge, and summit Goose Rock.
The 5 mile climbs 1,300 feet, the half marathon 3,300 feet, and the full marathon 6,600 feet since it repeats the half marathon loop twice. That is real, published vert, not a vague terrain description, so you can plan around exact numbers here.
Half and Full Marathon runners cross the Deception Pass Bridge on the pedestrian walkway while it stays open to vehicle traffic. The race's own note is blunt: "if you're scared of heights, don't look down." It is a genuine highlight of the course and one of the more memorable bridge crossings in Pacific Northwest trail racing.
The race starts and finishes at Bowman Bay, a sandy beach and picnic area on the water, making it easy for family and crew to enjoy the setting while you tackle your distance. Note that half marathon participants park off-site and shuttle in, due to limited parking at Bowman Bay.
With three published intermediate cutoffs on the marathon, you have real checkpoints to pace against, not just a single finish-line deadline.
The 12:30 PM Bowman Bay cutoff at mile 14.75, the 1:30 PM Pass Lake cutoff at mile 19.75, and the 2:30 PM West Beach cutoff at mile 24 give you built-in pacing benchmarks. A grade-adjusted pace target for the 6,600 feet of climbing helps you hold honest splits against each one.
Since the full marathon repeats the half marathon course, your first-loop effort directly sets up (or undermines) your second loop. Go out at a pace you can genuinely repeat, especially through the Goose Rock and bridge-crossing sections.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Late September on Fidalgo Island is usually mild, but 6,600 feet of climbing on the marathon means you need a real fueling plan regardless of the pleasant coastal setting.
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour on the marathon, and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range. The course places aid stations at 1.7, 6.8, 13.1, 14.8, and 19.8 miles on the full marathon, giving you frequent access to reset your intake.
This is a cupless race, so carry a refillable bottle, cup, or vest. Aid stations are well spaced, but you still need your own carrying capacity between them, especially on the climbing sections.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and 6,600 feet of Fidalgo Island climbing with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, this 6,600-foot Fidalgo Island climbing profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for a vert-dense coastal marathon, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
The full marathon climbs 6,600 feet, the half marathon 3,300 feet, and the 5 mile 1,300 feet, all published figures from the official course page. That is real vert for a marathon distance, spread across multiple lollipop loops that include a crossing of the roughly 180 foot high Deception Pass Bridge and a summit of Goose Rock. The 8.5 hour marathon cutoff gives you real room, but do not mistake the beautiful setting for an easy course.
The official course page publishes exact figures: 1,300 feet of gain for the 5 mile, 3,300 feet for the half marathon, and 6,600 feet for the full marathon, since the marathon simply repeats the half marathon loop twice. That is a genuinely vert-dense marathon course for its length.
Late September on Fidalgo Island usually brings mild Pacific Northwest weather, but with 6,600 feet of climbing on the marathon, plan a real fueling strategy rather than treating this as a flat coastal run. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range. This is a cupless race, so bring your own refillable container. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
Marathon runners face three intermediate cutoffs: 12:30 PM at the Bowman Bay aid station (mile 14.75), 1:30 PM at Pass Lake (mile 19.75), and 2:30 PM at West Beach (mile 24), with the full course closing at 3:30 PM, an 8.5 hour window from the 7:00 AM start. Build your pacing plan around those three checkpoints, not just the finish time.
Yes. Half and Full Marathon runners cross the Deception Pass Bridge, about 180 feet high, on the pedestrian walkway while the bridge remains open to vehicle traffic. It is a genuine highlight of the course, with the caveat that the race notes: "if you're scared of heights, don't look down."
The 5 mile and half marathon are excellent entry points, both with real but manageable vert and a scenic, family-friendly start/finish area at Bowman Bay. The full marathon, at 6,600 feet of gain, is a serious step up and better suited to runners who already have some vert-heavy trail experience, given it repeats the half marathon's climbing twice in one day.
Link this guide
Race directors and clubs: link or embed this guide anywhere. It stays current.
<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/fidalgo-trail-run">The Fidalgo Trail Run course guide</a>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.