⏵ Course guide · Front Range trail marathon
Gnar Runners' Staunton Rocks! Marathon & Half tours the renowned singletrack of Staunton State Park southwest of Denver, about 4,500 feet of flowing climbs and descents for the marathon, past historic mill sites and 60-plus mile overlooks. I will walk you through the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for high-altitude, runnable trail. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
These facts come from the official Gnar Runners race page. Check the current year details, cutoffs, and aid stations before you commit. Race logistics change year to year.
Both the Marathon and Half run almost entirely on singletrack, 90 percent of the course, weaving through Staunton State Park's historic buildings and old milling operations on the way to 60-plus mile overlooks.
Gnar Runners built this course to open up your running stride: flowing trails with gradual grades dominate, but technical features are scattered throughout to keep your feet honest. That mix is what makes the marathon's roughly 4,500 feet of gain feel more manageable than the raw number suggests, provided you respect the altitude.
The course passes historic buildings and old milling operations, runs by scenic lakes and streams, and delivers 60-plus mile views from numerous overlooks. Watch for the raptors that nest in the park's stunning rock formations, a signature sight on a clear Front Range morning.
The Marathon passes through Old Mill (limited aid), Elk Pond (twice), and Staunton Rocks before the finish, all full-service stations stocking sports drink, salty snacks, fruit, sweets, and sandwiches, plus a station-specific treat each year. The Half hits Old Mill and Staunton Rocks on its way to the finish.
With generous cutoffs and flowing trails, the biggest risk here is not the terrain, it is going out too fast at 8,200 to 9,500 feet before your body adjusts to the altitude.
A grade-adjusted pace target built for this elevation band gives you an honest number for what is sustainable, which is almost always slower than what the same trail would feel like closer to sea level. The course's flowing character invites you to run harder than you should on the early climbs, resist it.
The 10-hour Marathon and 9-hour Half time allowances are wide enough that a well-prepared runner should not be racing the clock. A vert-aware finish prediction, checked against your goal early in the race, tells you whether you have room to enjoy the overlooks or need to tighten up your effort.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
Late August mornings at 8,000-plus feet start cool but warm fast under Colorado sun, so plan for both ends of the temperature range.
Aim for roughly 45 to 75 grams of carbohydrate per hour, using the full-service aid stations at Old Mill, Elk Pond, and Staunton Rocks to stay consistent. The flowing nature of the course means you can actually eat and drink while running most sections, so use that.
Sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range covers most runners. UV exposure and dry air at 8,000 to 9,500 feet increase fluid loss even on a mild-feeling day, so do not wait for obvious heat to start taking it seriously.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a sunny Front Range day 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 exact Staunton State Park course profile, and your projected splits at altitude. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for high-altitude climbing, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
It is a genuinely runnable trail marathon by Colorado standards. About 4,500 feet of gain over 26.3 miles at 8,200 to 9,500 feet elevation, on trails Gnar Runners themselves describe as flowing with gradual climbs and descents, plus scattered technical features. The generous 10-hour time allowance and 5:00 PM finish cutoff are built to make this challenging but accessible, not a survival race.
The Marathon carries about 4,500 feet of vertical gain across its 26.3 miles, with elevation ranging from 8,200 to 9,500 feet. The Half Marathon covers about 2,200 feet over its 13.1 miles within the same elevation band. Both courses mix flowing singletrack with scattered technical sections, so the climbing comes in waves rather than one sustained grind.
Late August at 8,000 to 9,500 feet in Colorado's Front Range typically means cool mornings warming into a sunny afternoon, with real UV exposure at altitude. Aim for roughly 45 to 75 grams of carbohydrate per hour for the marathon distance, and sodium in the 300 to 700 mg per liter range, adjusting upward if the day runs warm. Full-service aid stations along the course stock Gnarly Fuel2O sports drink, salty snacks, fruit, sweets, and sandwiches, including a station-specific treat each year. Build your numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator before race day.
The Marathon has a 10-hour time allowance from its 7:00 AM start, with a 5:00 PM finish cutoff at the aid station table. The Half Marathon has a 9-hour allowance from its 8:00 AM start, with a 1:00 PM finish cutoff. Gnar Runners describes both courses as having generous cutoffs by design, aiming to be challenging but accessible to a wide range of runners.
The course runs 90 percent singletrack and 10 percent dirt road through Staunton State Park, touring historic buildings and old milling operations along the way. Expect flowing trails with gradual climbs and descents punctuated by technical features, plus 60-plus mile views from numerous overlooks, scenic lakes and streams, and resident raptors nesting in the park's rock formations. Wildlife includes marmots, elk, mule deer, black bears, and mountain lions, so stay alert, particularly at the early Marathon start.
Yes, more so than most Colorado mountain marathons. Gnar Runners built this course specifically to be runnable with generous cutoffs, and the flowing singletrack through Staunton State Park rewards steady effort over technical skill. If you have trained at altitude, or are willing to slow your effort accordingly on race day, the 10-hour window and well-marked course give a first-time trail marathoner real room to finish comfortably.
Link this guide
Race directors and clubs: link or embed this guide anywhere. It stays current.
<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/staunton-rocks-marathon">The Staunton Rocks! Marathon & Half 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.