Visit Casper Marathon
Casper, United States · June · Independent
Why people love it
- Small field of about 100 marathoners with a cannon start at 06:00
- Second half follows the North Platte River trail
- Aid about every 3 km (2 mi) with ice and electrolytes on hot days
- Generous 6.5 hour cutoff, pacers and strong finish food
- Host hotel about 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from the event centre at a group rate
Watch out for
- High altitude: start 1,618 m (5,310 ft), peaking near 1,628 m (5,340 ft)
- Heat reached 33 °C (91 °F) in 2025 with little shade
- Most of the climbing comes in the first 14 km (9 mi)
- Concrete river paths are hard on the joints and crowds are thin
- Marathon, half, 10K and relay share the course and start
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
RaceRaves 3.9 out of 5 from 17 ratings and MarathonGuide 4.2 from 2. Runners enjoy the friendly small race but struggle with altitude and heat. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
RaceRaves production score is 4.2 out of 5. Runners like the cannon start and indoor staging, but late markers ran short. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.1
A generous 6.5 hour cutoff and pacers help, but altitude, heat, early climbing and a thin field make it better for experienced runners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialSlow2.4
Altitude, heat and hills. A Boston qualifier with a net drop of about 37 m (123 ft), but finishers describe it as hard-earned. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.5
RaceRaves scenery 3.5 out of 5. High-plains bluffs, the North Platte River trail and downtown, though one reviewer found parts mediocre. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.2
Marathon, half, 10K and relay start together and share the trail, so bib colours must be checked. Small field and few crowding complaints. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
About 90% asphalt and 10% concrete. Reviewers call the concrete river paths hard on the joints. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.4
Largely bike paths and trails with roadblocks set by volunteers where roads cross. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.3
Retailer listing gives 167 m (548 ft) of gain and runners call it rolling with early climbs. Gain not officially published. · Low confidence
- Net downhillDownhill3.5
Start 1,618 m (5,310 ft) to finish 1,581 m (5,187 ft), a net drop of about 37 m (123 ft). Boston qualifier: yes. · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSmooth4.0
Indoor warmth and toilets at the event centre, a cannon start, and a shuttle from the host hotel. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.5
Pacers for the full and half. New timing chips in 2024. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse2.1
RaceRaves and MarathonGuide runners describe sparse fans and a lonely second half on the river trail. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.2
Aid about every 3 km (2 mi) with ice and electrolytes. Runners credit volunteers with preventing heat problems at up to 33 °C (91 °F). · High confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind2.8
A 2026 runner reported strong wind late in the race. Exposed bluffs. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool2.6
06:00 start near 10 to 21 °C (50 to 70 °F), then highs of 30 to 33 °C (86 to 91 °F) in recent years. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.6
Hot in 2017, 2025 and 2026, but not in every year. High-plains June weather swings. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints2.8
Out-and-back on a river trail with a downtown loop. Runners report sparse fans and a lonely second half. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeElevated1.8
Start 1,618 m (5,310 ft), finish 1,581 m (5,187 ft), above the 1,500 m (4,900 ft) mark. Several runners reported breathing trouble. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
A host hotel sits about 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from the event centre. Little other hotel detail found. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.9
A host hotel group rate of about $89 per night was reported. No other price data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Host hotel about 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from the event centre; a shuttle runs to the start. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.8
CPR is about 14 km (9 mi) away but is a small regional airport with few flights. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSimple4.0
Pre-race communication, an expo at the hotel and a pasta dinner. Smaller shirt sizes ran out in 2025. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.3
Runners rate the finish food among the best. Town options were not described by athletes. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.3
Small field and open entry, with late sign-ups at packet pickup. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.9
A runner called the entry fee modest and praised swag and finish food, though small shirt sizes ran out. Fee not found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Casper, Natrona County, United States
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 6 June 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 113 athletes
- First held
- 2003
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- out-and-back
- Climbing
- 167 m (550 ft)
- Descent
- 226 m (740 ft)
- Start time
- 06:00
- Cutoff
- 6.5 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- About 90% asphalt and 10% concrete, mostly on river bike paths
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Air temperature
- 10–33 °C (50–91 °F)
- Humidity
- Very low, high plains
- Altitude
- 1,600 m (5,250 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Casper/Natrona County International (CPR), 14 km (9 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Host hotel near the Ford Wyoming Center, Downtown Casper
- Booking
- The host hotel gave a group rate of about $89 per night and is about 0.8 km (0.5 mi) from the event centre. Book early.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (Visit Casper Marathon)Raced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
17 runners rate it 3.9 out of 5 (production 4.2, scenery 3.5, difficulty 3.2, swag 3.5). Reviewers describe a small, friendly, well-run race with a cannon start, an indoor staging area, a generous cutoff, plentiful aid and strong finish food. Complaints: altitude and heat (mid to high 80s F, about 30 °C (86 °F)), climbing in the first 14 km (9 mi), concrete paths hard on the joints, little crowd support, a lonely second half, short markers near 35 and 37 km (miles 22 and 23), and unclear signs in one year.
- MarathonGuide (Casper Marathon)Raced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
2 reviews average 4.2 out of 5. A 2025 runner praised small-race amenities, well-stocked aid despite unusual warmth and the host hotel 0.8 km (0.5 mi) away, but small shirt sizes ran out. A 2023 runner liked the rolling 6 km (4 mi) opening loop, a big downhill near 10 km (6 mi), the river trail out-and-back, hills near 24, 29 to 32 and 37 km (15, 18 to 20 and 23 mi), plentiful aid and sparse fans.
- Felix Wong (blog, 2025 Visit Casper Marathon)Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
A 3:41:58 finish, 15th of 113. The first half has most of the climbing and open exposure, the second half follows a partly shaded river trail with smaller rises. A 33 °C (91 °F) forecast with no cloud, a 06:00 start by cannon, aid roughly every 3 km (2 mi) with Gatorade, and a host hotel shuttle to the start. Called hard-earned and satisfying.
- Runner's account of the 2026 Casper MarathonRaced 2026 · blog · Positive
Mostly trail and river path with a long downhill near 8 km (5 mi). The start was near 21 °C (70 °F) and warmed into the high 80s F (about 31 °C (88 °F)) with little shade and strong wind late. Aid every 3 km (2 mi) with ice and electrolytes, and volunteers credited with preventing overheating. About 100 marathoners, many 50-states runners, a modest entry fee, useful swag and some of the best finish food. Slowest marathon of his career but placed third in his age group.
Raced Visit Casper Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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