REVEL Big Bear Marathon
Big Bear Lake to Redlands, United States · November · Independent
Why people love it
- Net drop of about 1,650 m (5,413 ft), from 2,021 m (6,630 ft) down to Redlands.
- 37.6% to 40.5% of finishers ran a Boston time in 2021 to 2023.
- Run above the cloud layer on the way down, per several reviewers.
- Finish party with food, a beer garden and a well-reviewed shirt and hat.
Watch out for
- Marathon cancelled in 2024 (snow) and 2025 (mudslides); confirm the 2026 edition before you travel.
- Buses load 03:15 to 03:45 for a 60-minute ride; late or mixed buses reported.
- The rolling first 14 km (9 mi) tempt fast starts; the long descent then wrecks quads.
- Spectators are barred from Highway 38; the canyon is mostly lonely.
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: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.2
RaceRaves 4.4 from 33 runners, FindMyMarathon 4.1 from 8. Runners like the downhill speed; the 2024 and 2025 cancellations and early buses drew complaints. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Runners praise the finish area. Bus loading was disorganised in 2022 to 2024, and the marathon was cancelled twice on short notice. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.6
A 03:15 bus, thin air at 2,021 m (6,630 ft), a cold start and a quad-wrecking 1,650 m (5,413 ft) descent suit experienced runners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAmong the fastest4.7
37.6% to 40.5% of finishers ran Boston times in 2021 to 2023. The rolling first 14 km (9 mi) tempt runners to start too fast. · High confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.2
RaceRaves scenery 4.2. Runners describe running above the cloud layer, mountain views and wooded canyon. The last miles into Redlands are flat and less scenic. · Medium confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.7
1,837 finishers spread along a mountain highway; the half runs alongside from a different start. No congestion complaints found. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
Paved highway with potholes and dips along the centreline reported in 2023; ankle risk. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed2.8
A 2018 runner said the two-lane road is not safe for running and spectators are barred from the canyon; closure details not found. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessPancake flat4.8
Gain only 101 m (332 ft) per FindMyMarathon, under the 150 m (500 ft) mark, though dominated by a long descent. · High confidence
- Net downhillBig drop5.0
Net loss about 1,650 m (5,413 ft), Boston style. Organiser says it is a Boston qualifier; FindMyMarathon notes a 10-minute BQ penalty. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting2.6
Buses load 03:15 to 03:45 for a 60-minute ride; late buses and unclear signs were reported in 2021 to 2024. The start is low-key. · High confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.6
REVEL typically offers pacers, but none confirmed for this race; chip timing standard. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse1.8
Spectators are barred from Highway 38. A 2023 half runner counted one sign holder all day. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.8
Aid about every 3 km (2 mi) with gels and a cola and beer stop near mile 18. Early stations are water-only. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.7
Typical start wind 6 km (3.7 mi)/h (4 mph) from the ESE; sheltered canyon. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.9
Start about 6 °C (42 °F), finishing near 18 °C (65 °F) in dry air. Starts near 0 °C (32 °F) are possible. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityUnsettled2.4
Marathon cancelled in 2024 for snow and in 2025 for mudslides, two of the last three scheduled editions. · High confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky1.6
Organiser forbids spectators on Highway 38; cheering points limited to Mentone and Redlands. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeModerate3.0
Starts at 2,021 m (6,630 ft) and finishes at 471 m (1,545 ft); most of the race is below 1,500 m (4,900 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Redlands and San Bernardino have mainstream hotels; none sold out per reviewers. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.8
Inland Empire hotels are usually cheaper than coastal California; no direct evidence. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityMostly driving2.3
Runners drive to a bus lot and ride 60 minutes before dawn; finish area in Redlands is the destination. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.6
Ontario airport about 40 km (25 mi) from Redlands, or LAX farther; drivable from LA and San Diego. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity2.8
Pre-dawn buses are the main hassle; a finish shuttle runs 08:00 to 10:30 back to parking. Expo small. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.4
Redlands finish party with donuts, pizza, chocolate milk and a beer garden. · 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 inEasy4.2
Open entry, though sell-out status not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.7
Reviewers praise the shirt and hat and REVEL's quality. Fee not found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Big Bear Lake to Redlands, San Bernardino County, United States
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 7 November 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,837 athletes
- First held
- 2018
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 101 m (330 ft)
- Descent
- 1,650 m (5,410 ft)
- Start time
- 06:00
- Cutoff
- 6.55 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved two-lane mountain highway (Highway 38 through the canyon) then city streets of Mentone and Redlands
- How to get in
- open
- Air temperature
- 2–20 °C (36–68 °F)
- Humidity
- Low to moderate, about 48% at the start
- Altitude
- 1,250 m (4,100 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Ontario International (ONT), 40 km (25 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Redlands, San Bernardino near the bus lot
- Booking
- Runners park near hotels in the Redlands/San Bernardino area and board buses before dawn, so stay near the bus lot. Finish and expo are in Redlands. Distance to ONT approximate.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2021 to 2025 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.4 of 5 from 33 runners (difficulty 2.6, scenery 4.2, production 4.5, swag 4.5). Common advice: hold back in the rolling first miles and push after mile 9. Praise for REVEL's production; complaints about 2023 and 2024 bus pickups and the 2024 and 2025 cancellations.
- FindMyMarathonRaced 2021 to 2023 · aggregator · Positive
4.1 from 8 reviews. Praise for the fast downhill; one late-notice cancellation and one bus problem. Page logs 101 m (332 ft) gain, 1,650 m (5,413 ft) loss and a 40.5% BQ rate in 2023.
- MarathonGuide reviewsRaced 2021, 2023 · aggregator · Positive
Two reviews, 3.9 average. One praises a fast finish and well-organised REVEL races; the other warns of a screaming 1,500 m (5,000 ft) downhill.
“REVEL presents very well-organized races.”
- RunRevel runner reviewsRaced 2018, 2023 · aggregator · Positive
Runner reviews hosted by the organiser. 2023: rolling first 14 km (9 mi), potholes and dips, messy morning buses mixing half and full, a cola and beer stop near mile 18. 2018: wooded, scenic, downhill second half.
“the course was beautiful and the weather couldn't be more perfect”
- Kyle Robinson, Team RunRunRaced 2022 · blog · Positive
Ran 3:07:28 and rates it 4.5 of 5. Rolling first 13 km (8 mi) at 2,010 m (6,600 ft), then a sustained descent that hammers quads. Buses loaded at 03:30 and ran late; thin air made him under-drink early. Main drawback is spectators only at the finish.
Show 2 more
- Run Eat RepeatRaced 2018 · blog · Mixed
3:50:46 finish. Mostly downhill with sunrise and clouds below the runners. Milder start than feared. Felt sluggish and wanted to quit at miles 20 to 22 (32 to 35 km); worried about running on an open two-lane road.
- Fitness FataleRaced 2023 · blog · Mixed
Half marathon on the same mountain point-to-point. On the bus at 04:45, 42 °F (6 °C) at the start, near-perfect conditions but an anticlimactic start, almost no spectators and a course she found boring.
“the start is very anticlimactic”
Raced REVEL Big Bear Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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