Trail Marathon

 Schedule | Sunday, June 21, 2026

5:30 am All racers will meet at Herron Park in Kalispell.

Park at the stables area just past the main trailhead in order to accommodate day-use patrons; look for volunteers wearing reflective vests to direct you. Please carpool together if possible because parking will be limited.

For those who haven’t picked up their bib numbers at Flathead Running Company on Friday and Saturday before race day, we will also hand them out at this time. In the event that there is a wait list, we will issue unclaimed bibs at this time.

5:45 am Pre-Race Meeting

There will be a pre-race meeting, starting promptly at 5:45 before participants board the shuttle to the Lakeside to Blacktail trailhead, approximately 25 miles away. The shuttle has room for all racers and will leave immediately at after the pre-race meeting. There is no parking at the Lakeside to Blacktail Trailhead.

7:00 am Race begins

Bears, mountain lions, and other wildlife are found along the trail corridor.

You will be REQUIRED to carry bear spray and to know how to use it. Running with headphones is also heavily discouraged because of the increased risk of not hearing a wild animal ahead or behind you, OR not hearing racers that want to pass you.

On Friday and Saturday, you can get your bib at Flathead Running Company, 132 S. Main Street, Kalispell. You will be able to get your t-shirt at the end of the race

Wildfires and smoke conditions vary over the course of the summer in Montana. Often, even when the Flathead area does not have active fires, smoke blows in from the west, causing poor air quality.  As we experienced once in prior years, smoky conditions were persistent until race weekend, when we were fortunate enough to have rain and clear skies.

In the event of an active wildfire posing a safety threat to the FTBT race participants or volunteers, the race organizers reserve the right to cancel the races at any time.  We work with multiple different land owners that will also be looking out for the health and safety of everyone in our event.

If the FTBT races are canceled due to a wildfire or other natural disaster, participants will have the option to (A) defer their registration at 50% value to the next year; or (B) donate their registration to help cover operation costs.

​In the event of smoky conditions causing variable air-quality, FTBT race organizers reserve the right to make a final race cancellation decision by 6:00am on the race morning based on AirNow.gov for Kalispell, MT.  The Specific Air Quality Index chart we will refer to can be viewed here.

1. The event will not be canceled for AQI 0 (green) to 100 (yellow).

2. AQI reaching between 101-150 (orange), runners will have the choice to (i) complete the event, (ii) defer their registration at 50% value to the next year, or (iii) donate their registration.

3. AQI reaching > 151 (Red, Purple, or Maroon), the event will be canceled and runners will have the choice to (i) defer their registration at 50% value to the next year, or (ii) donate their registration.

   Please keep in mind we incur the costs of operating the event (buying supplies, insurance, permits, etc) and compensating all of our local vendors, regardless of whether the race takes place or not.  As organizers, we invest our lives into this event and want nothing more than a flawless weekend, so we thank you in advance for understanding and respecting this policy.

Cell phone coverage is mostly present along the course but it is not guaranteed. Aid volunteers will carry cell phones and radios.

You can access and review the course using our ONX Interactive Map lower on this webpage or you can direcly Download a PDF HERE

The map is also available on the Trailforks app.

This is a 26 mile running race on mostly single track trails with roughly 5,000 feet of climbing. The first 2,800 feet of climbing occur in just over 5 miles to the top of Blacktail Mountain. The last 21 miles still include >2000 feet of climbing as you gradually descend the long ridge leading to the finish at Herron Park.

Items brought onto the shuttle that you wish to return to the start (warm jackets, last minute not-needed items, changes of clothes for the end, etc.) can be placed in your personal bag for the shuttle’s return trip to Herron. Please clearly label your bag with your name. We always have someone forget their bag, so we want to be able to connect you with your bag at the end.

A volunteer will bring all drop bags to the pavilion at Herron Park.

Again, please label your bag with your name!

We have joined with the Big Mountain Run, the Whitefish Trail Blazer and Le Grizz races to form the Flathead Race Series! Those that participate in at least one of the FTBT races, the Big Mountain Run, one of the Whitefish Trail Blazer races, and one of the Le Grizz races will be part of this series in 2026. Series participants will receive a buff, discounts on next year’s races, and will be ranked by Competitive Timing at the end of the series. Those completing the FTBT Marathon, the Big Mountain Run, the WTB 50k, and the Le Grizz 50 mile race will be part of the Crown of the Continent Champion’s League. Each CCCL member will receive cool swag, including a buff, a mug, a free entry into one of the series’ races in 2027, and other cool stuff (to be announced)! The awards ceremony for the race series will be held during the Le Grizz award ceremony.

5:30 AM

All racers will meet at Herron Park in Kalispell. Park at the stables area just past the main trailhead in order to accommodate day-use patrons; look for volunteers wearing reflective vests to direct you. Please carpool together if possible because parking will be limited. For those who haven’t picked up their bib numbers in the days before, we will also hand them out at this time. In the event that there is a wait list, we will issue unclaimed bibs at this time.

5:45 AM

There will be a pre-race meeting, starting promptly at 5:45 before participants board the shuttle to the Lakeside to Blacktail trailhead, approximately 25 miles away. The shuttle has room for all racers and will leave immediately at after the pre-race meeting. There is no parking at the Lakeside to Blacktail Trailhead.

7:00 am Race begins

12:00 pm (Cuttoff time to reach Emmons Saddle)

A support vehicle will be at Emmons Saddle (which is along Patrick Creek Road) for racers that do not make the cutoff time of 12 p.m. or wish to end their run at that junction. Patrick Creek Road is the only road that crosses the route. There is no vehicle access (except emergency vehicles) for the last 14 miles.

Racers that make the cutoff time just before 12 pm and continue to the finish should expect a finish time of 9-10 hours (4-5 p.m.). Sponsors and volunteer support will be available until this time.

If you have to leave the course at anytime to heed the call of nature, please leave an article of clothes or your running pack near the trail. If you go missing, this may be our only way of finding you quickly and will let the race course sweepers know that someone is still out on the course.

The County Parks Department will let us allow up to 20 camping units in the field by the stables.

If you are interested, contact Brian Miller, race director, at brian@runflathead.com and we can make arrangements. Cost will be $25 per unit. A unit is defined as one camper or one tent. If we fill up, we may have options with a local land owner near the race staging area.

There will be a cutoff time of 12:00 p.m. to reach Emmons Saddle (approximately 25 minutes per mile pace), where the only road crosses the course (Patrick Creek Road).  This cutoff will be strictly enforced. We will have transportation available back to Herron for those that do not make this cut off time or who wish to end their race at this point. No one to this point has missed the cut off time.

We may have post-race get together to be determined. Will announce more as plans finalize.

Past results can be found at Competitive Timing.

FTBT Races Course Records – Google Sheets

Crown of the Continent Champion’s League 2025 results. Congratulations to Kayte Mutrie, Ryley Nahrgang, and Steven Phillips for completing the three top races to qualify for the League in 2025! And congratulations to Angela Nye, the ONLY qualifier for the CCCL in 2024!

The best place to cheer on racers is at the summit of Blacktail Mountain. The well maintained road takes you to the Blacktail Mountain ski lodge just below the summit. Shortly before the lodge there is another road on the right that leads up to a radar station that looks like a big soccer ball. Racers will come up to that road – about 5 miles into their race – at the sign marking the top of the FTBT trail, just below the radar station. Blacktail Mountain ski area manager, Jessi Wood, will also have the lodge open to racers and spectators. The first aid station will be at the backside of the lodge. Restrooms are also available to the public in the lodge.

For those willing to take a further journey up Patrick Creek Road, spectators can see racers at the 13 mile aid station at Emmons Saddle. It is a long and dusty journey to this location, and it has limited parking, so we recommend going to the finish at Herron instead.

Paige Bluhm, professional running coach, has generously offered a free training plan if you would like guidance on your running program leading up to the race.

Go to: E2 Foys to Blacktail Marathon – Google Sheets to find the comprehensive plan. You can get customized plans and more thorough guidance by contacting her directly through her website, Epic Endurance Coaching.

We can’t do it without all of the great volunteers!  Please contact the Race Director (brian@runflathead.com) if you would be willing to help with any of the many tasks, such as staffing an aid station, directing cars toward parking options, helping with registration, giving out awards, marking the course ahead of time, directing racers at tricky intersections, or taking down the course afterwards. Go to Run Sign Up page under the drop down menu, “More” then “Volunteer” to see what areas still need helpers.