You start in Rochford, a one-street hamlet in the Black Hills, with the first mile and a half on pavement before the course turns onto the Mickelson Trail and stays there to the finish. The next dozen miles climb gently on crushed limestone, gaining close to a thousand feet in thin air near 6,000 feet, so settle in and let the ponderosa pines keep you company. From mile 12 the trail tips downhill, with one steep pitch around mile 19.6 that the organizers warn can turn you into a runaway if you let it. You finish at the historic Engine House in Deadwood, where brick storefronts sit a few steps from the trailhead. The field is small, capped at 400, and aid stations sit roughly every two to three miles. Bring a layer for a 40-degree start and sunscreen for the high-60s finish.
From Rochford (about 5,600 ft) the first 1.5 miles are paved road, then the crushed-limestone Mickelson Trail climbs gently for roughly 12 miles before tipping downhill, with one steep pitch near mile 19.6, to the finish at Deadwood's historic Engine House (about 4,600 ft). Course map ↗
Registration opens 2026-07. Closes 2027-06-02. Official registration page: opens July 2026, firm close June 2, 2027 (mail-in by May 1). Marathon capped at 400 (Race Roster showed 383 spots left on 2026-10-14). Tiers: $100 through Jan 2, $110 through Mar 15, $120 through Jun 2, plus fees. No refunds, no transfers, no event switching after May 1. Register ↗
- Both the marathon and half marathon courses are USATF certified, and the official FAQ states the course is therefore a Boston qualifier. ↗
- Only 1.3% of 2026 finishers (0.4% in 2025) ran Boston-qualifying times; the course sits between 4,544 and 6,225 feet with 1,159 ft of gain and 1,949 ft of loss. ↗
- The marathon is capped at 400 entrants, the half at 1,600, the relay at 55 teams and the 5K at 300. ↗
- Marathon course records are 2:33:52 (James McGowan, 2008) and 2:59:06 (Emily Brzowski, 2008); the official records page lists winners since 2002. ↗
- Mandatory shuttles carry runners to the Rochford start (no parking at the start); organizers expect temperatures in the 40s at the start and high 60s at the finish, and aid stations are no more than 3 miles apart. ↗
Checked 2026-10-14. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.