Horsetooth Half Marathon
The Lowdown
The Horsetooth Half Marathon is a long-running point-to-point half marathon in Fort Collins, Colorado, organized by the Fort Collins Running Club and presented by Fort Collins Connexion. The 2027 edition marks the race's 54th annual running. The course starts on Dixon Canyon Drive near Maxwell Natural Area at 5,195 feet, climbs roughly 500 feet up 'Monster Mountain' in the first two miles, follows the eastern shoreline of Horsetooth Reservoir with rolling hills, tops out again on Bingham Hill near mile 6.5, then descends along the Cache la Poudre recreational trail into Old Town Fort Collins. With about 917 feet of climbing against 1,154 feet of descent, the course finishes net downhill at New Belgium Brewing, where finishers celebrate with a brewery party. The field is capped at 2,600 runners, and a prize purse of $12,000 or more draws a competitive elite field. It is a separate event from the Colorado Marathon, which is also based in Fort Collins.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Horsetooth Reservoir
Monster Mountain climb (mile 1.7)
Bingham Hill (mile 6.5)
Cache la Poudre recreational trail
New Belgium Brewing
Old Town Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO, United States
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Open to all ability levels; complimentary elite entry available for runners meeting recent performance standards (sub-1:12:00 half/sub-2:30:00 marathon men, sub-1:24:00 half/sub-2:56:00 marathon women, within 18 months)
Required Documents
- Photo ID at packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RunSignUp (horsetooth-half.com/registration)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Bib transfers permitted until April 9 for a $20 fee; deferrals available with declining credit through April 12; no race-day refunds
The 2027 race is the 54th annual running, organized by the Fort Collins Running Club and presented by Fort Collins Connexion
Total elite prize purse of roughly $12,000-$13,000, paid 8 places deep
Free shuttle buses run between the New Belgium finish area and the Holiday Twin Drive-In parking lot after the race
Distinct event from the Colorado Marathon, which also starts and finishes in the Fort Collins area
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