Lake Tahoe Marathon
The Lowdown
The Lake Tahoe Marathon is the flagship race of a three-day running festival held each October around the shores of Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, now in its 31st year. The marathon itself runs on the Sunday of the weekend (October 18, 2026, 7:00 AM start), a point-to-point course that begins near Homewood on Lake Tahoe's west shore and finishes at Lakeside Beach in South Lake Tahoe, about six blocks from the casinos at Stateline. The route is very hilly, climbing and descending forested lakeside roads past Emerald Bay and the Eagle Falls trailhead, with roughly 1,785 feet (544 m) of total elevation gain and a notorious steep stretch around mile 8-9.5 known locally as the 'Hill from Hell.' The same weekend also includes the Lakeside Marathon (Friday) and Cal Neva Marathon (Saturday), several half marathons, a 10K, multiple 5Ks, a 72-mile ultramarathon and relay, and multi-day challenges such as the Tahoe Triple (three marathons in three days) and Tahoe Trifecta (three half marathons). Finishers receive a 4.5-inch medal and long-sleeve technical shirt, and free shuttle buses run from the Golden Nugget Hotel Casino in Stateline to the start. Expect crisp mid-October mountain weather, from the 40s°F at the early start to the 60s°F by early afternoon.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Challenging elevation
Participants
Field Size
Intimate field
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Quiet course sections
Lakeside Beach finish, South Lake Tahoe
Emerald Bay
Eagle Falls trailhead
Taylor Creek Bridge (Kokanee salmon viewing)
Start near Homewood, Highway 89 at Meadow Road
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Homewood to South Lake Tahoe, California, United States
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Minimum age estimated at 18 for the full marathon; not explicitly published on official pages found.
Required Documents
- Valid photo ID for bib pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via Race Roster (raceroster.com)
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No refund policy was published on official pages found; llm_estimate based on standard small-race practice is that entry fees are non-refundable but bibs are typically transferable to another runner for a small fee up to a pre-race deadline. Confirm with organizer (leswright@sbcglobal.net) before relying on this.
31st annual edition in 2026.
Weekend also includes the Lakeside Marathon (Fri) and Cal Neva Marathon (Sat), plus multiple half marathons, a 10K, 5Ks, and a 72-mile ultramarathon/relay around the lake.
Tahoe Triple (three marathons in three days) and Tahoe Trifecta (three half marathons) multi-day challenge packages, with up to a 20% discount.
Notorious climb around miles 8-9.5 nicknamed the 'Hill from Hell' (about 520 ft of gain over 1.9 miles).
Finishers receive a 4.5-inch medal and long-sleeve technical shirt; overall and masters (40+) awards given.
Local sponsors include BluZone, Superieur Electrolytes, Raley's, Tahoe South, and the City of South Lake Tahoe plus El Dorado, Placer, and Douglas counties -- no title naming sponsor.
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