REVEL Big Bear Marathon
The Lowdown
REVEL Big Bear Marathon is part of the REVEL Race Series, a family of net-downhill, point-to-point marathons and half marathons built for runners chasing personal records and Boston-qualifying (BQ) times. The marathon starts at CODES School near the base of Sugarloaf Mountain, just south of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest, and finishes at Redlands Sports Park in Redlands, California. After a few miles of rolling terrain near Big Bear, the course drops through the canyon toward Angelus Oaks and loses roughly 4,223 feet of elevation over the final 17 miles, averaging a 4.7% downhill grade on paved roadway. A companion Half Marathon starts lower in the canyon at Forest Falls and follows the same downhill finish into Redlands, losing nearly 3,200 feet over its course. Both distances are USATF-certified, chip-timed, and recognized as Boston Marathon qualifying courses, with pacers available across a range of BQ paces. Finishers receive a large medal, technical shirt, gloves and a mylar blanket for the cold mountain start, free professional photos, and a personalized highlight video.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Moderate spectator support
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
CODES School (marathon start, near Sugarloaf Mountain)
Big Bear Lake
San Bernardino National Forest
Angelus Oaks
Forest Falls (half marathon start)
Redlands Sports Park (finish)
Other distances available during the event weekend:
CODES School, Big Bear to Redlands Sports Park, Redlands, CA
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Must be a registered participant for the 2026 REVEL Big Bear Marathon or Half Marathon
- Government-issued photo ID required for packet pickup; no race-day packet pickup offered
- Participants must comply with course marshals and event staff directions
Required Documents
- Photo ID (government-issued) for packet pickup
- Digital or hardcopy ID plus written authorization required to pick up another runner's bib
Entry Methods
- Online registration via runrevel.com
- Team registration (4+ members) for a per-person discount
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Full refund minus a small transaction fee if withdrawing before the event
Entries transferable between REVEL races or to another runner via the official withdrawal/transfer page
Mail-in packet option available for an added fee, must be selected at registration, cutoff four weeks before race day
Course time limits: Marathon closes at 12:33pm (6:33 from a 6:00am start); Half Marathon closes at 10:21am (4:21 from a 6:00am start).
USATF course certification: Marathon CA18038RS; Half Marathon CA18037RS.
Both courses are entirely downhill on paved roadway and chip-timed with bib-attached timing tags.
Marathon pacers offered across Boston-qualifying paces from roughly 2:55 to 4:20 depending on age/gender category.
Teams of 12+ receive a team tent space at the finish line; teams must reach 4+ members one month before race day to keep the discount.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
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