Description
2025 marks the 17th Annual Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon in Highlands Ranch! This highly-anticipated event invites participants to embark on a 13.1-mile trail race through captivating landscapes, encompassing both the Douglas County East/West trail and the picturesque trails of the Highlands Ranch Community Association's Backcountry Wilderness Area.
Prize money will be awarded to the top three male and female overall winners in the following amounts: 1st - $400, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100
Mark your calendars, as the exhilarating race is set to commence on Saturday, November 8, at 9:00 am. It promises to be a captivating and challenging experience for all participants!
Race Amenities
All participants will receive the following:
- Long sleeve technical race shirt
- Custom race bib
- Custom finisher medal
- FREE pancake breakfast from Flippin' Flapjacks
- Post-race beers compliments of Living the Dream Brewing!
Athlete Guide
Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.
Athlete guide current as of 10/2/25
Packet Pick Up
Monday, November 3, 2025; 3-7 pm
Living the Dream Brewing, 9150 Commerce Center Cir #300, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Tuesday, November 4, 2025; 11 am-2 pm
Runners Roost Lone Tree, 9994 Commons St #230, Lone Tree, CO 80124
Race Day Packet Pickup
You will be able to pick up your timing bib and race shirt beginning at 7:30 a.m. on race morning outside Rocky Heights Middle School. Lines can be long to check in, and early packet pickup is strongly encouraged.
Course
The Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon offers a challenging trail race in gorgeous front-range surroundings. The course encompasses one single loop that traverses 100% dirt/gravel/singletrack paths, giving runners the opportunity to see wildlife and take in the awe-inspiring mountain views.
There will be four aid stations on the course with water available. To uphold the principles of "leave no trace" and preserve the trails' integrity, we aim to minimize waste. Thus, we strongly encourage participants to bring their own hydration systems.
As a November trail race, the Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon may present poor trail challenges such as mud, snow, or ice. We embrace the elements, proceeding in rain, shine, sleet, or snow, except in cases where excessive moisture renders the trails inaccessible or poses significant safety risks. In such instances, the race may be postponed.
For the safety of participants and potential Backcountry Wilderness Area wildlife, dogs and strollers are STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
Strava course map
Mapmyrun course map
⏰ The Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon will have two cut-off checkpoints:
- Grigs Rd Pavilion/Approximately 8.9 miles - 2 hours 50 minutes from the last corral start, or approximately 12:00 p.m.
- Finish line - 4 hours 5 minutes from the last corral start, or approximately 1:15 pm
Place
Lone Tree, CO US 80124
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
RaceJoy
Interactive Race Day Experience with RaceJoy
Live Phone Tracking, GPS Progress Alerts and Cheers!
We are providing you with RaceJoy as part of the official race experience for the HRCA Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon.
Download the RaceJoy mobile app in advance to ensure proper phone setup. Invite your friends and family to track you and send you cheers!
Some key RaceJoy features include:
GPS Progress Alerts
- Receive continual progress updates as you complete your goal.
Live GPS Tracking
- Remote spectators can track your progress live in a map view. You can also track others.
Send-a-Cheer
- Receive supportive audio cheers from remote friends & family.
Virtual Results (virtual events only)
- Enter your race-assigned bib number to automatically submit your finish data for real-time scored results.
MapMyRun Map
Like this page and invite your friends on Facebook.
