Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast: Half Marathon Division
Much of the mediasize and romance with trail running over the past decade + has circled around ultra. The press, the sponsorship dollars, where the bar is set for a sense of challenge and achievement. However, shorter distances don’t require consumption of life in training and breakdown. In the lineup of Half’ish distance races below you’ll find historic classics such as Pisgah, exposed mountain ridges in Kismet Cliff and Chocorua, one of the most technical pitches in Breakneck Point, and beautiful crazy in the winter technicality of Frozen Snot.
For those arriving directly here, check out our lineup of the Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast across distances. We also have related articles on Most Scenic, Historic, Flat & Fast, and others to come. For now, let’s checkout the ranking of the Toughest Trail Half’ish Marathons in the Northeast.
#22
Trapp Mountain Half Marathon
Stowe, VT
Month:
October
Distance:
12.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,703′
Gain / Mile:
135′
#21
Castle to River
Garrison, NY
Month:
October
Distance:
12.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,754′
Gain / Mile:
139′
#20
Cooper’s Rock
Bruceton Mills, WV
Month:
August
Distance:
12.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,733′
Gain / Mile:
140′
#19
West Virginia Trilogy
Circleville, WV
Month:
October
Distance:
11.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,864′
Gain / Mile:
161′
#18
Vulcan’s Fury
Nottingham, NH
Month:
October
Distance:
13 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,937′
Gain / Mile:
149′
#17
Dam Half
Mifflinburg, PA
Month:
September
Distance:
12.9 Miles
Elevation Gain:
2,030′
Gain / Mile:
157′
#16
Pisgah Mountain Trail Race
Nottingham, NH
Month:
September
Distance:
13.5 miles
Elevation Gain:
1,937′
Gain / Mile:
149′
#15
Ontario Summit
Naples, NY
Month:
June
Distance:
13.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,180′
Gain / Mile:
163′
#14
Odyssey Trail Running Rampage
Douthat, VA
Month:
September
Distance:
12.8 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,746′
Gain / Mile:
215′
#13
Old Glory Trail Runs
Glen Lyn, WV
Month:
November
Distance:
13.1 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,066′
Gain / Mile:
234′
#12
Raven Trail Half
Coburn, PA
Month:
Otober
Distance:
12.5 miles
Elevation Gain:
2,800′
Gain / Mile:
224′
#11
Hyner Half
North Bend, PA
Month:
August
Distance:
14.1 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,119′
Gain / Mile:
221′
#10
Mt. Greylock Trail Race
Adams, MA
Month:
June
Distance:
12.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,023′
Gain / Mile:
244′
#9
Terrapin Mountain
Sedalia, VA
Month:
March
Distance:
12.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,257′
Gain / Mile:
256′
#8
Rock ‘N The Knob
Claysburg, PA
Month:
September
Distance:
13.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,368′
Gain / Mile:
248′
#14
Lost Turkey 50
Blue Knob, PA
Month:
June
Distance:
50.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
7,594′
Gain / Mile:
150′
#6
Mahoosuc Ridge to River Challenge
Sunday River, ME
Month:
September
Distance:
12.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
3,775′
Gain / Mile:
300′
#5
Battle at Bristol Mountain
Canandaigua, NY
Month:
July
Distance:
13.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
5,358′
Gain / Mile:
406′
#4
Kismet Cliff Run
North Conway, NH
Month:
September
Distance:
12.8 miles
Elevation Gain:
4,357′
Gain / Mile:
340′
#3
Chocorua Mountain Race
Tamworth, NH
Month:
June
Distance:
13.1 miles
Elevation Gain:
4,625′
Gain / Mile:
353′
#2
Breakneck Point
Beacon, NY
Month:
May
Distance:
13 miles
Elevation Gain:
4,227′
Gain / Mile:
325′
#1
Frozen Snot
McElhattan, PA
Month:
February
Distance:
13.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
5,250′
Gain / Mile:
386′
| Rank | Event | Town | State | Month | Strava | Plotaroute | Hello,Drifter | TopoFusion | Avg Elevation | Mileage | Gain Per Mile | Division |
| 22 | Trapp Mountain Half Marathon | Stowe | VT | October | 2000 | 1801 | 1144 | 1865 | 1703 | 12.6 | 135 | 13.1m |
| 21 | Castle to River Half Marathon | Garrison | NY | October | 2011 | 1640 | 1798 | 1565 | 1754 | 12.6 | 139 | 13.1m |
| 20 | Coopers Rock Half | Bruceton Mills | WV | August | 1689 | 1594 | 1831 | 1818 | 1733 | 12.4 | 140 | 13.1m |
| 19 | West Virginia Trilogy Half Marathon | Circleville | WV | October | 1902 | 1886 | 1926 | 1742 | 1864 | 11.6 | 161 | 13.1m |
| 18 | Vulcan’s Fury | Nottingham | NH | October | 1913 | 1702 | 1949 | 2184 | 1937 | 13 | 149 | 13.1m |
| 17 | Dam Half | Mifflinburg | PA | September | 2187 | 2000 | 2231 | 1700 | 2030 | 12.9 | 157 | 13.1m |
| 16 | Pisgah Mountain Trail Race | Winchester | NH | September | 2306 | 1899 | 2165 | 2180 | 2138 | 13.5 | 158 | 13.1m |
| 15 | Ontario Summit | Naples | NY | June | 2102 | 2040 | 1896 | 2681 | 2180 | 13.4 | 163 | 13.1m |
| 14 | Odyssey Trail Running Rampage | Douthat | VA | September | 2714 | 2513 | 2936 | 2821 | 2746 | 12.8 | 215 | 13.1m |
| 13 | Old Glory Trail Runs Half | Glen Lyn | VA | November | 3509 | 2624 | 3091 | 3041 | 3066 | 13.1 | 234 | 13.1m |
| 12 | Ravens Half Marathon | Coburn | PA | October | 2800 | 12.5 | 224 | 13.1m | ||||
| 11 | Hyner Half | North Bend | PA | August | 3327 | 2637 | 3404 | 3108 | 3119 | 14.1 | 221 | 13.1m |
| 10 | Mt. Greylock Trail Race | Adams | MA | June | 3046 | 2893 | 3104 | 3050 | 3023 | 12.4 | 244 | 13.1m |
| 9 | Terrapin Mountain Half | Sedalia | VA | March | 3260 | 3208 | 3468 | 3091 | 3257 | 12.7 | 256 | 13.1m |
| 8 | Rock ‘N The Knob Trail Half Marathon | Claysburg | PA | September | 3564 | 3240 | 3510 | 3158 | 3368 | 13.6 | 248 | 13.1m |
| 7 | World’s End Fall Classic | Forksville | PA | September | 3,624 | 2962 | 2867 | 2932 | 3096 | 13.3 | 233 | 13.1m |
| 6 | Mahoosuc Ridge to River Half Marathon | Sunday River | ME | September | 3938 | 3622 | 3845 | 3693 | 3775 | 12.6 | 300 | 13.1m |
| 5 | Battle of Bristol Mountain Half | Canandaigua | NY | July | 5658 | 5335 | 5397 | 5043 | 5358 | 13.2 | 406 | 13.1m |
| 4 | Kismet Cliff Run | North Conway | NH | September | 4551 | 4101 | 4386 | 4389 | 4357 | 12.8 | 340 | 13.1m |
| 3 | Chocorua Mountain Race | Tamworth | NH | June | 4887 | 4445 | 4557 | 4609 | 4625 | 13.1 | 353 | 13.1m |
| 2 | Breakneck Point Trail Half | Beacon | NY | May | 4703 | 3654 | 4347 | 4202 | 4227 | 13 | 325 | 13.1m |
| 1 | Frozen Snot | McElhattan | PA | February | 5,423 | 5177 | 5223 | 5177 | 5250 | 13.6 | 386 | 13.1m |
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