Avenue of the Giants Marathon & Half Marathon
Weott, CA
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Avenue of the Giants is one of the most beautiful races in the world! It runs through old growth redwoods and follows a natural creek in the middle of a state park. Staged on “The Avenue of the Giants” in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, located in rural Northern California. … MORE
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Running in the Redwoods!
The course is absolutely beautiful and each turn reveals another amazing sight as the fog, sun, blue sky, and redwoods play off one another. It took longer than I thought … MORE
The course is absolutely beautiful and each turn reveals another amazing sight as the fog, sun, blue sky, and redwoods play off one another. It took longer than I thought it would to get there because they have you park on a rocky river bar, but the volunteers – many of whom were local high school runners and their parents – were so friendly and encouraging (esp. those helping with parking) that my stress turned into excitement. If you want a gorgeous and scenic route – do this run! And arrive at least 75 min before the start to get yourself parked and up the hill to the start.
Run with the Giants
Very nice race. This one is a must do. Perfect temperatures, humid, cool, your in the forest the whole time, the canopy blocks the sun. You run on the paved … MORE
Very nice race. This one is a must do. Perfect temperatures, humid, cool, your in the forest the whole time, the canopy blocks the sun. You run on the paved old wagon road, the big trees are 45-70 ft. in circumference. 200 to 250 ft tall. Race is well done, results are right away. Directions are a little lacking so do your home work. This is back country Northern CA. Watch the small towns, they have speed traps and they love writing tickets.
Best Bucket List Race EVER!
This race was on my bucket list for 3 years before I could finally get to the start line. It was more than I could have hoped and dreamed it … MORE
This race was on my bucket list for 3 years before I could finally get to the start line. It was more than I could have hoped and dreamed it would be. Words can’t express the beauty along the course. The miles just clicked by!
Personal best half!
The Ave is my favorite race. The scenery is phenomenal and overall the run is really easy. I really appreciate the organizers, they have kept the price under control, while … MORE
The Ave is my favorite race. The scenery is phenomenal and overall the run is really easy.
I really appreciate the organizers, they have kept the price under control, while delivering a superb experience. I’ve made some really fun memories at The Ave, and look forward to running it in the future!
Viewing the redwoods
What a great race, easy course with plenty of friendly aid stations. Great views of the majestic trees. Note to runners the backup to get into parking is long so … MORE
What a great race, easy course with plenty of friendly aid stations. Great views of the majestic trees. Note to runners the backup to get into parking is long so give yourself extra time to get to the race venue. I will definitely do this race again
Beautiful course!
This was an amazing course to run. Relatively flat with incredible scenery. The shade from the trees was perfect on such a sunny day. If you want a great race … MORE
This was an amazing course to run. Relatively flat with incredible scenery. The shade from the trees was perfect on such a sunny day. If you want a great race with a beautiful area to explore choose this race.
Lovely
This race was beautiful. The trees provided so much shade and the weather was cool. It was perfect. The course is on road and just has gentle ups and downs, … MORE
This race was beautiful. The trees provided so much shade and the weather was cool. It was perfect. The course is on road and just has gentle ups and downs, nothing too challenging.
Organization is unfair
I signed up for it 8 months before the race. A month later my family's situation drastically changed due an illness related circumstances so 7 months before the race I … MORE
I signed up for it 8 months before the race. A month later my family’s situation drastically changed due an illness related circumstances so 7 months before the race I requested to cancel my registraction. They denied it to me so I lost the money I paid for it.
Now in July, because of COVID they won’t have the race at all and still send everyone an email saying that they will not send our money back.
Beautiful (and flat) course!
This race was the best race a first-timer could have asked for. The location and scenery were breathtaking, aid stations were numerous, and there were multiple photographers. It was also … MORE
This race was the best race a first-timer could have asked for. The location and scenery were breathtaking, aid stations were numerous, and there were multiple photographers. It was also very flat and well organized! Definitely would do again.
Beautiful redwoods, but ........
I heard a lot of good things about this race. It was a double out and back for the marathon along paved roads line with 300 foot old growth redwoods. … MORE
I heard a lot of good things about this race. It was a double out and back for the marathon along paved roads line with 300 foot old growth redwoods. It has a seven hour time limit and plenty of aid stations. Sounded perfect for a weekend getaway five hours from home. I could not have been more disappointed. Now, the scenery was beautiful. The trees kept the course shaded and cool from the late morning run.
The course had plenty of aid stations. Aid stations were at mile 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16.5, 17.5, 19, 22, 24, and 25.5. Most stations had fruit, Gatorade, water, and gel.
Since it’s a double out and back, runners had to reach the 13.1 mile point by 3.5 hours or you would be directed to finish as a half marathoner. Well, myself and another lady reached the 13.1 mile mark around 2:50:00 and the course monitors were trying to get us to head in as a half finisher knowing that we were marathon runners.The half marathoners were coming from the other direction. I continued on with my run and reached the 15 mile area or so and there were photographers taking pictures of the marathoners and halfers coming from the other direction. i figured, “Hey, they’ll be out there when I come back through that way.” Boy, was a wrong. They had completely packed up and left. I ended up with no on-course photos. I have two from prerace. I was very disappointed.
Throughout this race, I do have to say that on-course volunteers were great. They were cheerful and friendly. They were more than happy to fill my handheld water bottle.
I want to remind the reader here that this race has a time limit of seven (7) hours and i finished in 6:03:00. As I approached the final aid station at mile 25.5, all that was there was an empty water pitcher. They had packed up and left. No water. No Gatorade. Yes, there were ample aid stations on course, but don’t list this AS if it’s not going to be attended for runners that are well within the time limit. I was an hour within. The temperature had risen to about 80′. This part of the course was exposed and water at this point would have been nice.
When I finished the race, I received a nice medal and two bottles of warm water. There was no food left. :o(
Later that afternoon when I was checking results, I noticed that there were no finish times listed after 5:27:00. I emailed the race director about the times and she said “that is wasn’t her problem and that i needed to contact the timing company and give them Hell”. What? Really? Not her problem? She’s the race director. I emailed her back with the same “What?”. So, I emailed the timing company which is Enmotive. They were more than helpful. He told me that he was not aware of the issue and would look into it and get it taken care of. i told him there were at least 50 runners that had no times. A few hours later, I received an email stating that they had fixed the problem and that I now had an official finish time. This is what the race director should have done.
My final thoughts on this race are:
—If you run the 10k, half, or are a sub 5:15 hour marathoner, sign up for this race. You’ll get treated nicely. The aid stations will be stocked for you and will not be abandoned.
—The race should not be listed as a 7-hour time limit, if the aid stations are shut down at 6 hours and a six hour finish yields a runner with no post race refreshment.
— Before I ran the marathon, I was going to return the next year and run the half. i will not ever run this race again. You do not treat runners like this. Tighten up the time limit if you are going to run out of food and have AS shutdown.
Roughin' it in the Redwoods
You run this race for the scenery and the serenity, not for the swag and perks. This is obviously not a big-city race, so don't expect many spectators cheering you … MORE
You run this race for the scenery and the serenity, not for the swag and perks. This is obviously not a big-city race, so don’t expect many spectators cheering you on, and if you rely on a GPS watch, you might as well leave it at home because you probably won’t have a signal. Don’t expect pacers either. Also, this is one of the few races that still prohibits headphones/earbuds (okay, more like strongly discourages them, and they will get you DQ’d if you’re a top competitor). There is no expo, per se, but rather a packet pick-up with a couple of tables for local vendors. That being said, the aid stations are plentiful and well-placed, and the vibe is friendly and encouraging, so you’re not exactly on your own.
Lodging: Unless you want to tent- or RV-camp, your best bets are Garberville 25 miles to the south or Eureka 40 miles to the north.
Pre-race: I recommend picking up your bib the day before, even if it means more driving. Race-day pickup is available, but you’ll want to get there early. Take Exit 667 on race morning. Do not take Exit 663 even if the exit is open, because the way to the starting line will be blocked and you’ll have to turn around and go the opposite direction on 101 for a few miles before you right yourself back to the north. Even if you already picked up your bib, still arrive early, because parking takes time. Volunteers did their best to guide people into an unmarked dirt-lot parking by the Eel River, even though some drivers ignored their directions and made their own spots, but the whole process took time, and you’ll still have to walk to the start line.
Gear check: None to speak of, so it’s best to leave your gear in your car. I kept being told there was a white pick-up where bags could be dropped, but it was unclear which white pick-up was being referred to, so that led to a little bit of stress in the final minutes before the race.
Scenery: Stunningly beautiful. You’ll want to look around and appreciate it. Even if temperatures are warmer than ideal, you’ll be almost entirely under the canopy of the trees, so it will feel much cooler. There was only a short stretch in the town of Weott that was exposed–you’ll encounter this stretch both out and back–but it couldn’t have represented more than a mile total. The only time I didn’t appreciate the beauty of the course was in the last few miles when it’s hard to appreciate anything other than the pain.
Course difficulty: There were gentle rollers throughout, but no real hills until a short steep overpass just past Mile 25. You’ll actually run up the other side of this overpass around Mile 14, but it won’t faze you much. When you hit it again at Mile 25, it feels like a mountain. My calves began cramping near the top, and this was the closest I’ve come to walking in any of the marathons I’ve run. For me, the most difficult part of this course was the double out-and-back layout. The first half is out-and-back to the west, and the second half is out-and-back to the south. There are not many courses like this, and while I initially thought that the course design would break the race into handy little fourths, I actually found it mentally tough to embark on that second out, all the while wondering why it was taking so long to reach the turnaround, and then retrace my footsteps. For me, a point-to-point course seems psychologically more feasible.
BEAUTIFUL course through GIANT Redwoods
Great fast flat course in the shade. Perfect to get a PR! Location is difficult to get to and there are not a lot of places to stay nearby - … MORE
Great fast flat course in the shade. Perfect to get a PR! Location is difficult to get to and there are not a lot of places to stay nearby – but well worth the effort if you want a PR.
Race production and swag could use an update. SWAG two years ago was much better. This year was just a cotton tee-shirt and a small reusable bag. I wish there were more food and beverage post-race. There were oranges, watermelon, and banana – but nothing with protien or for recovery – bars, or chocolate milk etc. They would knock it out of the park if they set up a grill on the lawn and had pop-ups where people could hang out afterwords!
Quite disappointed with the awards ceremony. Many in our party won age group awards – yet there were so many issues, after waiting 3 hours past when they were supposed to start awards…we finally left. (We waited almost twice the amount of time it took to run the race.) I felt bad for my friend and husband who won not only their age groups, but also the Grand Master Awards – and I won 3rd in my age group – and we left without them… We have contacted the race director, and hopefully he will mail them to us. Loved this race in the past, but not sure I’ll return.
Beautiful course, best experience
I've run the Ave. of Giants half marathon twice now, and the scenery is just gorgeous. Everyone is super friendly and although it was a while ago I don't remember … MORE
I’ve run the Ave. of Giants half marathon twice now, and the scenery is just gorgeous. Everyone is super friendly and although it was a while ago I don’t remember there being any issues or anything like that. Overall a great race and I wish I could be there this year!
Gorgeous setting for a run
I loved this race—it was like the best of road and trail running mixed. You could run a quick pace and not worry about your steps, since it was a … MORE
I loved this race—it was like the best of road and trail running mixed. You could run a quick pace and not worry about your steps, since it was a nice, paved course, but the small crowds, friendly people, and amazing nature surrounding you (not to mention that my husband and I “showered off” in the river afterwards) made it feel almost like a trail race atmosphere. There were some rolling hills, but nothing too bad. It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, so it takes some time to get there, but it’s worth it.
Gorgeous!
The most scenic race I’ve ever run! There was some small inclines, but no hills worth noting and mostly flat. It’s the first marathon out of 5 that I was … MORE
The most scenic race I’ve ever run! There was some small inclines, but no hills worth noting and mostly flat. It’s the first marathon out of 5 that I was able to run the entire 26.2. The aid stations were plentiful with water and Gatorade at each. Race swag included an Avenue of the Giants bag, tie die shirt, and an awesome medal. Would recommend for beginners to advanced!
Perhaps my #1 Favorite Race!
I ran the Ave for State #47. I chose this race because I prefer small/midsize races and beautiful scenery. This one was PERFECT! While Big Sur is on my bucket … MORE
I ran the Ave for State #47. I chose this race because I prefer small/midsize races and beautiful scenery. This one was PERFECT! While Big Sur is on my bucket list only for the scenery, I’m glad I ran this one first. My Husband and I made a 4-day vacation out of the trip. We spent one night in San Francisco visiting family and then drove up Highway 1.
PACKET PICKUP: The PP was at the starting line at a pull-off area. It wasn’t difficult to find, but to those of us who aren’t local, it was concerning. However, the race provides excellent directions including GPS coordinates which took us directly there. The race provided great canvas bags and the option to purchase other clothing. (I purchased a long sleeve dri-fit because the free race shirt was tie-dyed.)
We spent the rest of the day driving and hiking through the trees. This area is unbelievably beautiful! Just coming in for the race would be a major letdown. We stayed at the Miranda Gardens Resort. These cottages were very nice and situated in a grove of Redwoods along the Avenue. It truly was the perfect place to stay! We grabbed some food and had a picnic off the road in the trees. Seeing these 300+ foot 1000+ year old trees up close makes you feel really small. We did several hikes and saw some of the largest known trees (over 50 feet in circumference).
RACE DAY: The race started at 7:45 am. Getting there wasn’t difficult. The Avenue closed at 7am so getting there before 7 is recommended. COURSE: The course is 2 out-backs, one on Matole road and one on Avenue of the Giants. Both are breathtakingly beautiful! I think my neck was more sore than my legs because I spent most of the race looking up and around at the trees. The tree cover keeps the temperatures cool as well. Aid stations were adequately placed and stocked. There weren’t many spectators. This was a good thing to me because I could enjoy the scenery more. The course has several easy rolling hills and a few moderate hills. My only issue was that the roads were also pitched so after 10 fast miles, my ankles and hips were screaming! I had to slow down significantly. This wasn’t a big deal. This is one of those races where you truly should slow down to “get your money’s worth.” With the Avenue being closed to traffic, you can enjoy the race worry free.
BOTTOM LINE: Out of my 60 marathons, this one edged out MDI and Grand Island and has taken #1 on my all-time favorite list. I will definitely do this race again!
A Beautiful Race!
This was a perfect first marathon - flat course, not a huge crowd to try and navigate through, and the most beautiful setting possible! Aid stations were a little understocked … MORE
This was a perfect first marathon – flat course, not a huge crowd to try and navigate through, and the most beautiful setting possible! Aid stations were a little understocked – fruit was gone from the last few stations when I got to them but the expo was well organized. Overall, a good race experience.
Most Scenic Road Race Ever
The beauty of the shaded course makes this a very chi run. You are so distracted by the redwoods, the Eel River, and the other runners, that by the time … MORE
The beauty of the shaded course makes this a very chi run. You are so distracted by the redwoods, the Eel River, and the other runners, that by the time you realize you might be a little tired, you’re already at mile 12. The course is basically flat with a few small rollers.
From start to finish, my experience at Avenue of the Giants was perfect. It is a very well run race – from the friendly volunteers at packet pick-up, to the well stocked aid stations, to the finish line snacks. But what impressed me the most was the attention to detail the race directors showed. I rode the course on my bike the day before and there were fallen branches all over the road due to the unusual winds that day. I mentally prepared myself for having to dodge all the branches on race day…however…by race morning – the course had been swept clean! What a nice surprise.
The one thing to be prepared for is the somewhat remote location of the race. We camped a few miles away, but even if you are staying in a hotel, many are 30 min to an hour away from the start.
All in all, the is one for your bucket list of races – a fast, beautiful course and a well run race.
Scenic out-and-back
I'd heard that this was one of the most beautiful races in California, so it seemed like the perfect course for a first marathon. The course itself was flat and … MORE
I’d heard that this was one of the most beautiful races in California, so it seemed like the perfect course for a first marathon. The course itself was flat and well-marked, so there was no real risk of missing a turn or overdoing it on a hill.
While I’m normally not nuts about out-and-back courses, it didn’t bother me at all for this race. It was scenic (and shady!) enough to provide visual interest in both directions, while at the same time looking similar enough along the course that you didn’t dread any specific section- it all mostly looked the same! Which isn’t a bad thing when it’s all redwood trees and rivers. *A note on the trees – I’d been warned that my GPS might not function well because of them, but I didn’t experience that at all. I used my Garmin Forerunner 235 the entire way, and while it didn’t exactly line up to the mile markers (does that ever happen?) I ended the race at 26.44 which seemed exactly right when compared to each mile marker I passed.
There were three aid stations along each leg, which was more than sufficient considering you hit each of them twice. They had only water and gatorade, which was fine by me since I carry my own nutrition along the way. There were a couple people giving out gels to the marathoners at the half-way point. The volunteers were super encouraging and were pretty necessary for cheerleading since it’s otherwise a pretty isolated run. Because of the course layout, you only pass the spectators around the finish line which you pass at mile 13.
I really liked that the first leg was marathon runners only, and appreciated that they put the more difficult road terrain at the front when runners are fresh enough to watch their steps. At times it felt more like a technical run than road, but I found that enjoyable since I mostly trail run anyway 🙂 The second half was equally well chosen – with the smooth asphalt and other runners still on the course, it was almost like running a different race. And I loved how encouraging everyone was to each other! It really made a difference after mile 20!
Swag was good: cotton t-shirt (would definitely have preferred technical fabric), simple duffle, aluminum cup, and a unique medal. You could pay for a technical long sleeve shirt (which I did) and additional gear at tables during the expo and post race. Post race snacks were okay, not awesome. Water, orange slices, and I saw a few pastries. Apparently they had watermelon, but it was gone by the time I got in 🙁 And there was beer, but I think you only got one if you placed, which I thought was ridiculous. At least sell the beer to the rest of us!
Overall a fun race, and a relatively painless experience for a first timer. I liked that it was shady and cool the entire way, and that the course was easy to follow and pace appropriately. It was also an easy staging area to navigate- parking was near, there were a lot of bathrooms, and tents were clearly marked. If you’re looking for a low-key but enjoyable race, I’d say this one is perfect!
Great local race - fast scenic track!
The community really comes out to support this race. The volunteers were all so friendly and welcoming. You could tell that the race was well organized by racers - the … MORE
The community really comes out to support this race. The volunteers were all so friendly and welcoming. You could tell that the race was well organized by racers – the mile markers were clearly marked, the race started on time, and results were posted quickly.
Because of the remote location, there are limited choices for lodging. But I think the later start times accommodate a little extra drive time to the starting staging area. There is plenty of nearby parking just an easy 5-10 minute walk to the start.
The course is very fast – plenty of shade and just one slowing turn at the halfway turnaround. The course rolls in elevation. And there are some gentle meandering turns along the river. The road does slope a bit to the side for drainage and the centerline is a bit rough. But the racers spread out and thin out quickly and it is easy to navigate the course. With few racers there are few to draft behind.
We previewed the course beforehand and cycled the full marathon course – the first half of the marathon was quite gravelly and filled with potholes. I imagine that the Winter rains were tough on the roads. The second half of the marathon (the half-Mary course) was on better pavement.
It’s a bit of a trek from the SF Bay Area, but if you are looking for a relaxing run-cation give the Avenue of the Giants a go.