ORRC Vernonia Marathon, Half Marathon & Marathon Relay Banks, OR   Apr 13, 2025

Imagine running a beautiful, tree-lined course along the 21-mile Banks-Vernonia State Trail. The ORRC Vernonia Marathon and Half Marathon events both feature a gentle 7-mile, 400-foot downhill into Banks. Pancake breakfast awaits all attendees. This Boston Marathon qualifier is run on a point-to-point course, with 23 miles closed to vehicular traffic.

The marathon starts at Cedar Ridge Retreat Center in Vernonia, goes around the lake, and proceeds onto the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, and finishes at Banks High School on the track. Most of the course runs along the paved trail, through scenic woods on an abandoned railroad bed. The course is mostly flat, with a gradual uphill from Miles 9 to 13 and downhill from Mile 14 to 21, where it is flat to the finish. The trail crosses several roads, but is otherwise closed to traffic; traffic control will be provided. Aid stations and potties at Miles 2, 4, 7, 10, 12, 13, 15.5, 19, 21.5, 23 and 25. There will be water, Gatorade, Gu, plus sweet and salty snacks at each aid station. If marathoners are unable to reach the aid station at Crossman Road (Mile 23) by 2:30 p.m. they will be pulled from the course.

The half marathon starts inside Stub Stewart State Park at Hilltop and joins the Banks-Vernonia State Trail at Mile 2, and finishes at Banks High School on the track. Most of the course runs along the paved trail, through scenic woods on an abandoned railroad bed. The course is uphill for the first mile, downhill until mile 7 and flat to the finish. The trail crosses several roads, but is otherwise closed to traffic; traffic control will be provided. Aid stations and potties at Miles 2, 5.5, 8 ,10.5 and 12. There will be water, Gatorade, Gu, and sweet and salty snacks at each aid station.