Run a beautiful single track route from Cross Village to Mackinaw City in northern Michigan. The marathon starts at Wycamp Lake and winds up and along the Sturgeon Bay bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. 50K runners will depart from the course for a 5 mile route up the gorgeous and highly runable Sturgeon Bay Trail. After this scenic detour they will rejoin the marathon course and descend into wildflower blanketed lowlands before arriving at Goose Pond. This is the half way point and the start of the Half Marathon. The next six miles feature pine needle carpeted trail through rolling forest. The trail opens up as it reaches French Farm Lake, a sandy bottomed wilderness lake with towering pines along the shore. The route follow its shoreline for several miles before runners enter a dense balsam fir forest for 2 miles. The last 3 miles feature a converted rail trail that is flat and smooth. Runners finish at the Mackinaw City School athletic grounds. The course is well marked with colored flags, directional arrows, and mile markers. Runners are bused to the start from Mackinaw City School. 

The marathon will have seven aid stations . This is a cupless event. All runners are required to carry a 20 oz water bottle or other functional hydration system which they can refill at each aid station.  Aid station volunteers will have large pitchers with cold water and cold Gnarly Fuel2O energy drink with electrolytes and will quickly refill your bottle or hydration system. 

Runners are bused to the Start from Mackinaw City School. Buses depart at 5:30 a.m. Gear bags will be transported back to the finish.

There will be a large tent near the start/finish area to store your gear.  Be sure to check this area for your belongings before you board the ferry boat back to the mainland.  If you do leave something on the island, it will be brought back to the ferry boat store on the mainland. 

Awards
All finishers completing their registered course will receive a commemorative award recognizing their accomplishment.

Podium awards will be given for
• Top 3 male and female finishers in each distance

The half marathon starts in Wilderness State Park and follows the last half of the marathon course past Canada Goose Pond, crossing of the Carp River, the north shore of French Farm Lake and then through a dense balsam fir forest before joining a tree canopied rail grade into Mackinaw City. A bus from Mackinaw City High School will take runners to the start. Buses depart at 7:00 a.m.

*Light Aid Offerings: Water, electrolyte drink (Tailwind), bananas, oranges

 A bus from Mackinaw City High School will take runners to the start. Buses depart at 7:00 a.m.

Awards
All finishers completing their registered course will receive a commemorative award recognizing their accomplishment.

Podium awards will be given for
• Top 3 male and female finishers in each distance

Aravaipa will host the Aspen Backcountry Marathons in the same park as the annual fundraising event by the Rotary Club named the Duck Derby. This will include live music, food trucks, beverages, etc. Stick around and spend the day in Aspen!