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2026 Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon & 5K
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2026 Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon & 5K
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Booked 17 times in the last week
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Booked 17 times in the last week
About
Escape to the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies" with a gorgeous Half Marathon course through the woods. This point-to-point course is paved, and you couldn’t ask for a more beautiful destination! With the Smoky Mountain Half Marathon, 5K and Black Bear Double (Half Marathon + 5K) you can choose your own adventure.
Black Bear Double, 5k and Half Marathon
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Fri, Aug 28, 2026 - Sat, Aug 29, 2026
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Townsend, United States
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Where and when
Location
8314 TN-73, Townsend, TN 37882, USA
Start times
Friday, Aug 28, 2026
5k: 6:00 PM
Saturday, Aug 29, 2026
Half Marathon: 7:00 AM
Event summary
Here are the distances available for 2026 Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon & 5K
Black Bear Double
$265
Half Marathon
13.1mi
$175
5k
5km
free - $80
Black Bear Double
$265
Half Marathon
13.1mi
$175
5k
5km
free - $80
Route information
Half Marathon
~21 km (13.1 mi), moderate difficulty, paved roads + walking paths. The elevation gain is about 727 ft (≈ 222 m). The course is point-to-point; finish line is at Talley Ho Inn in Townsend.
Open-road sections (traffic may be present), especially on main roads. Runners are expected to stay to the right, follow course markings, and respect traffic.
5K
Evening run on the Friday before. Starts and finishes at the Talley Ho Inn, using local trails/walking paths. More relaxed but still with good organisation.
What's included
- Finisher’s medal, race shirt, and swag (incl. special items if you sign up for the Black Bear Double – both the 5K + Half Marathon)
- Chip timing and official finishing results
- Aid stations along the half-marathon course with water, hydration (e.g. “Gnarly”), bathrooms, and basic first aid
- Expo & packet/bib pickup at Talley Ho Inn the day before, plus race-morning options
- Race day gear check, shuttle service to the start line, race announcements, post-race awards ceremonies
How to get there
8314 TN-73, Townsend, TN 37882, USA
Get full directionsBy Plane
McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) ~30 minutes by car; Nashville (BNA) and Atlanta (ATL) are further away.
Accommodation
Talley Ho Inn is central for race start/finish, but lodging is limited and books up fast. Other lodging options are available around Townsend or in nearby towns.
Parking & shuttles
Parking is available near Talley Ho Inn at the finish line.
On race morning, parking opens around 4:30 am at the finish area.
Shuttles run from parking areas to the start line (boarding approx. 5:15-6:00 am). There is no parking at the start.
Event day logistics
Friday 28th August
5:00 pm Expo & packet/bib pickup opens at Talley Ho Inn
6:00 pm 5K race starts, with awards immediately following
Saturday 29th August
4:30 am Finish line parking opens, bib pickup and gear check available
5:15-6:00 am Shuttle service to the start line
6:45 am Runners line up, final announcements, gear check closes
7:00 am Half Marathon starts (wave/rolling start)
9:15 am Overall & Masters award ceremony
10:00 am Age-group awards, finish area festivities
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