Horsetooth Half Marathon

The Horsetooth Half Marathon, now in its 27th edition, is Colorado’s oldest half marathon and a beloved institution among runners. Each year, about 3,800 finishers from some 44 states gather in Fort Collins for a point-to-point journey that starts at the former Hughes Stadium—home field of the CSU Rams—and winds through the foothills before finishing at New Belgium Brewery. Roughly a third of runners return year after year, drawn by the unique blend of challenge and celebration.

The course climbs Centennial Drive along the shore of shimmering Horsetooth Reservoir, offering classic Colorado scenery with the reservoir glinting below. Those hills are real—this is not a flat course—but the net downhill profile and paved roads make it surprisingly forgiving, and top finishers typically cross the line around 66 minutes. After the final downhill stretch on the Poudre River recreation trail, runners enter the famed New Belgium Finish Line Party, where craft beer and a festive atmosphere await.