2027 ORRC Vernonia Marathon, Half Marathon, and Marathon Relay

The Vernonia Half Marathon begins inside Stub Stewart State Park and sends runners along the Banks-Vernonia State Trail, a tree-lined ribbon of paved path through Oregon's coastal range. The course is point-to-point, USATF certified, and finishes with a gentle seven-mile, 400-foot descent into Banks — a profile that invites fast times without punishing the legs.

Now in its 19th edition, the race draws a median field of around 300 finishers, with roughly 360 in recent years and a growing trend. About 16 percent of runners return, and the field pulls from around ten states. It's a Boston Marathon qualifier, and the marathon shares the trail with 23 miles closed to traffic.

After the finish at Banks High School, runners are greeted with hot soup, baked potatoes, and hot showers — a welcome reward for a morning on the trail. The atmosphere is low-key and community-minded, with volunteers and spectators offering steady support along the route. One runner noted the course's beauty but also a misdirection at a lake junction, a reminder that trail intersections can warrant extra attention.