Monument Valley Veterans Marathon & Half Marathon

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P.O. Box 360289, Monument Valley UT

Saturday, November 15th, 2025

Monument Valley Veterans

MARATHON &: HALF MARATHON

Location: Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

Date: Saturday November 15, 2025

Welcome

Welcome to MV Marathon weekend!

Registration

Open: Online registration for the Marathon, Half Marathon and Wildcat 4-Miler is now open through one hour before race time.
Inclusions: Your registration includes professional timing, light pre-race food, finisher’s medal, on-course support and live music, performance t-shirt and additional swag, post-race food and live entertainment.
Awards: All runners also have a shot at overall and age-group awards.
Benefit: All proceeds of the event benefit community health and wellness programs on the Navajo Nation.

Location

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 23 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona and 20 miles south of Mexican Hat, Utah. The park straddles the Arizona/Utah border, and the races all start and finish in Arizona.

Packet Pick-Up

Time: Packet pick-up will take place from 4-7 p.m. just inside the patio of the Visitor Center near the flagpoles.
Morning Availability: Packets will also be available one hour before each race on Saturday morning.
Arrival: Please show up no less than 30 minutes before the start of your race.
Start Times: The marathon begins at 9:00 a.m. and the half marathon begins at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Wildcat 4-miler is set for a 12:00 p.m. noon start.

Races

Marathon: The Marathon is capped at 100 runners. The course begins and ends in Arizona near the AZ/Utah stateline.
Course Features: The route includes several miles in the backcountry of the Valley through some dramatic, rarely seen landscapes. This is a challenging marathon mostly on dirt and jeep roads and is one of the most scenic routes in the country.
Half Marathon: The Half Marathon is primarily a dirt road course, on Valley loop road. It is a graded dirt road with a significant descent within the first meaning, translating to a major climb in the first mile.
Wildcat 4-Miler: A competitive, rigorous 4-mile Trail Race – The Wildcat 4-Miler will be held on the Wildcat Trail around and between East and West Mitten on a challenging route.

Aid Stations

Support: There are aid stations throughout the course, providing hydration, medical support and a variety of nutrition, including Honey Stinger gels and chews, Gatorade, snacks, and fresh fruit.
Facilities: There will be portajohns on the course, along with excellent course support by various health and emergency services.
Hydration: This is a cupless event, so please plan to have your own personal hydration system.
Volunteers: Aid Station volunteers will fill your bottle or bag at the aid stations.

Lodging

Host Hotels: We recommend our two host hotels – The View Hotel and Goulding’s Lodge.
The View: Located inside the Monument Valley Tribal Park. Reach them at 435-727-5555.
Goulding’s Campground: Lodging, camping, and dining are available at Goulding’s, about five minutes from the start line.
Additional Options: Kayenta, Arizona (25 minutes) and Mexican Hat, Utah (20 minutes) also have additional lodging options.

Awards

Categories: There are awards for Overall (winner and runner-up, male and female) in the Marathon, Half Marathon and Wildcat 4-miler.
Pottery/Plaque Awards: Pottery or plaque awards for first, 2nd and 3rd, overall male and female for all three races.
Age-Group Awards: Age-group awards for 1st 2nd and 3rd place will include pints, beanies and dreamcatchers.
Categories: Age-group categories for age-group awards will include various age ranges from 14 & under to 70+.

Post-Race

Festivities: Post-race festivities will include live music, tribal leaders, and local royalty.
Awards Presentation: The award presentation will include overall and age-group awards.
Finisher Medals: All runners will receive their finisher’s medals once they hit the line!
Medical Assistance: There will also be medical assistance at the finish.

Weather

The average November high in MV is 54, with an average low of 26. The weather in the high desert is variable, and winter weather, wind, and rain are possible, as are warmer, milder conditions.

Veteran’s Recognition

There will be a special recognition of all veterans (both local and visitors from far away) at 2:00 p.m. at the finish line, including the presentation of a swag bag of goods. We will also have a few words from tribal leaders, along with a musical presentation by our drum group.

Organization

The MV Veterans Marathon and the Navajo Parks Race Series are co-sponsored by the nonprofit organization NavajoYES and Navajo Parks & Recreation, with support from Goulding’s Lodge, The View Hotel, Utah Navajo Health System, the Navajo Rangers, Navajo EMS, Immanuel Mission, and MV Fire.