Mountain Man Memorial March

Event Overview

The 20th Annual Mountain Man Memorial March planning is underway and we look forward to seeing everyone! Book your travel for this year's event taking place April 9-10, 2027. Join us as we host our Gold Star Families and celebrate the lives of our fallen Veterans!

Appreciation and Community Support

• Gratitude: We thank the Mountain Man Memorial March faithful who have been the bedrock in the continued growth of our event and Veteran & Gold Star community.
• Support: We are so thankful for our participants, volunteers, partners, and sponsors!

Partnership with Legacies Alive

For 2027, the Mountain Man Memorial March will again partner with Legacies Alive (https://legaciesalive.com/), a 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization directly supporting Gold Star Families. Legacies Alive will again cook three hot meals for all registered participants and volunteers. THANK YOU Legacies Alive for providing!!

• Friday Lunch: 2:00 – 5:00 PM
• Saturday Breakfast: 6:00 – 8:00 AM
• Saturday Lunch/Dinner: Noon til 6:00 PM

Race Options

The 2027 Mountain Man Memorial March will continue to offer both the March events and the Run events. We look forward to having everyone return to Gatlinburg in 2027 to join with our military and veteran community!

Location and Course Maps

We are thankful to both the City of Gatlinburg and the Sevier County Schools to keep the 2027 Mountain Man Memorial March start and finish at the Pi Beta Phi Elementary School (125 Cherokee Orchard Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738) and pre/post race activities adjacent to the school.

We expect no major changes to the courses and you can find them here - 2025 Mountain Man Memorial March Course Maps can be found here: 18th Annual Mountain Man Memorial March Routes.

• 2025 Full Marathon Course Map
• 2025 Half Marathon Course Map
• 2025 10K Course Map
• 2025 5K Course Map

Virtual Racing Option

In addition to in-person racing and the usual categories in the team march, individual march and run events, we will also continue to offer a virtual racing option in 2027. We believe many MMMM veterans want to return, but the virtual option will be there if you cannot make it to Gatlinburg and still wish to be a part of this tremendous event and mission. Virtual racers will still receive the same race shirt and participant medal, but will not compete for placing since conditions will vary at each of their location.

Run Events

The run events include a full 26.2mi marathon, a 13.1mi half marathon, a 10K run and a 5K run. The run events are further divided into categories based on gender and age.

March Events

The march events have two distances - the full 26.2mi marathon and the 13.1mi half marathon. The march event subcategories will be defined further as follows:

• Individual: As a buddy team (2 members), full team (5 members), in a civilian category or in a military qualification category.
• Military Category: Competitors must be affiliated with a military organization or military-type organization.
• Registration: Military teams or individuals may register in civilian categories, but civilians without military affiliation may not register in military categories.
• Uniform Requirements: Heavy and Light categories have uniform and ruck sack weight requirements - see here.

Packet Pick-up

Pre-race packet pick-up will be published as we get closer to the date of the race. All registrations will be online only! We are working with other organizations & vendors to also be available during both Friday and Saturday.

Gold Star Family Ceremony

The Gold Star Family Ceremony will take place on Friday, April 9, 2027 in the Mills Auditorium located within the Gatlinburg Convention Center. We will be reaching out to the Gold Star Families registered with more information.

Opening Ceremony

The race events on Saturday, April 11, 2027 will begin at 7:30 AM with the opening ceremony and followed by the race beginning at 8:00 AM. Winners of the run and march events will be recognized and prizes awarded throughout the day as the events culminate.

Route Information

The route begins in Gatlinburg and makes its way through Gatlinburg and into the Smoky Mountains. The route consists of paved road, gravel road, and other uneven terrain. The route is made up of flat stretches, rolling hills, and steep climbs. Water points, snacks, medical aid and support staff will be positioned and available along the route, but it is highly recommended that all participants carry appropriate water and fuel to properly finish their race.

More Information

For more details and to register, please visit Mountain Man Memorial March Registration.