The course winds along the scenic and remote river trails that embody the driftless region. You will run from Sparta to La Crosse, pass through classic rural Wisconsin towns, and finishing at the beautiful Riverside Park in downtown La Crosse.

Packet Pick-Up

Packet pick-up will ONLY take place at the La Crosse Center on Friday, May 2nd from 11:00 am – 8:00 pm

(Other people are allowed to pick up your packet for you if you are not able to make it)

Date/Time: May 3rd at 6:00am Sharp!

The Festival Foods La Crosse Marathon will start at 6:00AM sharp starting near the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce. All runners must be off the course by 1:00 pm.

Shuttle Busses

Shuttle busses to the starting line will be available on the corner of 2nd and Jay Street (outside of the La Crosse Center). Busses will start running at 3:50 AM and leave when filled – at approximately 4:15, 4:30 and 4:45 (times may vary as busses will fill at different rates). The last bus will leave no later than 5:00AM. The shuttle trip will take approximately 30 minutes. Please incorporate this into your race morning plans.

Full Marathon Pricing for 2025

• December 1st – January 31st: $75.00
• February 1 – March 31st: $85.00
• April 1st – April 27th: $100.00
• April 28th – May 2nd: $120.00
• No refunds after 4/1/2025
• Register Now for 2025

(If registering after April 10th, we cannot guarantee a shirt will be available)

Course Map

The 2025 Marathon Course is an USATF Certified Course!

USATF Course Certification means that you can use it as a qualifier for events such as the Boston Marathon.

The course consists of approximately 20 miles of crushed gravel bike trail, and 6 miles paved bike trail.