May 23, 2026

All Marathons in Idaho 2026: A Runner’s Guide to the Gem State’s Calendar

Idaho is a quiet state on the marathon map. There are fewer races here than in Colorado or California, but the ones that exist tend to be scenic, well-run, and a refreshing change from the big-city circuit. Here is a roundup of the major Idaho marathons in 2026 organized by date, with honest notes on what each one offers.

If you are working through the 50 States Marathon Club challenge, this guide is built for you.

Spring Idaho marathons

Coeur d’Alene Marathon (Sunday, May 24, 2026)

The northern Idaho destination marathon, run Memorial Day weekend out of McEuen Park. Lake views, a Boston-qualifying course, good size race. The most polished and most expensive Idaho marathon on the calendar.

Summer Idaho marathons

Boise Marathon (Saturday, June 20, 2026)

The Treasure Valley’s flagship marathon. Larger urban race, well-supported, with a fast and mostly flat course through the Boise greenbelt.

Mesa Falls Marathon (Saturday, July 18, 2026)

One of the most beautiful courses in the state, point-to-point through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest near Ashton. Net downhill, certified, popular with the 50-state crowd. Smaller race, books up.

Fall Idaho marathons

Pocatello Marathon (Saturday, September 5, 2026)

Run Labor Day weekend. Net-downhill point-to-point through the Portneuf Gap, popular for Boston qualifying attempts. Long-running event with a race director who has been at it for years and it shows.

Malad Valley Marathon (Saturday, September 12, 2026)

The inaugural year for this race, one week after Pocatello. A mass-start, mixed-surface course (about half on hard-packed dirt) in the historic Welsh capital of America at 4,500 feet. Small field, deeply affordable (full marathon starts at $70 early-bird and tops out at $90 race week), 7-hour cutoff, and one of the few road marathons in the country that takes Bitcoin, Monero, and Goldbacks at checkout. Easy to reach: 90 minutes north of SLC airport.

See our pricing breakdown and 50-states post.

Smaller fall races

Idaho also hosts a number of smaller fall marathons and half marathons in places like Hailey, Driggs, and the Salmon River corridor. Schedules shift year to year. Worth checking running calendars in mid-summer for the current year’s list.

How to choose

If your goal is a fast Boston-qualifying time, Coeur d’Alene or Pocatello are the consensus picks. If you want a destination weekend with scenery, Mesa Falls is the standout. If you want a small, affordable, character-rich race that gives you a real Idaho small-town experience and a partial-dirt course that is easier on your joints, the Malad Valley Marathon is the call. If you want a large city marathon, Boise.

State-collector notes

For runners doing all 50 states, the most strategic Idaho race depends on your travel plans. If you are already in the Mountain West, Malad Valley combines easily with a Utah race the same weekend (the Utah state line is 13 miles from the start). If you are flying in specifically for Idaho and want maximum scenery, Mesa Falls is hard to beat. For Boston qualifying, Coeur d’Alene.

Race comparison shortcuts

Cheapest entry: Malad Valley Marathon
Most beginner-friendly cutoff: Malad Valley (7 hours)
Best Boston qualifier candidates: Coeur d’Alene, Pocatello
Most scenic course: Mesa Falls
Easiest to combine with another state: Malad Valley (13 miles from Utah border)
Only Idaho marathon that takes crypto, Goldbacks, and Venmo at checkout: Malad Valley

Plan your year

If 2026 is your Idaho year, the Malad Valley Marathon on September 12 is the inaugural option to get in on the ground floor of. Future years’ bibs will likely be more expensive once word gets out.