Las Vegas Marathon course suddenly shifts route three weeks before race

The month’s second annual Las Vegas Marathon will feature a much different course than the 2024 race, a change relayed to racers just weeks before the event.

This year’s full marathon, planned for Oct. 26, will start on Kyle Canyon Road near the original Mount Charleston Lodge and feature a 20-mile downhill stretch toward the northwest valley. There, runners will head down Oso Blanca Road and go south to Grand Teton Drive and head east to the finish line at Arbor View High School.

The 26.2-mile course is listed as a Boston Marathon qualifier, according to race organizers.

The half marathon starts at Kyle Canyon Road, and the 702 shorter race (7.02 miles) begins at Oso Blanca Road and Gilcrease Avenue.

The three races will begin at 6 a.m., and the course will close to runners at 12:30 p.m., according to the race’s website. Any runner who isn’t at the finish line at that time will be picked up by a vehicle and transported near Arbor View, where they’ll be allowed to cross the finish line.

There will be special traffic patterns and traffic control in place on Kyle Canyon Road between 4 a.m. and noon. Kyle Canyon Road will remain open for the duration of the race, with motorists urged to add an extra 20 minutes to their usual commute time, according to race officials. Grand Teton, the final stretch of the race, will be closed to traffic between 6 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Sunday.

This is a stark difference to last year’s race, which started at Red Rock National Conservation Area, proceeded down Charleston Boulevard through Summerlin to Las Vegas Boulevard and into downtown Las Vegas.

That race led to weeks of course setup as crews lined Charleston and other roads between Red Rock Canyon and downtown Las Vegas with safety barriers.

The race had an item on the Sept. 16 Clark County Commission meeting agenda that would have seen its course start at Red Rock Canyon, proceed through downtown Summerlin and then follow Sahara Avenue into downtown Las Vegas. That item was pulled ahead of the meeting, as race planning was going to be handled by the city of Las Vegas, county spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper said at the time.

Race organizers said this year’s route is a one-time thing, aimed at creating fewer traffic problems than were seen during last year’s event.

“Following a year of conversations with the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, and local stakeholders, organizers are introducing this one-year course update exclusively for 2025,” race spokeswoman Meg Treat said in an email. “The goal of making adaptations to the course for this edition is to provide a safe, well-executed race experience that limits road impacts. While this year’s race will not showcase the iconic urban landscapes of Las Vegas, the team is grateful to the city for its partnership and flexibility in helping them deliver a safe and exceptional marathon experience and looks forward to launching a new downtown experience in future editions.”

City of Las Vegas spokesman Jace Radke said that he heard that the marathon was considering a route in the northwest, but he would have to wait until Monday get an update from the city’s special events team, as the city is closed on Fridays.

Race organizers and the city of Las Vegas will continue to meet to come up with a different marathon route for future editions of the race.

“They look forward to collaborating with the city in the coming months to determine a route for our 2026 event and beyond that mixes the natural wonders and glamorous cityscapes for a one-of-a-kind journey,” Treat said.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X. Send questions and comments to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com.