The Course
The Catskills Mountain Marathon covers 26.2 miles through the eastern Catskills, starting and finishing in Phoenicia. Surfaces are roughly 60% paved road and 40% unimproved fire road and gravel. The course is marked with orange ribbon every quarter mile and with painted arrows at every turn.
Elevation Profile
Fig. 2 — Elevation profile. Net gain/loss is zero; total climb is 3,840 ft.
Turn-by-Turn
- Miles 0–2. Flat section through Phoenicia on Main Street, then right onto Woodland Valley Road. Watch for traffic at the Route 28 crossing.
- Miles 2–8. Gradual climb along Woodland Valley Road, following the creek. Pavement the whole way. Nice shade.
- Mile 8. Left turn onto the Slide Mountain fire road. The pavement ends here. Please do not miss this turn — it is the single most-missed turn on the course.
- Miles 8–14. Sustained climb on fire road, rocky in places. Highest point reached at mile 14 (~2,890 ft).
- Miles 14–20. Descent along the Panther Mountain ridge. Loose gravel and uneven footing — runners should descend with caution. This section accounts for the majority of mid-race injuries reported in past years.
- Mile 20. Rejoin pavement at the base of Panther Mountain. Last aid station.
- Miles 20–26.2. Return along Esopus Creek back into Phoenicia. Mostly downhill, slight uphill in the final half mile. Finish is at the Main Street lot.
Aid Stations
| Mile 10 | Water, electrolyte, bananas, orange slices |
|---|---|
| Mile 16 | Full support: water, electrolyte, gels, PB&J, coke, first aid, drop bag access |
| Mile 20 | Water, coke, pretzels, drop bag access |
Drop bags must be labeled with your bib number and left at the start line by 6:15 AM. They will be transported to the mile 16 and mile 20 stations and returned to the finish area by 2:00 PM.
Cutoffs
- Mile 14 (high point). 11:30 AM — runners arriving after this time will be asked to descend via the Woodland Valley road.
- Mile 20. 1:00 PM.
- Finish. 2:00 PM (7 hr 30 min).
Course Records
| Men | 2:51:14 — Dan Pritchard, New Paltz NY (2019) |
|---|---|
| Women | 3:09:47 — Sarah Okonkwo, Kingston NY (2022) |
| Masters M | 3:04:02 — Bill Hartnett, Margaretville NY (2021) |
| Masters W | 3:24:18 — Lisa Bergman, Saugerties NY (2023) |
Course changes for 2026. Due to bridge repair on Woodland Valley Road,
miles 22–23 have been rerouted onto a parallel dirt road. Total distance
and elevation are unchanged. Please see the updated course map above.