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Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race race photo

Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USMar 13, 202750M · 60km · 42.195km
Plazak · CC BY-SA 3.0
Race date in 158 days
Mar 13, 2027 Sat
City · Distance
Grand Rivers · 50M · 60km · 42.195km
Entry fee
$79From the 2026 edition
2027Date Mar 13, 2027 · Entry ~ Mar 13, 2027
2026Date Mar 14, 2026
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 6, 2026
Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race race photo
Plazak · CC BY-SA 3.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

This is the 23rd year of the event.

It's held every year on the second Saturday of March at Land Between the Lakes.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2
PaulaFinish time 1h55m
“Once my breathing became easier, I settled into a nice rhythm and really started to enjoy myself.”

The runner started too fast in Land Between the Lakes 23km but found a rhythm once breathing settled. Walking later climbs saved energy for a fast finish in 1 hour 55 minutes, second among women.

Read the original on red’s ramblings
datadork
“As is typical, the runners were friendly and there was plenty of opportunity for conversation.”

At Land Between the Lakes Marathon, the runner faced snow on lap one and mud on lap two. A friend's company on a climb lifted their spirits, but the final road section was difficult.

Read the original on Worst Pace Scenario

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Full recap

False Summit Running · Full recap

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

Marathon

Entry cost $79

until Dec 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

50 mile

Entry cost $99

until Dec 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

60km

Entry cost $89

until Dec 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Trail

Entry cost $69

until Dec 6, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race course map and elevation

The 50M I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 06:30
START · FINISH

1868 JH O'Bryan Ave, Grand Rivers, KY

Start · Google Maps

The 50-mile, 60km, Marathon and 23km events are held together.

Start line is located at 1868 JH O'Bryan Ave, Grand Rivers, KY, and the start time is 6:30 a.m. local time.

Typical race-season temperature: around 9°C (47°F)
Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition
Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

No public transit station serves this venue

Start is at Lighthouse Landing along the Kentucky Lake shoreline in Grand Rivers, KY (Marathon/60km/23km start at the Grand Rivers Community Center) —

a small rural tourist town with no rail or bus service;

car access only.

Getting to the finish

Same as start area

Finish line is in front of the Grand Rivers Tourism Office in the small downtown, an easy walk from area lodging but not served by any public transit.

More details

No organizer shuttle service found in available race instructions.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Land Between the Lakes — Great American Trail Race accepts online entries through Running Sign-Up.

Based on the previous year, Entry fee fees varied by event: $115 for the 50-mile ultramarathon, $105 for the 60km, $100 for the Marathon and $79 for the 23km.

Registering at packet pickup on race day incurs a $15 late-registration fee, which is reportedly donated in full to the Friends of LBL support organization.

Based on the previous year, registration closed at 7:00 a.m. on race day.

The event is a course run on trails within Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky.

Times are local to Grand Rivers. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race start line in Grand Rivers

Hotels that make race morning easy

4 places

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Grand Rivers with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Grand Rivers.

Total cost and budget for Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Grand Rivers runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race

FAQ
How much is the Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $79.

When does Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sat, March 13, 2027 in Grand Rivers, KY, United States.

What distances does Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race 2027 offer?

Marathon · Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race 2027 start?

The race starts at 06:30. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Land Between the Lakes - The Great American Trail Race 2027 start?

1868 JH O'Bryan Ave, Grand Rivers, KY. (From the 2026 edition)

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