Mesa Falls Marathon - Race Reviews

This was my 17th marathon, 15th state. I picked it just to get back on track after almost 2 years of no marathons thanks to COVID, and did little research. My friend and I ended up having an AMAZING time. I don't know if I've ever seen such well organized and perfectly spaced course support in a small town run like this. There were only 116 finishers, but they still had fully stocked aid stations with consistent options every 2ish miles. The volunteers and organizers were helpful and friendly. The course, while more difficult than I anticipated, was absolutely gorgeous. There were long stretches where the road was minimally maintained and it was a lot of effort to avoid potholes and puddles, so be prepared for difficult terrain.

Great experience! very well organized, everybody was so friendly and helpful. Beautiful scenery, plenty of aid stations, even got sprayed down when it got hot. The hill at mile 17 was long and steep but a good excuse to walk. My wife and I both ran and enjoyed this one a lot. Kudos to Dave and all his staff/helpers.

Some marathon directors "get it," while others don't. Dave Jacobson is one of those who "get it," making his Mesa Falls marathon good in every way. I base this on having done 87 marathons since 2005. This was my third Mesa Falls. What was good about this one? This year the marathon provided a tech shirt I'll wear, one with a small logo on the front and a back devoid of countless sponsor names. You know, the billboard look. Plus, the lively lime green color was not a boring gray, black, or white. Do race directors think that sponsors really care about being on the back of a shirt? Especially one that will sit in the closet or wind up at Goodwill? The $5 pasta dinner was just fine, as was the free breakfast on race day morning. Yes, we had to get up a bit early to catch a bus to the start, but the bus was a luxury coach, equipped with a bathroom, which older folks like me seem to need more than the younger crowd. And, since there were less than 110 finishers, many had the chance to walk away with a wonderful age bracket award - a wooden plaque, engraved with the name, age bracket, and an image of the falls. Much better than a generic cup. One of the highlights for me - after touring the countryside for barn compositions (for paintings) and visiting the sand dunes in St. Anthony on Friday morning - was returning to the fish viewing site on the Warm River at the base of Rt. 47. Since I had been there previously, I wanted to return for old time's sake. High above me, an eagle or osprey soared back and forth, at times looking down at the river, usually full of rainbow or cutthroat trout. After a few minutes of flying around, he descended a bit and then dove quickly, straight into the water and disappeared. A few seconds later, he emerged victorious, holding a large fish in his talons. Hint: if you arrive early enough, drive east out of town on Rt. 47, bring a loaf of bread, and head down the hill that you'll be running up from miles 17 to 20. At the base of the hill the road bends left. At this point, you'll see an Orvis campground on the right side. Opposite that is a viewing platform next to the river where you can see the fish. If you wad up a slice of bread into a ball and fling it out, you'll be amazed at the size of the fish that grab it. And, don't pass on the chance to visit Yellowstone, only an hour away. The race begins in and stretches through 17 miles of Caribou-Targhee National Forest, home to the likes of black and grizzly bears, mountain lions, elk, deer, coyote, bald eagles, ospreys, big horn sheep, mountain goats, red fox, river otters, bobcats, moose, and mink. I saw a duck. We runners make too much noise, I guess. So, don't get your hopes up, although one of the aid station volunteers said there were a few wolves running around on Thursday. The last nine miles feature, besides the three-mile climb, up and down farmland of hay, potatoes, wheat and barley. Knowing that the barley, which makes up most of the harvest, gets shipped down the rail line - via a transfer from the mammoth, gleaming elevators in town - to the Budweiser plant in Idaho Falls might make the final stretch a bit easier. What will also make it easier is if you don't fall - as I did - on the four mile stretch of gorgeous trail through pine forests with the Warm River 300 feet below, scenery that can be distracting as much as it is beautiful. Compared to the rocks and roots of the Pike's Peak trail, this one is fairly tame, but be careful. And, even though I fell, I left with a good feeling and a desire to return.

This marathon truly goes the extra mile to be so accommodating to the runner. Amazing volunteers, aid stations, handling gear (toss it at any of the infinite aid stations), top quality busing, milkshakes, great connection with half marathon start, and on and on. Some may comment this year on the lack of a view due to the forest fire smoke. I find that it just accentuates the beauty of the people helping out to make this a quality experience. I loved the course, but the hill (only 300 feet, really?) from Mile 17 to Mile 20 really challenges any notion of a BQ for those of us that are always on the margin and striving for that particular accomplishment. Just know that despite this being a downhill run, it is still quite the challenge.

It's been almost two months since I ran this race, and I still think about it pretty much every day. This is my favorite race I've ever run, even above Boston. It was in the 30s at the start. I was worried about the elevation, coming from Arizona, but the advantage I had of training in 100 degree weather (did I just call that an advantage?) helped neutralize the elevation. A few miles in, a guy in front of me takes a selfie. I look to the left to see what he was capturing in the picture, and sun is coming up over the Tetons! How do you beat that? The first 9.5 or so miles are on a dirt road with forests and meadows all around, and it's just gorgeous. Then it hits the highway for just a mile or so before you go right past the overlook for Lower Mesa Falls. Again, just gorgeous. Right about half way, you hit a serious downhill (major fun), go off the highway, go *under* the highway, and then hit a beautiful trail for another three or so miles. This was my favorite part of the race. Wildlife is all around. There's a beautiful river off to your left. The trail is exciting and invigorating. Back on the highway at mile 17, things get difficult. This was the first time I felt the elevation. It's a steady climb for three miles. I took plenty of walk breaks and noticed that the three people in sight in front of me were not gaining on me. I was gaining on them. Then at mile 20, the climb is over, and you head into rolling farmland. To me, this was beautiful as well. My plan was to stay conservative for the first 20 and then unload at mile 20. It worked perfectly on this course. I never saw the three people who were ahead of me on the hill after that. In mile 23, I got the thrill of a lifetime. I heard two sets of footsteps behind me. As they go past, it's none other than Ryan and Sara Hall. As in, the fastest American marathoner and half marathoner of all time and his collegiate all-American wife. 'Oh, hi guys!' I had forgotten they were there to run the half. I can now say that I ran a marathon where I wasn't passed by the fastest American in history until mile 23. It's the truth; just not the whole truth. :) Coming into town was great. I ran my guts out and managed my first negative split ever, even with the steady climb from mile 17 to mile 20. It all came together as an awesome and very emotional experience. Wouldn't trade it for anything. The finish line festivities in the park were wonderful. Best watermelon I've ever had, and it could not have been more perfect. Of all the races I've run, this is the one I most want to go back to. Several spots on this course gave me some of my best experiences I've ever had in the wonderful sport of running. This is the perfect place to run for enjoyment and take in some of God's most beautiful creations at the same time.

There were 7 of us that came up from Colorado and ran the various races (10k, half and full). We were all in agreement in what a wonderful race and town this was. It started with arriving in town to the outdoor packet pickup on the main drag (moved inside after school let out). Five of us stayed in town and found the farm-community atmosphere to be quite charming. The shakes at 511 were amazing and the new management continued the tradition of supplying free Huckleberry shakes to all participants. But the best part was the race itself. It was such a beautiful course with a nice variety of terrain. There was an ATV road just after the half-way point that was stunning. I can't think of any complaints or suggestions except that the medal was fairly small (half dollar) and etched on a lightweight wood. But even that held a certain charm. The shirts were great - a wearable color with no advertisements. There was nothing else to buy that had the logo of the race on it such as a hat, pint glasses, etc. and that was a shame, but not a deal breaker. The pasta dinner at the high school with Ryan and Sara Hall speaking was so great and they spent time after signing autographs, posing for pictures and answering endless questions. Good job, Ashton!

I love small town races that have big personalities! Easy drive from Idaho Falls airport. No red lights or fast food restaurants in town was a refreshing change. Ashton is a beautiful area even with plenty to see and do. The skies were smokey from the western wild fires so I can only imagine how beautiful they would be on a clear day. Mesa Falls, Cave Falls, and West Yellowstone were stunning. The local restaurants (5 and Main, Big Juds, and Ashton Inn) each had their own personality. The local gas station/grocery store featured ice cream flavors from local creameries that were out of this world! I recommend Campfire Crunch and Mother Load. Of course the Huckleberry ice cream and shakes from 5 and Main were outstanding and refreshing. The course was organized and each water stop was well stocked! The post race food was top notch. They had everything you could possibly want. The only suggestion I have is to have a volunteer direct runners to the path from the road to the ATV trail that goes under the road through the pipe. It was a little confusing especially since the port-o-pots were well beyond that hair pin turn. I stayed at the Rankin Motel and that's where I will stay when I return. The lazy boy recliner was a nice touch. Cant remember the last time I kicked back and watched TV in one of those! (I am a mom of 4!)

Please refer to the comments from BH of Salt Lake City concerning the 2011 run; all those observations still hold true (except that we had very unusual cold and rain for the 2014 run). Having run several marathons of all sizes in multiple countries I can only say that the Mesa Falls Marathon is now my favorite (despite the cold rain and muddy sections). No one controls the weather, but what makes this one a stand-out is the Race Director and the volunteers TOP NOTCH!! There are local motels that make walking to the start, dinner, packet pick-up, finish all very convenient. There is an overwhelming sense of family and pride in this event. Do not miss it, if you are out west or doing 50.

As I was told, this was the first time the trail was wet, which made the first nine miles highly enjoyable - a soft cinder surface that I would love to train on. Dodging the occasional puddle was fun. I liked the cold rain, too, which cooled me off - started around mile 10 for me. Gosh, the Mesa Falls looked like Niagara Falls. What a sight! However the three miles on the old railway line, muddied from the rain, became challenging. So, in effect this was my first mud run. My white shoes turned brown but, after washing them in my post-race ice bath, they returned to white. After the hill, which really wasn't too bad, I loved the sight of the golden fields of wheat, which stretched for miles. A highly scenic marathon and great temps, which ranged from about 50 to 60. The t-shirt was an orange long sleeve tech without any ads on the back. I will wear it and wish other marathon directors would take notes. Really, do sponsors care if they're on the back? Stayed in the wonderful Eagle Peak Lodge, a short walk to the start and even shorter after the finish. Good job, Dave and crew!

Naturally, the prominent comment will be how beautiful the course was - very true. The town of Ashton is a very nice venue, too - make sure you eat dinner and lunch at the 5-11 Pizza and Soda Shop. It will be the one furnishing the huckleberry shakes - the pizza is great and the service is warm and friendly. I ate my pre-race dinner there and was not disappointed. The course starts on finely crushed gravel - a perfect running surface. It transitions to a highway (still, scenic and lightly traveled) and past Lower Mesa Falls. The Falls are beautiful and worth stopping for a few seconds (and returning later.) At the half marathon staging area, you transition to a 2-track trail that follows the river - absolutely beautiful. It did rain in 2014, making this trail a muddy river unto itself, however. From the trail, you exit to the highway again - mile 17 - and for three miles slog uphill. Then, rolling hills until mile 24, after which the course to the finish is flat. The last six miles are through farm country and while it may look uninteresting on a map, it was actually very beautiful in its own, different way. Stay at the Angler's Motel - perfect location. And again, eat at the 5-11 Pizza and Soda Shop - GREAT pizza. Two very small recommendations. Upgrade the medal - light wood, machine engraved, and feels cheap when handed to you. The bigger issue is not protecting the drop bags. The mesh potato sacks were fun; however, it rained (hard) and my only warm top was soaked. Great race, and great choice for Idaho.

I chose this marathon in part because of the comments I read on this website. I was not disappointed!! Excellent from start to finish - but especially the course itself. It was a fast race but still challenging with the different road-trail combinations and incline-decline. I will definitely run this race again!!

If you can get to Idaho, you need to do this marathon. Every part of the experience was great. At packet pickup, Dave (the RD) introduced himself, showed me previous race pictures and course diagrams, and gave me local sightseeing suggestions. The spaghetti dinner and pre-race breakfast were great. All of the people involved with this race were so nice and made everyone feel at home (even though I traveled 2000 miles). The course is challenging, even more than Hatfield-McCoy (according to my legs!). The first 9.3 miles are on a dirt/crushed rock road, the next 4mi are paved, and pass through Mesa Falls park. Then its about 3mi on a dusty old railroad trail by the Warm river (amazing, but watch your step, I saw people fall). The hills really start at miles 16-20, some quite steep. After mile 20, there are rolling hills through beautiful farm country back to Ashton. There is water, gatorade, and gels about every two miles along the course. At the finish, there were several laptops for live scoring, pizza, fruit, water. I stayed at the Rankin Motel which was across the road from the school (race headquarters) which made getting around easy. After the race, I headed up to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful. Again, this is a must do marathon.

I would echo everything Eric from Nebraska said (Go Cornhuskers) and add that the potato sack swag bag was epic. There weren't many fans on the course, but the ones there were great and the more desolate areas were peaceful and scenic.

First, I'd like to start with the negatives... - (there were none!) Now for the many positives... - the people were so friendly - the course was absolutely gorgeous - heated buses (w/ toilets) at the start - inexpensive/delicious pasta feed ($5 a person/$25 a family) - free breakfast for runners - Mesa Falls was breathtaking - 4-5 choices of fluids at aid station - the community was behind this marathon - GU and fruit at every aid station - plenty of food left at end of race - Mile 14 was all it was touted to be! - extraordinary Huckleberry Shakes - unique wooden finisher medals My favorite small town marathon, bar none!!! Kudos to the residents and race organizers of Ashton, Idaho! This Nebraskan was blown away.

I ran the marathon in 2012. The pasta dinner, pre race breakfast, the bus ride to the start, the race, the volunteers...everything was perfect. This was a great event in every way. There are not may spectators out on this scenic run, but the ones out were great (it is a remote area). This is a great event!

This was a great marathon. I have decided to just list the most pertinent features of this marathon because one person's negatives are another's positives . . . . -About 1/3 of this marathon is trail which I really enjoyed - Aide stations were plentiful throughout with water, gatorade, GU gel, powerbars, fruit and probably other cool stuff I didn't even see -Port a Potties were adequate but not plentiful, but they had one every 3-4 miles and four at the beginning (but not a large race) - Half marathoners start 2 hours after full marathoners, so all finish around the same time (could be plus or minus but I like running with the half marathoners) - Great $5 dinner night before - Great Free breakfast morning of - 30 minute or so bus ride to start (nice buses!) - Not a lot of schwag but not an expensive marathon - T-shirts were polos which I liked but my girlfriend wasn't fond of - Medal was small but nice and wooden which I liked (marathoners and halfers got the same one which I kind of like as well but I know others don't) - Pizza and fruit at the end (fruit was kind of running low at the end) - FREE Huckleberry shake at a local restaurant (IT WAS FANTASTIC! really hit the spot) - Started 10 minutes late (I could care less, but this might bother some people . . . organizer was trying to be nice and allow people to get out of the restroom) - Some significant hills around mile 17-22 which were a little tough that late in the race - Also the last 5 miles are pretty much out in the plains of Idaho with no shade and a very hot sun beating down on you (probably no other way to design this one b/c it is nice to end in Ashton, but just beware) - As a consolation multiple sprinklers to run through including the guy in his lawn-chair at mile 23 that really blasts you right in the face (literally) and back with water - Overall great organization and Dave Jacobsen the race director was honestly the best race director I have ever had the pleasure of working with . . . refunded money when I inadvertently ordered 2 extra shirts and then let us register late for pre-race dinner. Great race for the state of Idaho. Hometown feel, very friendly volunteers and fellow racers, small race feel (i.e. not super competitive but very fun!). Would recommend it to anyone. Only real negative for me was the last 5 miles (probably unavoidable and not a fault of course design)

A little late but I wanted to add my thanks for a wonderful race. Extremely well organized and supported. There were far more spectators than you could reasonably expect from this small town. The course was beautiful. I was especially pleased with the colors of the blue sky and yellow wheat fields after mile 19 or so. Got lucky with the weather; it was cool but not cold (except standing around pre-start). If you need a reason to go to this out-of-the-way spot: I combined the marathon with a trip to Yellowstone Park, which is about 100 miles away. P.S. There really was a bear; I drove the course the day before and saw it (a black bear) around mile 13 or so. Didn't see it while running.

Other positive comments mirror mine. Dave, the race director, does a great job and is a hands-on guy. He kept trying to get people out of the breakfast room and onto the buses. The start was supposed to be 6:30. It was a tougher course than indicated on the paper topo. The 9.5-mile gravel road chunks were large. I loved Mesa Falls and the rails to trails part by the river. The "hill" seemed long and was humbling. The rolly-polly hills after mile 21 were great on the legs. All volunteers were encouraging and course support abundant. Not many vehicles or spectators; my kind of race. Photographer wasn't around at the finish but I was a late arrival. The Huckleberry Shake at the Soda Fountain was sublime. The course was a challenge and definitely worth the effort. Ashton, Idaho is a hidden gem.

This was a delightful experience for me. I especially loved the trail run, which started past mile 13. The start on the gravel road was beautiful but a little rough on the feet. Also, the water stops were manned by wonderfully friendly people, but at the first, they seemed a bit over-whelmed. More volunteers are needed. An absolutely divine course for me. Running along Warm River with nothing but me and the squirrels and birds was spiritual. I was completely satisfied with the whole thing. You should try to run this one. Small but well done.

Plan to get up early because the buses leave at 5:15 a.m. for a 6:30 start. This year the temperature was cool, so it was a bit chilly on arrival at the starting line out in the middle of the Targhee National Forest. Oh, and a tip: instead of getting out of the bus to stand in line at the porta-potties, the buses have HEATED bathrooms in the back. The first 9.5 miles are through the national forest on gravel roads. No major obstacles - supposedly there are bears in the woods, so caution is urged if a woodsie is imminent - but do watch your feet, as there are some golf ball sized stones. Past that, you run on pavement for the next 3.5 miles, net downhill about 200 feet, then join up with the half marathoners on a dirt trail for a net downhill about 400 feet before the big hill. This part is fast if you can avoid running into a half marathoner. Generally they are very polite and move to the right if you let them know you'd like to pass. After leaving the dirt trail, you start the big hill. The elevation chart is deceptive - it looks like a nice, generally downhill run. But the hill at 17.5 goes a couple of miles and it's sneaky; it's about 300 feet over 2.5 miles and it lasts a long time. After you get to the top there are a couple of UPHILL rollers and you're thinking, hey, where's the downhill? But you already had the down hill so... Actually, from 20 on, you have 300 feet of net downhill to the finish, so you can make up some time. Funny, though, to me it seemed flatter with downhill rollers but not generally downhill. Guess that's just the giddiness after 20. And then you roll into town and through the balloons at the finish and, boy, is it the good life. Fresh pizza, chocolate milk, healthy stuff like bananas and chewy bars, PowerAde, everything a runner might desire (oops, no beer - local social considerations). The medal is made of wood with a salmon on one side and the Mesa Falls Marathon on the other - unique. Great event - well organized, and smallish, with 209 marathoners this year. Far away, but southern Idaho is lovely and the falls are spectacular. The only thing I didn't like was the polo shirt, but then I'm kind of fashion impaired, so what can I say....

I have run close to 50 marathons, large and small, all over the country and found the Mesa Falls to be one of the best organized, most scenic small races so far. Dave, the Race Director, did an outstanding job of taking care of the runners. Great value for the money too. The $55 race fee gets you a free breakfast, nice shirt, medal, water/Gatorade stops every 2ish miles, and a free huckleberry shake. Don't expect many spectators though. You're running in rural hills. Friendly volunteers were great. Nice views of the Lower Mesa Falls. Only suggestion is to consider starting a little later. Waking up at 3:30 a.m. to be at the school at 4:30 a.m. was difficult.

I was very impressed with the organization and the value received. For the price, you receive a nice goody bag, quality polo-type shirt, luxury tour-style bus transportation to the start line, and a good run. The meeting at the school on race day gave a warm, dry place to wait with plenty of food and drink. The buses actually wait at the start line so you can sit on them to keep warm in the early morning chill, which is a great benefit. Free massages at the end, plenty of food and drink, and very friendly spectators along the way. It was a little tiring running on the dirt road the first 10 miles, but a good mix of surfaces to run on. Nice to run by the half-marathon start and get that added encouragement. The run by the falls was spectacular. It's a very small town but they put on a great marathon. One suggestion would be to have the street festival the night of the race, not the night before. More people might stay around and spend more of their money.

This was my 5th marathon, and I must say, it has now raised the bar for top-quality races. I didn't know what to expect considering that the race town has a population of roughly 1,200 people (and no traffic lights on the main road). It was a great feeling, however, to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the beautiful countryside. The first 9 miles were very scenic, especially when out of nowhere, cattle came running across the path in front of me. This, along with watching a Bald Eagle floating gracefully overhead, made me appreciate nature more than ever. Starting at 6:30 a.m. is ideal, especially during the mid-summer months. The cool temperatures (45-50 degrees) at the start of the race made you enjoy every mile up until mile markers 23-26 when the temperatures got a little warmer. But by this point, you've entered a small village where people, extraordinary people I might add, had their lawn sprinklers pointing out into the road to enable the runners to cool down. And this helped a great deal. My hat's off to Race Director Dave from Dave's Jubilee Foods. It was much appreciated that my wife and I were able to stay with a local during the two nights we were in town. We enjoyed being shown around town and taking a ride on the course the evening before. This, along with the many "freebies" provided (dinner, breakfast, nice polo shirt, beautiful wood-carved race medal, etc.) were very much appreciated.

This year's race was on a day when the temperature reached 91F in Ashton, the hottest race they've ever had, but nothing could really detract from a really special race. It was my tenth marathon finish and just terrific from start to finish. For $55 I got the race, including transportation to the start, breakfast, food at the end (plus the wonderful huckleberry milkshake), a nice wooden medal, a polo shirt, and a great, friendly organization. For $5 more there was the pasta dinner. The course is varied and interesting. The first 9.5 miles on the dirt road are a bit dusty, and then it turns onto the blacktop for 4 miles or so, with a slight detour to see the falls. Then it goes onto a wonderful trail run down to the bottom of the course, and you can hear and see the Warm River as you run. The organizers had to chase bears off this stretch starting at the aptly named Bear Gulch. Then you start the climb, and it's steep. This three mile stretch is hard, but when you reach the top at 20, it's downhill to the finish. Living at sea level, I felt the altitude; but that may be just me. I dialed back my expectations and just had a great run. What spectators there were were enthusiastic, and in the last miles when it got hot they had sprinklers out and they even offered to spray you with water! Much appreciated. For a 231-finisher marathon, they gave five-year, three-deep age-group prizes. Very generous. I can't say enough good things about this race.

This is a great race, with a small-town atmosphere. The town turns out for a "fall festival," which is held at the race finish. Great scenery and an awesome view of the lower Mesa Falls, which is on the course route. There's one big incline from approximately mile 17 - 20, which was a challenge. Great volunteer support and aid stations. The only negative I found was the ho-hum expo/pasta dinner, where they ran out of pasta (but cooked more). Put this one on your have-to-do list.

This was my 6th marathon, and now my 2nd favorite after the Equinox in Fairbanks. The organization was flawless, and the people were SO friendly. There's plenty to choose from at all of the water stops. It was a hot day, so a big "thank you" to the little boy who sprayed me down around mile 22/23. It's not an easy course, as I thought it would be. The heat and the three-mile climb destroyed my time, but what the heck, it was worth it. Thanks to Rachel for driving me up for the early start. I ran the first 40 minutes in the dark, and I LOVED IT. It was scary, but exhilarating. A big thanks to the Ashton folks for the constant support throughout the run - the little boy hanging out of the van while ringing the bell, the two women in the pickup with the barking dogs in the back camper, and everyone else. And the finisher's medal is great; I loved the carved wood.

I was blown away by the quality of the organization, the friendliness of the staff and volunteers, and the scenery on the course. This is a small-town marathon with heart. Not many supporters on the course, unless you count the coyotes we heard yipping at daybreak, but the water stations were well run and everyone was very helpful. Just enough runners to have a little company without any crowding on the trail portion. I'll certainly do this again and I've only run one marathon twice out of 31 so far.

As several have already said, this marathon is well worth the travel. It was my 49th marathon. Great pasta dinner, they had breakfast/coffee/bathrooms at the school, and the post-race spread had it all. Great views of Lower Mesa Falls and Snake River. I decided to stay at Yellowstone B & B, about 10 miles outside of town towards Cave Falls, and I was rewarded with scenery, solitude, and hospitality from Doug and Jill, the proprietors. I played the golf course across the road the day before. I had rainbow trout and twice-baked potato at the famous Trails Inn in Ashton. There's not much better than that Huckleberry milkshake afterward.

This was my 30th state and marathon. One of the most organized marathons I have participated in. Transportation was flawless and the driver was friendly. The volunteers did a fantastic job running water stops, putting on a super race morning breakfast and the free huckleberry milkshake for the finishers at the downtown drugstore was just great. We stayed at the Ashton Inn which was more than accommodating, gave us a late check-out without any of the usual big city hassles and begging. It's the place to stay when running this race. The course isn't that easy. The only reason the spectator rating is low is that the course doesn't lend itself to crowds. The race is about the natural beauty of the course. It's mainly a trail run with views that can't be missed because you'll not see this kind of scenery anywhere else. The miles between 17-20 are a tough uphill climb but really who cares? Run this race. You won't be disappointed; the people who put this race on know how to do it. Huge "thank you's" to everybody in Ashton. What a great time we had.

This race just about has it all. Sure it's small. Yes, you're running on some pretty isolated dirt roads. And therein lies the appeal. Very well organized and supported. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is the finisher's medals: I'd fork over a bit more in registration fees for something a bit more substantial.

This is surely a small-town run. If you are one that needs the massive crowds like they have in Chicago to get to the finish line, I would look elsewhere. If the friendliness of a small town and good views do the trick for you, this is the race for you. Extremely well origanized. Don't let the size fool you. It is first-class. If you're from an area with lower elevation, beware of the altitude; and the dirt road, trails, and hill from 17-20 are very challenging. Overall, good race.

This marathon is small but will exceed all expectations. Though it appears easy due to the overall drop in elevation, the ascent on miles 17-20 provides ample challenge for the best runners. The organizers go beyond their duties to ensure a great marathon experience from the first-place finisher to the back-of-the-packers! The course was absolutely beautiful - the changes in running surface were an unexpected bonus. Our stay at the Log Cabin Motel was very restful and quiet. The weather was also an added plus (as I was coming south from 100-degree weather). Though we had to wake up at 5 a.m., it was a great way to start the race amongst pine trees and the sunrise. Very rarely would I run a marathon twice, but this is one worth running multiple times.

Hardly enough space available here to provide praise for all the people who volunteered to help on this race - from the race director, to the ladies who handed out packets, served dinner, and got up in the middle of the night to serve us breakfast. YOU'RE ALL THE BEST!!! First-class operation from start to finish. The course is exactly as described on the website. Pasta feed was plentiful and tasty. I'm recommending this to all marathon runners, whether 50-staters, or beginners. Be sure to pick up the huckleberry shake at the drug store after the race.

It really takes a village to pull off a marathon as well as this one was done. First, we received a several-page update a few days before the marathon. The director and the volunteers should be praised for all their hard work. The townspeople were very friendly and made us feel right at home. The Ashton Inn gave us a discount without us even asking. They also asked us if we wanted a late checkout time. There were also signs around town welcoming us. The course was scenic most of the way. It reminded me a lot of Green River in WY and Grizzly in MT. In MT, there were solid covers placed over the cattle bars. Being from VA, I think the dry air and the elevation somewhat affected the way I felt during the marathon. The pasta dinner was fair. The breakfast was excellent and included a variety delicious homemade jams. The golf shirt style was a welcome change. I will wear it with pride. The bus driver on a real bus was very friendly and very wide awake so early in the morning. There were only a couple of disappointments. The first one is that there was not a clock that we could see our times as we crossed the finish line. I did not hear my time. After asking several people, I gave up. Of the 46 marathons that I have run, this had never happened. Since we had to leave immediately after the marathon, I still do not know my time since the times have not been posted online at this time. I am really surprised at this since Green River had posted times earlier today. The volunteers were so good; however, at the end of the marathon when I could hardly walk another step, I had to search for water. The two large drums were nearly empty. In fact some runners were leaning them over to drain out the last few drops. Finally, someone handed me a gallon of water that I opened. It would have meant so much to have had a volunteer hand a bottle of cold water to me as I crossed the finish line. I would have appreciated that more than a medal. To summarize, I was basically very pleased. I know that the director and the volunteers worked really hard. Thanks for providing us with an awesome running experience!

This was my 28th marathon, and Idaho my 13th state in my quest to run the 50 states. This is a tremendously nice marathon. Organization is superb. Great polo for race shirt. Unique finishing medal. Town of Ashton turns out big to cheer the runners on. Met lots of other runners doing the 50 states. Course is simply beautiful. First ~7 miles on packed gravel through a forest. Then 6-7 downhill miles on the roads, including a short detour for a quick peek at Upper Mesa Falls. Then 2-3 level miles on a dirt trail through a park. Then ~3 tough uphill miles on the roads. Then 3-4 miles rolling hills (with more downhill than up). And the last 2-3 miles are flat as you finish in a park in Ashton. One small improvement would be to have a couple more water stops the last few miles. This race easily ranks in the top 5 of all the marathons I've done. Thanks again to race director Dave Jacobson, the race volunteers, and the town of Ashton.

I have run half marathons all over the U.S. This race is NUMBER ONE!!!! The organization is great. One aspect that was unique was the polo shirt.

The Mesa Falls Marathon in Ashton, Idaho is by far the best marathoning experience I could have hoped for. The scenery was breathtaking (especially the wolf that could be seen at mile 3), and the course proved challenging yet rewarding. The casual spaghetti dinner the night before was a great place to meet new friends that would later help cheer you to the finish. This marathon is worth the trip out to Idaho!