Catalina Island Conservancy Trail Marathon 2026

You found this. Be the first one here.

Halfway through the course you pass through actual buffalo range — real bison, on an island you can only reach by boat — and that is roughly the moment you understand this is not a mainland trail marathon. The Catalina Island Conservancy Trail Marathon runs point-to-point across the interior of Catalina Island, from Two Harbors to Avalon, crossing mountains and canyons on trails otherwise open only to hikers.

The marathon covers roughly 26.2 miles of technical trail with significant elevation gain, passing through the island's interior bison range, the Catalina highlands, and descending to Avalon's harbor for the finish. The island's ecology, shaped by thousands of years of isolation from the mainland, makes the course unlike any mainland trail race. Registration fills quickly — it has a strong following among California trail runners who value the adventure of racing somewhere you can only get to by ferry. Ferry transportation is included in registration, and the race typically runs in November, when temperatures are optimal and the summer tourist crowds have thinned. Send it to the trail runner in your life who thinks they've done every SoCal race worth doing.

Catalina Express ferry service connects from Long Beach and San Pedro to Avalon and Two Harbors — the start is at Two Harbors, the finish in Avalon. Pre-race accommodation in Two Harbors (camping or the bunkhouse) or Avalon is arranged by participants. Check the Catalina Island Conservancy website for 2026 registration and course information.