2025 Grand Island Trail Run Event Schedule

Event	Day & Date	Location	Start Time	Registration
50K	Saturday, 7/26/2025	Williams Landing, Grand Island	6:00 a.m.
Marathon	Saturday, 7/26/2025	Williams Landing, Grand Island	6:00 a.m. early start 7:00 a.m. regular start
Half Marathon	Saturday, 7/26/2025	Williams Landing, Grand Island	8:00 a.m.

Registration

Opens November 23, 2024
Deadline: July 25, 2025 at 9:00 p.m.  *Register by July 4 to guarantee a t-shirt.
Total Participant Limits: 500 (50K, marathon & half marathon combined). 

Runner Check In

Where: Holiday Inn Express Lakeview, E8890 M-28, Munising, MI 49862
When: Friday, July 25 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. If you are not able to make it to packet pick up (and have signed your waiver) someone else may pick up your packet for you.   

Information Downloads

Gear Checklist

Bus Schedule   

Travel & Lodging

Nearest Airport: Marquette, MI (also know as KI Sawyer International) one hour drive time
Host Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Lakeview, Munising, MI (overlooking Grand Island).
Reservations recommended: 906.387.4800
Chamber of Commerce: 906.387.2138
Chamber of Commerce Website: www.algercounty.org
The drive from Detroit metro to Munising is at least seven (7) hours.

Events

50K & Marathon

The course follows the perimeter trail of the island counterclockwise up past Murray Bay and Duck Lake.  At mile three, the course heads eastward into the Tombolo, up into the island's thumb and then back along Trout Bay where runners can enjoy one of the most spectacular stretches of shoreline anywhere in the Great Lakes. Runners then ascend up the eastern cliffs with views of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The northern half of the island features 300 ft colored Jacobsville sandstone cliffs and exquisitely beautiful North Beach.   The return trail on the island’s western shore features remarkable vistas of Lake Superior. The 50K heads inland at mile 22 up to Echo Lake and up to the island’s summit. This five mile section features relatively fast dirt forest roads. Runners in the 50K return to the Western Coastal Trail at mile 27. Much of the trail is shaded by lush hardwood forests.  Trail includes single track, two track, and narrow dirt roads. The course is well marked with colored flags, directional arrows, and mile markers.

Marathon runners who expect to finish in over 6 hours may start (with the 50K Runners) at 6:00 a.m.   If you are a marathon early starter you won't be eligible for age group awards. 

50K Start: 6:00AM (Eastern Time Zone) Saturday, July 26, 2025, Williams Landing.  50K MAP  

Marathon Start: 7:00AM (Eastern Time Zone) Saturday, July 26, 2025, Williams Landing.   Marathon MAP

Half Marathon

The half marathon course is a scenic loop that takes runners northeast up along the western shore of Murray Bay. Runners will enjoy the morning sunlight sparkling on the smooth waters of this protected bay. The course heads into a dense tunnel of Hemlocks and past Duck Lake and before turning eastward into the tombolo at 3 miles. The next mile is a flat two track trail bordered by Reindeer moss and Jack Pine forest. At four miles runners gather aid and then head out onto the beach and the grand landscape of Trout Bay, looking Northward to Canada. The bay is bookended by 100-200 ft sandstone cliffs, geologically older than the more well known Pictured Rocks to the east. After a mile on the beach runners then ascend a challenging single track trail that transitions to heavily forested highlands of the island's interior. Runners reach the highest point of the course at 6.3 miles. The next 2 miles is the fastest of the entire route, with a gently sloping downhill on dirt forest road until runners reach the south end of Echo Lake. At this point they head toward the western coastal trail and rejoin the marathon course (22 mile mark of the marathon). The remainder of the course follows the west coast of the island, with spectacular views of the aquamarine waves of Lake Superior crashing below. When runners reach Merchandise Beach, they head eastward through hardwood and white pine forest to William’s Landing and the finish. Many runners continue running right past the finish line another 50 meters to take a refreshing plunge into Lake Superior.

Half Marathon Start: 8:00 a.m. Saturday, July 26, 2025, Willams Landing.   MAP  Course Profile

Aid Stations

The 50K will have five aid stations at 4, 7, 11, 16, 22 and 27 miles.  The Marathon will share all of the 50K aid stations except mile 27.  The half marathon will have two aid stations at 4 and 9 miles.  All runners are required to carry a 20 oz water bottle or other functional hydration system which they can refill at each aid station.  Aid station volunteers will have large pitchers with cold water and cold Gnarly Fuel2O energy drink with electrolytes and will quickly refill your bottle or hydration system. Hammer Gels and Hammer Nutrition Fizz will also be available at each aid station.

Time Limits

The time limit for the 50K is 8.5 hours and Marathon 7 hours.   Aid stations will close at times listed in the table below.  Runners who decide to drop out of the race are advised to drop out at an aid station where transportation back to the finish line will be available.  A sweep will follow the last runner thus closing the course.

50K & Marathon Aid Station Closing Times

There is a four hour time limit for the half marathon. Please note the aid station closing times below.

Half Marathon Aid Station Closing Times

Race Fees

Race fees include:

1. Roundtrip bus transportation.
2. Roundtrip ferry boat transportation.
3. Custom race shirt by deadline. 
4. Finisher Medallion
5. Post race refreshments.

2024 Grand Island Trail Run Fee Schedule

Refund & Transfer Policy

Refunds:  There are no refunds.  However,  Active.com offers entry fee insurance.

Participant transfers: You may transfer your entry to another person for a $10 transfer fee.  You can manage your transfer using your Active.com account. 

Distance changes: You can change your race distances by using your Active.com account.  However, there are no refunds for entry fee differences between events.

Transportation to the Island

Runners will be transported to the ferry boat dock from their hotel or campground via shuttle bus. The shuttle bus schedule is available online.

Runners not staying in Munising may pick up the shuttle bus at either the Eden Evangelical Lutheran Church (1150 M-28, Munising, MI 49862) or the Holiday Inn Express (E8890 M-28, Munising, MI 49862; park in the West Lot extension).  Parking at the ferry dock is limited to Island residents and employees/volunteers. 

Your race number is your round trip shuttle bus pass and ferry boat pass.  The first ferry boat will leave at 5:10am with 50K, early start marathon runners and volunteers.  The ferry boat will carry runners and spectators to Grand Island from 5:10am until 9am.  The ferry takes about 10 minutes to reach the island.  The ferry boat will start taking runners and spectators back from the Island to the mainland at approximately 11:00 am until approximately 2pm.   

Please see bus schedule for run times. 

The cost for extra ferry boat tickets is $30 for adults, children ages 5-12 is $20.  Each are round trip and include round trip shuttle bus ride.  Tickets are available for purchase on-line or at runner check in.  Pre-purchased extra ferry boat ticket(s) will be at packet pick up. 

Age Groups

Awards

Gear Storage on the Island

There will be a large tent near the start/finish area to store your gear.  Be sure to check this area for your belongings before you board the ferry boat back to the mainland.  If you do leave something on the island, it will be brought back to the ferry boat store on the mainland.  

Dogs

Dogs are welcome on Grand Island.  They are allowed on the shuttle bus, ferry boat and the start/finish area, but not on the race course.  Please pick up animal waste.