Race art by Kaitlin Brito
Sunday, September 27, 2026
The Palisades Half Marathon and Trail Run are back for 2026! Both races will take place on Sunday, September 27th. Registration for both the Palisades Half Marathon and 6K Trail Run are now open.
Both races start and finish at Fort Lee Historic Park. The newly updated USATF certified Half Marathon course includes 13.1 paved miles with stunning views and over 1430 ft of elevation gain along the Palisades ridge. The 6K Trail Run course descends to the Shore Trail along the Hudson River, and climbs up the cliffs through tunnels and rugged crags, before connecting to the Long Path.
Registering for either race includes a free t-shirt and finish medal. All proceeds benefit the Palisades Parks Conservancy and the network of 29 state parks and historic sites that we serve, from the GW Bridge to the Catskill Mountains.
The Palisades Parks Half Marathon is part of the USATF Grand Prix and the points awards are 500/700 Wildcard Points. The 6K Trail Run is not part of the Grand Prix.
BIB PICKUP
Advanced Pickup Options:
Tuesday, September 22 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM @Fort Lee Historic Park
Packets Include:
Bib and US grown cotton t-shirt
Energy gel and gummies
Printed course maps, and your bib number will be entered in a raffle to win a free Nuataaq water bottle
Thursday, September 24 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM @Fleet Feet Columbus Circle
Packets Include:Bib and US grown cotton t-shirt
Energy gel and gummies
Printed course maps, your bib number will be entered in a raffle to win a free Nuataaq water bottle
A discount at Fleet Feet when you pick up your bib and shirt
NOTE: IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND YOURSELF, SOMEONE ELSE CAN PICK UP ON YOUR BEHALF BY PRESENTING YOUR FORWARDED RACE REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION EMAIL. ALL ADVANCED PICKUP PERKS ARE STILL INCLUDED!
Day-of Bib & T-shirt Pickup
Sunday, September 27 from 6:45 AM at the Start Festival @Fort Lee Historic Park
Half Marathon participants must be in line by 7:30 AM
Trail Run participants must be in line by 8:00 AM
If you get in line after the times indicated above, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to receive your bib and participate in the races on time
We strongly encourage participants to arrive on the earlier side to avoid long lines!
Please note that if you pick up your bib the morning of the race, YOU WILL NOT receive your shirt until after the race.
If you are already registered for the race, you should have received an email with a form to indicate which pickup you will be attending. Please reach out to race@palisadesparks.org if you did not receive an email.
Parking
Please note that there is no parking for runners inside Fort Lee Historic Park. The following parking options are available:
Hudson Lights Parking Garage: 15 minute walk from the Start/Finish Area. Limited to 350 spots
Fort Lee Parking Authority at 231 Main St: 20 minute walk to the Start/Finish Line.
All parking is first-come-first-serve and metered. Parking fees will run between 10 and 20 dollars for the race, depending on total hours parked. If you are concerned about parking, we highly recommend carpooling, taking the shuttle, or a rideshare.
Shuttle Bus
A shuttle service will run between Manhattan and the start/finish area in Fort Lee, NJ. Morning shuttles will pick up at Fort Washington Avenue between W 175 St & W176 St and drop off at Central Ave & Bigler St in Fort Lee NJ, a 10 minute walk to the start line. every 15 minutes starting at 6:30AM. Shuttles returning to Manhattan will run in reverse between the same two locations every half hour beginning at 11AM.
All shuttles are first come first serve. Runners are advised to leave extra time in case their intended shuttle is full and they must wait to board the next bus.
Bus Schedule: Click here to view a PDF of the bus schedule and drop off/pick up locations
Runners can book shuttle seats through their runsignup profile portal. Spectators who wish to take the shuttle must have their seats reserved by a registered runner through their runsignup profile. Follow the below steps to purchase a shuttle seat add on:
Instructional video here
Sign In to RunSignUp
Go to your Profile
View your events under Upcoming Events
Click Manage Registration next to the registration that you are editing.
Click Add-On menu item located on the top OR left of Race page
Edit the quantity of the Add-On that you would like
Click Continue
Arriving by bike
Bike Valet will be available at the check-in tent in the Start area inside Fort Lee Historic Park.
Arrival & Check-In
Upon arrival at Fort Lee Historic Park, water and restrooms will be available. Report to the registration tent for check-in, race-day bib pickup, bag check, and bike valet.
HALF ARRIVAL TIME
The Half Marathon race begins at 9:00 AM. Half Marathon runners should arrive between 6:45 AM and 8:00 AM.
If you are picking up your bib morning-of, we strongly encourage arriving by 6:45 AM and no later than 7:30 AM.
6K ARRIVAL TIME
The 6K Mixed Terrain Trail Run will begin at 9:30. We encourage 6K runners to arrive between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM.
If you are picking up your bib morning-of, we strongly encourage arriving by 7:30 AM and no later than 8:00 AM.
Spectators
Friends and family that wish to attend the race as spectators can gather at Fort Lee Historic Park where the Finish Festival will take place. Spectators are encouraged to park in any of the available street parking and garages surrounding the park. A selection of food will be available for purchase by spectators and picnics are encouraged!
Prizes
HALF MARATHON
Top three overall finishers; Men & Women: A new pair of select running sneakers courtesy of Fleet Feet
1st place Finisher in each age category; All genders: Nuataaq Water bottle
Top three in each age category; All genders: One year free subscription to AllTrails Plus, courtesy of AllTrails
6K TRAIL RUN
Top three overall finishers; Men & Women: Shoes courtesy of Hoka
Top three in each age category; All genders:One year free subscription to AllTrails Plus, courtesy of AllTrails
Sign up to Volunteer
We are actively recruiting volunteers for race day. Our volunteer crews help the race run smoothly by supporting check-in, running water stations, and providing guidance along the course. If you can commit to volunteering on race day, please fill out this volunteer form.
Reach out to race@palisadesparks.org with any questions.
Course Advisories
6K TRAIL RUN
The 6K trail run is a newly piloted race route with a moderately technical and highly mixed-terrain course. Runners will encounter steep and uneven stone steps, rocky switchbacks, stretches of pavement, grass, gravel, and pathways alongside steep cliff drop-offs. Certain sections will require slowing down to a walk or hike and, at times, moving in single file for safety. These areas will be clearly marked with signage, and volunteers will be present to direct runners along the way.
HALF MARATHON
In summer of 2024, a severe rainstorm in the Palisades Interstate Park caused road damage along the Palisades Half Marathon route. While the area has continuously improved through the intervening years, there are still some remaining sections of uneven and patchy pavement with exposed bricks, bumps, and depressions. The road conditions last for .5 miles between mile marker 3 and 4, and .5 miles between mile markers 9and 10. This area will be marked by cones and caution tape to avoid the worst damage.
Sponsors
Prize Sponsors
Event Partners
Cancelation, Refund & Transfer Policy
All registration fees for this race are put directly toward the Palisades Parks Conservancy nonprofit's work of protecting, preserving, and enhancing the Palisades Parks. At this time, we cannot offer refunds or deferrals. We understand that injuries, emergencies, and obligations can come up. If you cannot attend the race, you may reach out to race@palisadesparks.org to transfer your registration to another person who can run in your place.The event will go on rain or shine, in the event of extreme inclement weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances, the race will be canceled and all registration fees will be converted to donations to support the Palisades Parks preservation work. We appreciate your understanding and your contributions to our small organization!
Please get in touch if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities.
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