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Run Muskoka’s river route at peak fall colour
Race weekend in Bracebridge offers 5K, 10K, half, and marathon routes along the Muskoka River—an autumn highlight for runners and spectators alike.
Event details
Peak fall color meets personal-best conditions October 3-4, 2026, when the Muskoka Marathon Weekend brings four race distances to Santa’s Village, 1624 Golden Beach Road, Bracebridge, offering runners an Athletics Ontario-certified, Boston-qualifying course that traces the Muskoka River through tunnels of fiery maple and oak.
The Saturday-Sunday split, shorter races Saturday, longer distances Sunday, creates weekend structure that rewards both competitive runners chasing qualifying times and recreational participants enjoying autumn in cottage country.
Saturday October 3 starts with the 10K at 7:30 AM, double out-and-back covering 2.5 km each direction twice, followed by the 5K at 9:30 AM, single out-and-back.
Sunday October 4 brings the main events: Marathon at 7:30 AM, double out-and-back, meaning runners complete the half-marathon course twice, and Half Marathon at 8:00 AM, single out-and-back.
All races start and finish at Santa’s Village, with the course following Santa’s Village Road along the Muskoka River for approximately 5 km before turning right onto Wellington Street, 500 meters, and right again onto Beaumont Drive, continuing riverside for another 5 km to the turnaround point at Kirby’s Beach.
The relatively flat course features minimal elevation change, approximately 55 meters total for the marathon, 15 meters for the 5K/10K, making it genuinely fast, ideal for Boston qualifying attempts or first-time marathoners seeking manageable terrain. Hydration stations every 2.5 km provide water and sports drinks throughout.
Registration capped at 250 marathoners ensures manageable field size, runners shuttled from free parking to start line. Every participant receives GPS-enabled race bib, wooden finisher’s medallion, emailed time results, and Muskoka Marathon running shoe bag with surprise swag. The five-hour marathon cutoff, race ends 12:30 PM Sunday, keeps roads open on schedule while allowing recreational pace.
Race kits available for pickup Saturday October 4, 1-7 PM at Kerr Park, 130 Beaumont Drive.
The event benefits Campfire Circle, a privately-funded charity providing medically-supported camp programs for kids with cancer and serious illness, Campfire Circle Muskoka being Canada’s only overnight oncology camp capable of providing onsite IV chemotherapy and blood transfusions. Your registration fee directly supports these programs.
Post-race festivities at Santa’s Village include family fun, live DJ, energetic MC, and, for registered kids, a fun run at 9 AM where every child gets race bib and medallion plus entry into a draw for a 2027 Santa’s Village season pass.
October timing captures Muskoka’s fall color peak, maples blaze red, oaks glow gold, the river reflects autumn hues, and crisp morning temperatures, typically 5-10°C at start, warm to comfortable 15°C afternoons. Even non-runners appreciate October’s beauty: waterfalls flow strong after summer’s end, hiking trails crunch with fallen leaves, and patios serve hot drinks alongside hearty fall menus.
For post-race meals, The Old Station Restaurant, 88 Manitoba Street, established 1985, satisfies carb-depleted runners with generous portions of comfort food in historic surroundings. Bracebridge Barrelhouse, opened 2020, offers 16 taps of Lake of Bays Brewing craft beer plus barrel-aged specialties and locally-sourced menu items, the perfect celebration spot.
Accommodation partner Whispering Pines Campground provides runner-friendly lodging, while Inn at the Falls, 1870s estate in downtown Bracebridge, and vacation rentals on Lake Muskoka through Lake.com put you minutes from both start line and Bracebridge’s waterfalls and downtown.
The course beauty rivals any Canadian marathon, you’re running beside the Muskoka River through established neighborhoods where century-old cottages peek through the trees, with October’s color creating a natural tunnel overhead. Whether chasing Boston, running your first marathon, or simply using the race as excuse to visit Muskoka in fall, the combination of fast course, manageable field size, fall scenery, and charitable cause creates compelling reasons to register.
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