Curated event
Big Sur International Marathon 2027: April 25 on Highway 1, from Big Sur to Carmel
The Big Sur International Marathon runs on Sunday, April 25, 2027 along Highway 1 from Big Sur to Carmel, on what the organisers call the nation's first nationally designated scenic highway. The road closes for the race, Carmel and Monterey fill with runners, and the coast's spring weekend becomes a logistics puzzle.
- Dates: April 25, 2027
- Venue: Highway 1, Big Sur to Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Organised by: Big Sur Marathon Foundation
- Admission: Registration required
- Checked: September 11, 2026
If you are running, base in Carmel or Monterey and follow the organiser's shuttle plan to the start; if you are driving the coast that weekend, know that Highway 1 south of Carmel closes for the morning. Book the room the day your entry is confirmed.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sunday, April 25, 2027 | Race day: Big Sur to Carmel on Highway 1 |
Dates and hours come from the organisers' announcements and can change. Check them once more before setting out.
Official tickets and registration · Entry is through the Big Sur Marathon Foundation's registration process; the course is closed to traffic during the race.
The event
The Big Sur International Marathon is a point-to-point road race along Highway 1 from Big Sur to Carmel, organised since 1986 by the non-profit Big Sur Marathon Foundation. The 2027 race is on Sunday, April 25.
The course climbs and drops along the cliffs, crosses Bixby Bridge and finishes near Carmel; it is run as much for the scenery as for the time, and the foundation runs shorter distances the same morning.
Logistics on a closed road
Highway 1 closes for the race from the early morning, which shapes everything: runners reach the start by the organiser's shuttles from Carmel and Monterey, and the rest of the coast waits for the road to reopen. Anyone driving the Big Sur coast that weekend should plan the drive for Saturday or the afternoon.
Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove rooms sell out for race weekend; the foundation publishes registration windows and the shuttle plan on its site.
Good to know
- Registration for 2027 opens through the foundation; check its FAQ for the process and the dates.
- Late April on the Big Sur coast can be cold, foggy and windy at the start and warm at the finish.
- Confirm road-closure hours on the organiser's site if the trip includes driving Highway 1 that weekend.
Where to stay for race weekend
Carmel and Monterey are the race bases; the road-trip guide explains how the coast works when Highway 1 closes. Live availability opens from the statewide base guide.
- A California Highway 1 road trip How to plan the coast around the closure.
- Northern vs Southern California coast The statewide choice of where to stay, with live stays for your dates.
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Sources and transparency: Big Sur International Marathon: official site (2027 date, course, foundation) (checked 2026-09-11) Not a paid listing. Editorial policy Full agenda