Big Sur International Marathon 2027 : Highway 1 km by km, race week and travel

Big Sur is a race against a road. Highway 1 is the only route along 90 miles of the central California coast, and the organiser’s permit makes it reopen at 1 PM, so the six-hour limit is fixed, with clock cut-offs at miles 15.2 and 21.2. Inside those six hours the course puts its one big climb in the middle: 137 m up to Hurricane Point between km 15.6 and km 19.0, the highest ground of the race, and then 131 m back down past Bixby Bridge. A runner who arrives at the foot of that climb with something left, and still has legs after the descent, has the hard part done.

The course runs north on Highway 1 from Big Sur Station to Rio Road in Carmel, one road from start to finish. Kilometres and heights below are measured on a line walked from the organiser’s course map, on the USGS 1 m elevation model smoothed over a kilometre; the mile points are the organiser’s, converted. The organiser’s own figures are larger (a start at 356 feet, a finish at 10 feet and 2,182 feet of climbing) because they count every short rise and fall along the cliffs. The organiser also warns of a “sometimes-fierce head wind”.

Km 0 to 6: out of the redwoods

The race starts at 6:45 AM at the Pfeiffer Multi-Use Facility at Big Sur Station, among the redwoods of the Big Sur valley. The first 6 km are the gentlest of the day: the road loses about 40 m on its way down the valley and reaches the sea by Andrew Molera State Park at about km 6. The first aid station is at mile 2.5, about km 4.0.

Km 6 to 15.6: ranches and the coast

From Andrew Molera the course runs along the ranch land above the ocean. It rolls rather than climbs, rising slowly from about 27 m at km 6.6 to 68 m at km 14.0, with Point Sur Light Station on its volcanic rock across the bay around mile 8, about km 12.9. Just past km 14 the road drops 38 m into the Little Sur valley and reaches the foot of the climb at km 15.6, at 24 m. Save something here: what comes next is the race.

Km 15.6 to 19.0: Hurricane Point

The climb is one sustained rise of 137 m in 3.4 km, about 4% on average, from 24 m to 161.6 m, the highest point of the course, near mile 12. The organiser puts Taiko drummers halfway up it. The first gel of the day, Precision Fuel PF 30, is at the mile 12.2 aid station, about km 19.6, just over the top.

Km 19.0 to 26.8: Bixby Bridge and the long descent

From Hurricane Point the road drops 131 m in 7.8 km. Bixby Creek Bridge, the 1932 concrete arch, is crossed at halfway, mile 13.1, about km 21, and the organiser calls it the centerpiece of the course: a tuxedo-wearing concert pianist plays a Yamaha piano on the road there. Rocky Creek Bridge, half a mile on, is the second of the arch bridges. The descent is not uninterrupted: the road climbs 14 m between km 22.2 and km 23.2 before falling again. The first cut-off is at mile 15.2, about km 24.5, at 10:30 AM. A runner who crosses the start line at 6:45 has 3 hours 45 minutes to get there, about 9:12 per km.

Km 26.8 to 35.6: the rolling coast

The last 15 km climb another 75 m in short rises. The road climbs to about 50 m by km 28.0, crosses Granite Canyon Bridge at about km 28.9, and passes Soberanes Point, high above the surf, around mile 19, about km 30.6, where the second gel is handed out. The second cut-off is at mile 21.2, about km 34.1, at 11:50 AM. Right after it comes the last climb that matters, 26 m between km 34.2 and km 35.6, up to Yankee Point, where the course leaves the open coast for the Carmel Highlands.

Km 35.6 to 42.2: Carmel Highlands to Rio Road

The rest falls almost 50 m to the finish. The Strawberry Station, with strawberries about three miles from the finish, is at mile 23.2, about km 37.3. The course passes Point Lobos and its cypress headlands at mile 24, about km 38.6, where the organiser puts belly dancers by the road, and the last aid station is at mile 24.5. The finish is on Highway 1 at Rio Road, in Carmel.

The expo and bib pick-up

The 2027 Health and Fitness Expo is at the Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey, on Friday 23 April from 12 to 6 PM and Saturday 24 April from 9:30 AM to 6 PM. Bibs and shirts are picked up there in person, with photo ID and the check-in pass, a QR code and bib number emailed to you several times before race weekend. Each runner collects their own: friends and family may not, and the organiser adds “No exceptions”. Official merchandise is sold only at the expo and at Marathon Village on race day.

The bus to the start

Every marathon runner rides the free race bus to the start unless staying in Big Sur. Highway 1 is closed to private vehicles early on race morning, and there is no parking or drop-off at any start. In March 2027 runners choose a pick-up location on the Monterey Peninsula in their haku account; those who do collect the bus ticket with their bib at the expo, and those who do not go to the Transportation Desk at the expo for whatever is left. Show your bib and bus ticket to board.

The buses run early because the road is slow. Loading starts at 3:30 AM, departures are staggered between 3:30 and 4:00 AM, and the last buses must leave by 4:30 AM: the organiser says a bus needs an hour to reach Big Sur safely on the narrow road in the dark, and another hour to come back. Water and hot drinks are available at most start areas. The 2027 participant guides, with the details of the start area, had not been published by late October 2026.

On the course

There are 11 aid stations, at miles 2.5, 4.8, 7.8, 10.4, 12.2, 14.7, 16.9, 19.0, 21.2, 23.0 and 24.5, with Precision Hydration PH 1000, water, bottle refills, portable toilets and first aid. Gels are at miles 12.2 and 19.0, and fruit at the later stations. There are large mile markers but no clocks or split callers, so carry a watch. The course is shared with the relay and the shorter races, and the organiser strongly discourages headphones; unofficial pacers are not allowed. The organiser gives the average race-morning temperature as 50 to 60 degrees F, but race days have brought gale-force winds, hail and thick fog.

The finish

Finishers get their medallion, water and, when needed, a heat sheet, then go through the food tent to the finish village, with live music, hot soup and a beer garden for over-21s. Families meet runners at the Runner Reunion area by the food tent. Return shuttles leave the finish village between 9:30 AM and 2 PM for the morning departure points, including Big Sur.