Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon
- Date
- August 23, 2026
- Distance
- Half Marathon · 5k
From the Organizer
The Hellbender is back for 2026! This is a great course for both road or trail runners. Fast, flat, out and back along the scenic lakes and beautiful Weiser State Forest. Falcon Race Timing has teamed up with the RCVCA to help promote clean water in the state forest and surrounding Roaring Creek Watershed. Proceeds with help benefit RCVCA.
Registration – 7am
Half Marathon Start – 8:00am
5k Start – 8:30am
Packet Pickup: Race morning starting at 7am.
Race course will close at Noon.
Race shirts, finisher medals and a post-race meal is included in the entry fee for all participants.
Where:
Route 54 Parking Area (Located on PA RT 54 between Mount Carmel and Elysburg)
Weiser State Forest
Roaring Creek Tract
Bear Gap, PA 17824
The race can only be accessed on the Route 54 side of the park. The entrance is 3.5 miles west of the intersection of Route 54 and 61. 4.3 miles east of the intersection on Route 54 with Route 487. (Lat 40.8213, Long -76.4922).
The race gets its name from the species of aquatic salamander known as the hellbender, which are native to the hills and mountains of the eastern U.S., and can grow to as much as two feet long. Because they breathe through their skin, they require healthy, pristine, unpolluted streams and creeks to survive. Due to development and urbanization over recent decades, however, many of their habitats have become fouled and their numbers have drastically declined — they’re just one of the many species the race organizers hope to benefit over the long term with their efforts here.
Both the 5K and the half marathon races follow out-and-back courses that start and finish at the Route 54 parking area in Bear Gap, which lies between the two small towns of Elysburg and and Mount Carmel. From there, runners make their way along the roads that wind along the reservoir lakes inside this 9,000-acre park, one of 16 tracts that make up the Weiser State Forest in what is known as the ridge and valley region of eastern Pennsylvania.
The course for the half marathon is mostly fast and flat through the Roaring Creek Tract, and takes runners both along the shores of the lakes inside the park.
Distances & Pricing
Race Location
About This Sport
From Endurance Grid's Founder
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The half marathon is the distance where you find out what you're actually made of. Long enough to demand real preparation. Short enough that it doesn't consume your life to train for it. Most people who run their first half describe it as the race that changed their relationship with what they're capable of. Once you cross this finish line, the bar moves. That's not a warning — that's the point.
Race day energy varies by event size, but the finish line feeling is the same regardless. Big races keep the noise going the whole way. Smaller races give you stretches where it's just you and the miles — and that solitude becomes its own kind of fuel.
The half marathon rewards people who show up for the boring training miles.
How long to train: 10–14 weeks. If you're already running consistently, 10 weeks of structured buildup is enough. If you're building from a casual base, give yourself 14.
Running
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
More running races in PA
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon?
- Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon is a running event held in Bear Gap, PA. Learn more about the different endurance sports here.
- When and where is the Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon?
- Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Bear Gap, PA at Route 54 Parking Area - Weiser State Forest, Bear Gap, PA. Check the official event page for exact start times and wave schedules.
- How do I register for the Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon?
- Registration is handled through their official registration page. Confirm pricing, distances available, and sign up there.
Hellbender 5k & Half Marathon
Aug 23, 2026