Cape Fear River Run 2026

The Cape Fear River Run starts and finishes at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The series utilizes the Cape Fear River Trail, a paved greenway alongside the Cape Fear River, and includes a 10K, a half marathon, and the River Rage Double for participants who wish to compete in both distances. The half marathon is Fayetteville's sole half marathon on this trail, while the 10K is open to runners aged 10 and up, and the half marathon to ages 12 and up. The 10K route incorporates a section of the Linear Park Trail before connecting with the Cape Fear River Trail, passes beneath one trail trestle, and features an aid station at the turnaround point. The half marathon course measures slightly over 13.25 miles, with two covered trestles, a waterfall, aid at Clark Park, and an additional aid station at its turnaround. Participants completing the Double receive a bonus challenge medal. The river adjacent to the trail is a 191-mile blackwater river, formed by the confluence of the Haw and Deep rivers, and its basin is the largest in North Carolina.