Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon or Acadia Half Marathon & 10K — which comes out ahead?

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon has the stronger available profile on flat grade share, course flatness and conditions.

Route comparison snapshot

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
1.5% Favoured
flat grade share
56.6% Favoured
lower ascent
253 m
climbing density
12.0 m/km
net elevation
4 m
maximum grade
14.3%

Acadia Half Marathon & 10K

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
2.2%
flat grade share
46.0%
lower ascent
321 m
climbing density
15.2 m/km
net elevation
-5 m
maximum grade
23.6%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricMount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half MarathonAcadia Half Marathon & 10K
Flat grade share56.6%46.0%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)1.5%2.2%
Uphill share20.3%26.2%
Steep-up share3.6%5.9%
Downhill share23.1%27.8%
Total ascent (m)253 m321 m
Climbing density (m/km)12.0 m/km15.2 m/km
Longest climb length (m)2,000 m330 m
Longest climb gain (m)27 m32 m
Longest climb average grade1.4%9.7%
Total descent (m)250 m325 m
Net elevation (m)4 m-5 m
Max absolute grade14.3%23.6%
Start elevation (m)11 m15 m
Finish elevation (m)14 m10 m
Scenic score100/100100/100
Conditions79/10076/100

Only metrics available for at least one side are shown. A ✓ marks the better value for each metric (higher-is-better aware). Scores are out of 100 when available. Ascent, climbing density, max absolute grade and median finish describe course or field context and are not marked as better or worse.

Race facts that change the decision

Race facts comparison
FactMount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half MarathonAcadia Half Marathon & 10K
Schedule

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-18 (legacy event-level date).

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-07 (legacy event-level date).

LocationBar Harbor, MaineBar Harbor, Maine
Actual distance21.1 km21.1 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typePoint To PointPoint To Point
Elevation characterHillyHilly
TerrainRoadRoad
SceneryCoastal, Mountain, Parkland, Desert, Island, Waterfront, Forest, LakesideParkland, Coastal, Mountain, Waterfront, Desert, Island, Forest, Lakeside
AtmosphereScenic Tour, Destination, CommunityDestination, Scenic Tour, Community
TechnicalityUnavailableNon Technical
Total ascent253 m321 m
Climbing density12.0 m/km15.2 m/km
Total descent250 m325 m
Net elevation4 m-5 m
Max absolute grade14.3%23.6%
Flat grade share56.6%46.0%
GAP factor1.5%2.2%
Cutoff4:00:003:30:00
Field capUnavailable400
Entry modelOpenOpen

Schedule

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-18 (legacy event-level date).

Acadia Half Marathon & 10K

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-07 (legacy event-level date).

Location

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Bar Harbor, Maine
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Bar Harbor, Maine

Actual distance

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
21.1 km
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
21.1 km

raceindex.org mapped route held

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Held
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Held
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Held

Course type

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Point To Point
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Point To Point

Elevation character

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Hilly
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Hilly

Terrain

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Road
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Road

Scenery

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Coastal, Mountain, Parkland, Desert, Island, Waterfront, Forest, Lakeside
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Parkland, Coastal, Mountain, Waterfront, Desert, Island, Forest, Lakeside

Atmosphere

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Scenic Tour, Destination, Community
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Destination, Scenic Tour, Community

Technicality

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Unavailable
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Non Technical

Total ascent

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
253 m
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
321 m

Climbing density

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
12.0 m/km
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
15.2 m/km

Total descent

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
250 m
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
325 m

Net elevation

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
4 m
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
-5 m

Max absolute grade

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
14.3%
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
23.6%

Flat grade share

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
56.6%
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
46.0%

GAP factor

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
1.5%
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
2.2%

Cutoff

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
4:00:00
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
3:30:00

Field cap

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Unavailable
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
400

Entry model

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon
Open
Acadia Half Marathon & 10K
Open

Facts are shown only when they exist in the sourced race record; Not held means no sourced value is held for that race.

Common questions

Which is flatter, Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon or Acadia Half Marathon & 10K?

Mount Desert Island Marathon, Half & Relay Half Marathon has the lower GAP factor, making it the flatter course on our route model and more favourable on gradient alone.

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How figures are calculated →