After opting to hold a virtual race in 2020, the bridge will once again be fully open to runners and fully closed to vehicles on Oct. 10, 2021, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Runners and walkers trekking from Washington to Oregon can once again cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

The race course offers participants scenic views of the mouth of the river and marine activity below. Competitive racers will be allowed to start ahead of the walkers and those wishing to take in the scenery. After crossing the finish line, participants can head into the historic town of Astoria to fuel up with coastal fare and local craft brews as the morning fog starts to lift.

The cost of registration for the in-person event is $45 per person, which includes: a race bib with chip timing, free parking with shuttle bus service to the start of the race, finish line bites and water and five "Clam Bucks" worth $1 each at participating businesses. Registrants must be in line for the shuttle to the starting line no later than 7:30 a.m. on race day. Optional merchandise for participants includes this year’s long-sleeve event t-shirt featuring original artwork by local artist Don Nisbett.

At this time, we will limit registration to 2,000 participants, but hope to be able to increase up to our maximum capacity of 3,500, as health advice allows. There is no waitlist, so make sure to register as early as possible.

This year, we will also offer a virtual option for those looking to participate from a distance. Participants can run the 10k on their own course, on their own time, at their own pace, and submit their times to our Results Portal between October 10-17. Virtual registration will include a race bib, an official event t-shirt, and free shipping of race materials, all for $35.

The Great Columbia Crossing is made possible due to the generosity of the event's Presenting Sponsor, Columbia Memorial Hospital Cardiology Clinic, a CMH/OHSU Col­laboration. Columbia Memorial Hospital, in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University, provides comprehensive care for a range of heart health and heart disease prevention needs here in our community.

During the event, the Astoria-Megler Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic to add safety for participants, volunteers and others helping on the bridge. The closure will occur for approximately 2.5 hours during the event, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Non-event travelers are encouraged to take a little more time that morning before checking out of their hotels, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, shopping and exploring before hitting the road to avoid the delay and congestion around the bridge.

More information is available by calling the Chamber at (503) 325-6311 or at greatcolumbiacrossing.com.

Image is representative and does not necessarily show the final artwork version or selected shirt color.

*Any left-over t-shirts will be made available to the public for purchase in the Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center after race day.

For event-related questions, please click on the *Contact the Organizers* button on the left-hand side of this page.