Boston Marathon 2025 course map and what to know about the route from Hopkinton to the finish line
The 2025 Boston Marathon is expected to be a great day for runners and spectators based on the weather forecast.
The weather changes every year, but the challenging 26.2 mile course does not.
Boston Marathon 2025 route map
Here's a map of the route through eight communities from Hopkinton to Boylston Street in Boston.
For information on the elevation along the Boston Marathon course, visit the Boston Athletic Association website.
Where are the best places to cheer on Boston Marathon runners?
Nearly 32,000 people are expected to run this year's Boston Marathon, which also draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to cheer for them. So where's the best place to watch the race?
Some of the prime locations for spectators are the "scream tunnel" at Wellesley College, the South Framingham train station on Waverly Street, Cleveland Circle, and Kenmore Square.
Runners could also use your support on Heartbreak Hill, which you'll read more about later.
If you're looking to see the end of the race, you'll want to plan in advance. The crowds on Boylston Street near the finish line are regularly the biggest along the Boston Marathon course, so you will want to use public transportation and get there early if you're headed that way.
What mile is Heartbreak Hill?
At mile 20, runners reach a defining moment on the course, known as "Heartbreak Hill" in Newton between miles 20 and 21.
The half-mile stretch is uphill and it can make some athletes question why they signed up for the Boston Marathon. But if runners shorten their strides, keep focused on what's immediately in front of them, and listen to the support from the crowds, they'll be able to make it.
Where to expect Boston Marathon road closures
There will be a host of parking restrictions and road closures along the Boston Marathon route, and not just in the city.
In addition to Boston, traffic and parking will be an issue in Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, and Brookline.
For a complete list of parking restrictions and road closures, click here or visit the City of Boston website.
Is the Boston Marathon route the same every year?
The Boston Marathon course is the same each year, starting in Hopkinton and ending with what one writer called "the sweetest left turn in the world."
Runners will spend the early portion of the course on Route 135 through Ashland, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley. That's where Route 135 meets up with Route 16.
The course then heads through Newton Lower Falls, down Commonwealth Ave., through Cleveland Circle, onto Beacon Street, and through Kenmore Square. Runners go under Mass. Ave before turning onto Hereford Street and then making the left turn onto Boylston Street to the finish line.
You can can follow CBS News Boston and WBZ-TV throughout Marathon Monday for complete coverage.
