Cross country runner treks through Fremont County on 5,500-mile journey
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ISLAND PARK — Drivers traveling between Island Park and St. Anthony this week may have done a double-take. Battling wind, rain and snow, a lone runner pushing a three-wheeled cart with an American flag has been making his way along U.S. Highway 20.
That runner is 41-year-old Noah Coughlan, an ultrarunner, marathoner and filmmaker from Vacaville, California. Coughlan is currently passing through East Idaho as part of his “Run for America — A Tribute to the American People,” a 5,500-mile journey across the country in honor of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
Coughlan has spent more than a decade combining endurance running with advocacy. His mission began in the late 2000s while supporting two childhood friends diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare and fatal neurological disorder.
Since 2011, he has completed multiple cross country runs on different routes, raising awareness for rare diseases and connecting with families along the way. In recent years, his efforts have also focused on honoring military veterans by meeting and documenting their stories during his runs.
His current trek, which began in October 2025, is his fifth and final transcontinental run. It spans 20 states and aims to highlight the stories of everyday Americans while continuing his outreach to rare disease communities and veterans.
Coughlan plans to finish the journey on July 4 in Hawaii, coinciding with the country’s semiquincentennial. If successful, he will become just the third person known to have crossed all 50 states on foot.
Greg Barker of St. Anthony was among those who crossed paths with Coughlan during his time in Island Park and briefly joined him on foot. He described the encounter as inspiring, noting the physical and mental endurance required to take on such a challenge.
Barker said Coughlan told him his stretch in Fremont County was memorable. While navigating Island Park, he climbed to elevations near 6,000 feet. On day 189 of what is expected to be a 260-day run, Coughlan is gradually descending in elevation as he heads toward St. Anthony, planning to cover roughly 30 miles in a day.
“He reported to me that he’d accomplished his 4,000th mile with 1,500 more to go. This is a very uplifting story amongst all the bad news in the world,” Barker said.
Coughlan’s route is expected to take him through St. Anthony, Rexburg and eventually west toward Craters of the Moon on his way to Boise — likely drawing curiosity from passing motorists and locals as he presses on toward the Pacific and, ultimately, Hawaii.
EastIdahoNews.com has reached out to Coughlan for comment and will update this story if he responds.
For more information about his journey, visit runforusa.com or follow his progress on Facebook.