Elm Creek Backyard Ultra

Elm Creek Backyard Ultra

Elm Creek Backyard Ultra is a backyard-format race held in Maple Grove, Minnesota at Elm Creek Park Reserve. Runners complete a 4.167 mile loop each hour on a course that starts and finishes at the Bluebird Picnic area and follows the lake trail around Mud Lake. The course records about 296 feet of elevation gain and loss and alternates between clockwise and counterclockwise directions every few hours.

The event follows the Backyard Ultra format: each loop must be started on the hour and finished within that hour, and runners who are not present in the starting corral when the next loop begins cannot continue. No pacing or aid is allowed while runners are on course. Between loops, runners may receive support from a crew or provide their own aid at the start/finish area. Crews are permitted but gates may be locked overnight so crews may be unable to re-enter after leaving until dawn. A bell and a whistle sequence signal loop starts and warnings.

The race is a Bronze Ticket qualifier for Big's Backyard Team Championships in fall 2028. Organizers anticipate a capacity near 210 runners with a waitlist capacity of 75. Registration opens September 7, 2026 and closes when the race reaches capacity. Results record total distance for each participant; only the last runner to complete a loop alone is declared the event winner. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

Events nearby