Glacier Hills Ultra Trail Races
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Glacier Hills Ultra Trail Races
Glacier Hills Ultra Trail Races take place at Newton Hills State Park near Canton, South Dakota, and offer trail distances of 20K, 30K, and 50K on a 10K loop course. The loop includes about a half mile of gravel driveway through the horse campground, 3.5 miles of horse and shared-use trails, and 2 miles of foot-traffic-only trails. The trail surface is entirely dirt and gravel with occasional rocks, tree roots, and horse droppings often covered by leaves.
Each 10K loop contains roughly 1,000 feet of climbing, concentrated in three larger climbs plus several smaller rises, with runnable sections between. Runners return to the start/finish after every loop where a fully stocked aid station and a designated drop bag area are located. Participants may also use a parked vehicle in the horse campground parking lot as a personal aid location when passing by each loop.
The event operates on shared park trails, so there is a race cutoff and course markers must be removed when horse use resumes in the afternoon. Park entry requires a state park pass; rangers may be present. Facilities include vault toilets at the start/finish/aid station and additional double vault toilets in the horse camp. There is no reliable cell service in the park and no live race tracking. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
