Oak Leaf Trail 36 Hour
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Oak Leaf Trail 36 Hour
The Oak Leaf Trail 36 Hour is a self-supported, no-fee endurance event held in the Sheyenne National Grassland near McLeod, North Dakota. The format is informal ("fat ass"): runners carry their own food and fluids and are responsible for all supplies during the event.
The course is a marked 4-mile loop known as the Oak Leaf Trail. Trail markers include wooden posts along the three-foot-wide graveled singletrack and blue painted blazes where the trail overlaps the North Country National Scenic Trail. The route passes through rolling sandhills, oak savanna, and tallgrass prairie, with sections of loose sand and occasional cattle tracks. Gaiters are recommended. Start and finish of each lap are at the East Trailhead Day-use parking lot just off County Road 23. GPS coordinates are 46.523118, -97.203148.
The event runs for a 36-hour period on the stated weekend. Field size is limited to 10 entrants. Runners must be at least 18 years old and sign a waiver during registration. Entrants must register by the published deadline. When temporarily leaving the course, runners must reenter at the same spot and continue in the same direction. Participants should track their own distance with a common tracking app. Parking is on gravel at the East Trailhead lot; overnight sleeping in vehicles is not permitted, though short breaks between laps are allowed. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
