Babbitts Backyard Ultra 2026

At Babbitt's Backyard Ultra, runners begin at SP Crater near Flagstaff, Arizona, at 6:00 a.m. when the bell sounds. This is a backyard ultra format: each hour, participants still competing must finish a 4.167-mile loop and return to the start before the next hour commences. The event typically occurs in late September and continues until only one runner remains. The loop consists of dirt trail and road sections around SP Crater, featuring approximately 150 feet of elevation gain per circuit and varied terrain including rocks, roots, and ruts. This climb, modest for a single lap, accumulates to thousands of feet after 50 miles. Whistles signal the countdown for each new loop, and all remaining runners share the lead at the start of every hour. Fields have recently been small, usually in the low dozens, but the leaders can go exceptionally far, with top performances reaching 229.185 miles for men and 158.346 miles for women. A local account mentioned Chris Thornley ringing the bell as 30 runners began the initial loop, with local and visiting trail runners competing to endure hour by hour.