Anderson Lake Backyard Ultra

The Anderson Lake Backyard Ultra is a 24-hour capped event held at the Anderson Lake boat ramp access site in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Participants run a 4.167-mile loop each hour, starting on the hour. Runners must return to the basecamp and start corral before the next hour begins to continue. The race welcomes experienced endurance athletes, novices, and individuals who wish to determine their own finish time, from a single loop to the full 24 hours. The loops traverse Anderson Lake State Forest Park, with the Anderson Lake Pathway remaining accessible to the public during the event. Race director Bill Hemmila characterizes it as a personal challenge rather than a formal competition, although the final runner completing a loop wins. All participants receive a medal. The basecamp setup is a communal effort: runners provide their own 10x10 canopy, chairs, snacks, games, and crew support. Spectators and runners will utilize shuttles from the Up North Lodge Event Center parking lot due to a lack of on-site parking.