Prairie Nightmare Backyard Ultra 2026

Prairie Nightmare Backyard Ultra is an annual last-person-standing trail race held at Echo Valley Provincial Park in Saskatchewan, near Fort Qu'Appelle. Participants begin a 6.706 km loop each hour on the hour, with the event continuing until only one runner remains to start the next loop. Anyone missing the hourly cutoff, stopping, or unable to continue is recorded as DNF, following standard backyard ultra rules instead of a typical timed finish. The loop consists of gentle, runnable park trails with surfaces of hardpack, grass, and gravel. The primary challenge arises not from technical terrain but from the repetition of the same distance with progressively shorter recovery periods. On-site camping is provided, accommodating the event's format by allowing crews and runners to remain for extended durations. The race is cupless, requiring participants to bring their own refillable bottle or cup. Originally a local Saskatchewan backyard ultra, it later relocated to Echo Valley Provincial Park and is also known by the nickname "Ultra of your Dreams."