Key facts
- Fact 01
The 2026 Arrowtown Backyard Ultra starts at 9am on Saturday 7 November at Butler's Green, Buckingham Street, Arrowtown.
- Fact 02
Arrowtown Backyard Ultra runners complete a 6.71km lap every hour, on the hour, until one runner is left.
- Fact 03
The Arrowtown Backyard Ultra course is a figure 8 loop along the Arrow River Trail and Bush Creek.
The 2026 Arrowtown Backyard Ultra starts at 9am on Saturday 7 November from Butler's Green, Buckingham Street, Arrowtown, and keeps going until the last runner is standing. The event listing runs across Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November. We read the listing on the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association's website on Saturday 31 October, and the details below come from it.
The format is simple. Every hour, on the hour, competitors run a 6.71km lap. Anyone who does not finish a lap within the hour, or is not back in the starting corral for the start of the next lap, is recorded as DNF (Did Not Finish). The winner is the last person to complete a lap after everyone else has given up, so there is no set finish time.
The event village is at Butler's Green, and the course is a figure 8 loop along the Arrow River Trail and Bush Creek. That means runners will be on the trail near town through the weekend. The listing says only one person can be the last one standing, but that everyone can aim to go further than they have gone before.
If you are in Arrowtown that weekend, the first lap leaves Butler's Green at 9am on Saturday. If you plan to walk or ride the Arrow River Trail, expect runners on the loop and give them room. The listing does not give spectator, parking or entry details, so check with the organisers before you go.
For other easy walks to fit around the weekend, see our short walks guide, and for quieter tracks our quiet trails guide.
Questions visitors are asking
When does the Arrowtown Backyard Ultra start?
The 2026 Arrowtown Backyard Ultra starts at 9am on Saturday 7 November at Butler's Green, Buckingham Street, Arrowtown. There is no fixed finish time: the race continues until the last person is standing, and the event listing runs across Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November.
How does a backyard ultra work?
At the Arrowtown Backyard Ultra, competitors run a 6.71km lap every hour, on the hour. Anyone who does not finish a lap within the hour, or is not back in the starting corral for the next start, is recorded as DNF. The winner is the last runner to complete a lap.
Where is the Arrowtown Backyard Ultra course?
The Arrowtown Backyard Ultra course is a figure 8 loop along the Arrow River Trail and Bush Creek, with the event village at Butler's Green on Buckingham Street. Walkers and riders using the Arrow River Trail near Arrowtown that weekend should expect runners on the loop.
Can I watch the Arrowtown Backyard Ultra?
The Arrowtown Backyard Ultra listing does not give spectator details. The event village is at Butler's Green on Buckingham Street, Arrowtown, and the race starts there at 9am on Saturday 7 November 2026, so check with the organisers about watching before you plan your visit.