Bonneville Backyard Ultra

The Bonneville Backyard Ultra follows the standard last-person-standing format, tasking you with completing a 4.167-mile yard every hour on the hour until only one runner remains. Set just outside Provo along the base of the Wasatch Range, this course operates as an out-and-back route measuring approximately 2.08 miles in each direction along the trail near Deer Creek Reservoir and the Provo River corridor. The terrain consists primarily of packed dirt trails and groomed pathway surfaces, making it smooth and largely runnable underfoot.

Despite the relatively fast tread, the profile delivers approximately 400 feet of rolling elevation gain per yard. While that ascent feels manageable in early hours, the cumulative climbing builds rapidly, reaching roughly 2,400 to 2,500 feet of vert for every 50 miles completed. The primary challenge stems from managing effort on the steady grades so you leave enough reserve for recovery in the corral. In addition, the out-and-back layout introduces two-way participant traffic, requiring focus and consistent pacing as daylight fades into darkness and fatigue sets in.

Out-of-state competitors can fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), situated about 50 miles northwest, or the regional Provo Airport (PVU), which sits roughly 25 miles away. From Interstate 15, access the venue by heading east on 800 North through Orem and merging onto US Highway 189 through scenic Provo Canyon toward the Deer Creek Dam area. Accommodations are most plentiful in northern Provo and Orem, both offering extensive hotel, grocery, and dining options within a 20- to 25-minute drive of the trailhead.

Late April weather in the canyon presents dramatic temperature shifts. Daytime highs generally hover in the upper 50s to mid-60s Fahrenheit, but overnight valley temperatures routinely drop near or below freezing. You should pack versatile cold-weather gear, dry layers for corral transitions, and personal shelter setups such as pop-up canopies or basecamp cots. Given that the course sits above 5,200 feet in elevation, flatlanders should arrive a few days early to acclimate to both the altitude and dry mountain air.