About

Wiley Canyon Ultra is a roughly 35-mile out-and-back that starts and finishes at Kirkpatrick Memorial Park in Lexington, heading north toward the striking scenery of Wiley Canyon. The route opens on blacktop roads through town before shifting onto gravel and a small stretch of minimum-maintenance road, giving the race a distinctly rugged, prairie-road character. While Nebraska may have a reputation for being flat, this course saves its challenge for Wiley Canyon Road, where the hills begin to bite and the run takes on a tougher edge. The atmosphere is welcoming and encouraging, with a layout designed to offer frequent aid and support for runners taking on their first ultra. Expect an exposed course with little shade, summer heat, and the possibility of wind, making smart pacing and hydration essential. Cell service can be unreliable, which adds to the sense of remoteness, but race monitoring helps maintain a supportive environment. Altogether, it’s a friendly but honest ultra: scenic, open, and deceptively demanding once the canyon roads take over.