Queen of the Ridge

Queen of the Ridge

Queen of the Ridge is a women only Last Woman Standing trail event held on a family dairy farm near Madison in the Driftless Area, at 5749 County Road H, Arena, WI. The event date is Saturday, September 26, 2026.

The race uses a repeating loop usually between 1.0 and 1.25 miles long with a minimum of 250 ft of elevation gain per lap. The route mixes single track and grass trails, and the loop changes direction every four hours.

This event follows backyard ultra style rules. Runners have 20 minutes to complete each loop and must be in the starting corral when the cowbell rings for the next lap. Whistle signals indicate minutes until the next lap. No aid is allowed on course or outside the corral. A winner is declared when only one person remains who has completed laps within the time limit, and a solo victory lap is required.

The Commonwealth Village serves as basecamp with the starting corral, participant tent, space for up to 20 crew tents, a drop bag tent, aid station, medical tent, restrooms, and spectator viewing. The aid station will offer fruit, sweet and salty snacks, hot food, hydration and nutrition products, coffee, and soda. Camping overnight on Saturday is allowed for participants only; tents and small camper vans are permitted, but RVs and pull behinds are not.

The organizer will donate $0.10 for every lap completed to support planning and building of the Driftless Trail through the Driftless Area Land Conservancy. The event has reached capacity and maintains a waitlist. Registration is typically final though a partial refund may be possible if notified at least 60 days in advance; this event offers a full refund option for participants who become pregnant before the race. Transfers between participants can be arranged but payment details are the responsibility of the individuals involved. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.