21 - 23 August 2026

Kimek (Kungarakan welcome)

The 2026 Run Your Outback Trail Festival was a celebration of running, community, and the spirit of the land. Participants ran, camped, connected and celebrated together across the entire weekend! All profits made from this event go directly back into our Remote Outreach programs to run with, connect and empower First Nations youth in remote Top End communities.

We are extremely grateful for all who ran, walked and cheered - these events are nothing without all of you. We hope you were able to connect with eachother and our country, the lands of the Kungarakan and Warai peoples - and hope we inspired a deeper connection to your own.

The 2027 Trail Festival is LOCKED

23-25 July 2027

2026 Trail Festival Info (2027 event will be similar but better ;-)

Friday: 7km Pitch Black Trail

Saturday: 1kmish kids Trail

Saturday: 7km Sunshine Trail

Saturday: 18km Big Trail

Sunday: 28km Bigger Trail

Sunday: 56km Biggest Trail

KANGA = Friday night 7km, Saturday 7km and Sunday 28km. Fastest over all three is the BOOMER ROO! The Red Kangaroo is considered the fastest marsupial, cruising at 20-25km/h but reaching speeds of 70km/h.

DINGO = Friday night 7km, Saturday 18km and Sunday 56km. Fastest over all three is the ALPHA DINGO! The Dingo is known for its incredible endurance as it traverses vast, harsh all-terrain outback distances.

2026 Courses

Old and new train lines, ant hills, gums, iceberg rock, sandstone rock, billabongs, hills and more hills. All trails are made up of the best combos of bush, rock, wallaby highways and tractor firebreaks. Beware some gnarly sections- good traction on your trails shoes will ensure maximum [safety] fun.

Wanna qualify for 2027 West Macs Monster?

Finish the Bigger Outback 28km to qualify for WMM 65km or finish the Biggest Outback 56km to qualify for the WMM 128km !!

ADF, RCTC HM or got a mate tagging along? Save 10% or $10 on your entry if you’re a part of the ADF family, signed up for the RCTC HM or your mate helps us out over the weekend!*

*Email info@runyouroutback.com for the relevant discount code 

Nocturnal Outback 7km ~ Friday

Distance 7.3km

Elevation ~100m

Age 13+

$48 Entry

Bib collection 1700 until 1830

Race briefing 1845

Race start 1900

Presentations 2030

Time cut-off 2100 (2hrs)

Mandatory gear: head torch and collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail shoes, GPX on watch/phone, personal nutrition, snake bandage, whistle

First event of both the KANGA and DINGO

One unique perimeter loop. Still gots some crazy hills, but trails are less technical to account for the pitch black running. Be extra aware of wildlife on this one. And always feel faster and more hardcore in the dark!

Big Outback 18km ~ Saturday

Distance 18km

Elevation ~400m

Age 15+

$58 Entry

Bib collection 0600 until 0730

Race briefing 0745

Race start 0800

Presentations 1130

Time cut-off 1300 (5hrs)

Mandatory gear: collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail shoes, GPX on watch/phone, personal nutrition, snake bandage, whistle, phone for photos

Second event of the DINGO

Loop one = 1.6km ~ Loop two = 6.5km ~ Loop three = 9.9km

Start of loop one, most of loop two, and all of loop three. Some single track out to the Ghan line before trudging up and down the guts and attempting to speed up to go back out and back and loop around again. Might not be the entire 28km loop, but this one is definitely a long adventure!

Sunshine Outback 7km ~ Saturday

Distance 7.2km

Elevation ~200m

Age 11+

$38 Entry

Bib collection 0600 until 0800

Race briefing 0815

Race start 0830

Presentations 1130

Time cut-off 1300 (4.5hrs)

Mandatory gear: collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail shoes, personal nutrition, GPX on watch/phone, snake bandage, emergency blanket, whistle, phone for photos

Second event of the KANGA

Loop one = 6.5km ~ Loop two = 0.7km

Most of loop two. Up and down the guts to experience arguably the best highlights of the entire route. Short, but not really. Will feel much longer than 7km, but (after some recovery) will definitely have you hungry for more!

Kids Outback 1kmish ~ Saturday

Distance 1.35km

Elevation

Age 5-11

$18 Entry

Bib collection 0600 until 1030

Race briefing 1045

Race start 1100

Presentations 1130

No time cut-off

Mandatory gear: collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail or sturdy shoes

*$10 discount for providing a volunteer is not redeemable for this event

Loop one = 0.3km ~ Loop two = 0.4km ~ Loop three = 0.7km

Three mini loops. Starting out a little technical to give a taste of the single trails then descends into dirt tracks returning to the Festival area before heading out on another two short loops to ensure maximum exposure to audience cheers.

Biggest Outback 56km ~ Sunday

Distance 56.5km

Elevation ~1280m

Age 18+

$98 Entry

Bib collection 0400 until 0530

Race briefing 0545

Race start 0600

Presentations 1600

Time cut-off 1700 (11hrs)

Mandatory gear: phone/head torch for first loop, collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail shoes, GPX on watch/phone, personal nutrition, snake bandage, emergency blanket, whistle, phone for photos

Final event of the DINGO

Loop one = 8.5km ~ Loop two = 9.6km ~ Loop three = 9.9km

Three full loops, TWICE through. Each loop starts and finishes at the main festival area (where you can leave your personal nutrition to re-stock for each loop). 48x hills up to a max 300m in length (cant talk for gradient!). A big day out!

No prior qualification required- however, please ensure you have trained sufficiently to cover this distance in the NT outback. And restock each loop to ensure you can safely navigate the next.

Bigger Outback 28km ~ Sunday

Distance 28.2km

Elevation ~640m

Age 18+

$78 Entry

Bib collection 0400 until 0730

Race briefing 0645

Race start 0700

Presentations 1600

Time cut-off 1700 (10hrs)

Mandatory gear: collapsible cup, flask or drink bottle

Recommended gear: trail shoes, personal nutrition, GPX on watch/phone, snake bandage, emergency blanket, whistle, phone for photos

Final event of the KANGA

Loop one = 8.5km ~ Loop two = 9.6km ~ Loop three = 9.9km

Three full loops, one time through. Leave most of your personal nutrition at the Festival area so you can run lighter up the 24x hills- which will do just fine thanks. May not be 56km, but still an epic adventure to create lifetime memories.

DINGO

$168 Entry

Age 18+

Friday: Nocturnal Outback 7km Trail

Saturday: Big Outback 18km Trail

Sunday: Biggest Outback 56km Trail

Total Trail kms = ~81kms

Register for the DINGO and you’ll automatically be entered into all three events ~ saving you $ !

Fastest across all three events is crowned the ALPHA DINGO

KANGA

$138 Entry

Age 18+

Friday: Nocturnal Outback 7km Trail

Saturday: Sunshine Outback 7km Trail

Sunday: Bigger Outback 28km Trail

Total Trail kms = ~42km

Register for the KANGA and you’ll automatically be entered into all three events ~ saving you $ !

Fastest across all three events is crowned the BOOMER ROO

Get ready for three days of non-stop, red-dirt, bush and rock magic at the Run Your Outback Trail Festival!

Stop by for an hour, stay for the weekend! Get a taste of the magic and discover why you won't want to miss a second of this incredible outback celebration.

Click through the below for the daily schedule of events.

What now?

Start prepping for next year!

Want some gear?

Collapsible cups $8

RYO tee $20

Email to request yours

~ 2027 ~

Locked in !

Three new epic adventures in 2027 for you to dream about, challenge and conquer

  • 30-31 January 2027 ~ Your Outback Bog Run

  • 19-20 June 2027 ~ Run Your: Outback Ultra

  • 23-25 July 2027 ~ Run Your Outback Trail Festival

  • 21-22 August 2027 ~ Run (and/or ride) Your Outback