SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 20, 2023 – Ragnar Events, the industry leader in team based running, announces a brand new event, Ragnar Trail Arkansas, to be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at Centennial Park, on April 19-20, 2024. This unique event will be a perfect addition to Fayetteville’s thriving outdoor recreation opportunities and is an excellent extension of Ragnar’s event portfolio.
At this event, teams of eight will run approximately 120 miles on three loops winding through Centennial Park and neighboring Kessler Mountain. Participants will run day and night and day, while camping in a temporary tent city and participating in activities in the Ragnar Village, all located within Centennial Park. Hundreds of teams are expected to descend on Fayetteville to take part in the event.
“For several years we have hosted successful Ragnar events in neighboring states, such as Texas and Kentucky, and could not be more excited to bring Ragnar to Northwest Arkansas,” said Ragnar Trail Operations Manager Amber Hardesty. “We recognize the area as an outdoor mecca and activities such as trail running are extremely popular here. The world-class trails at Centennial Park and Kessler Mountain are perfectly suited for trail running. Our participants will love the beauty and accessibility of these trails. We are excited to support the community, partner with local organizations, and look forward to returning here year after year.”
“Ragnar participants will discover something that locals know well – Fayetteville trails are second to none,” said Molly Rawn, CEO of Experience Fayetteville. “And you are never far from great restaurants, live music and craft breweries. We can’t wait to welcome Ragnar next April!”
About Ragnar Events: Founded in 2004, Ragnar Events is the premier host of team based relay running events. Events stretch from the Pacific Northwest to Florida, from Southern California to New England, and thousands of teams and tens of thousands of runners participate in Ragnar events each year. Ragnar provides runners the opportunity to work together as a team, on the road or on the trail, to conquer hundreds of miles of running.
About Centennial Park: Originally purchased in 2018 for outdoor recreation and trail development by the City of Fayetteville, Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain encompasses 228-acres of wooded mountain top easily accessible from the interstate. The park features purpose-built cross country and cyclocross racecourses, multi-use trails, and an array of amenities including places to play and camp.
Connecting Centennial Park to Kessler Mountain and the larger Fayetteville community is the Fayetteville Traverse Trail, a unique singletrack trail experience knitting together multiple public parks, trail systems, residences, the University of Arkansas, hotels, restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops with a continuous natural surface route for trail runners, hikers, and cyclists.
Characteristic of the Ozark Mountains, the Ragnar Trail Arkansas courses are littered with technical rock-filled sections, punchy climbs, and steep descents. The courses are sure to inspire intense competition as towering obstacles including a mountain of stairs, exposed bluff lines, and a Stonehenge-esque finish line feature define a world-class trail experience.
