location_city Elkader
location_on Iowa
flag United States
calendar_today 03 Oct, 2026
kayaking Multisports
language Official Website
RegisterREGISTRATION Opens January 5. Join us for next year's Wild Driftless on October 3, 2026!
Soaring limestone bluffs, crystal-clear trout streams and fast-moving rivers, old-growth forests, single-track mountain biking, and some of the most scenic gravel roads you’ll find anywhere in the world. This isn’t just the Iowa cornfields you expect—this is the driftless region!
The Wild Driftless Adventure Race will take you into some of the most scenic areas of NE Iowa, featuring trekking, biking, and paddling for teams of 2-4 or soloists. The course is designed for all ability levels with an eye toward serving as a fantastic entry-level event for first-timers AND challenging the most seasoned adventure racers.
2 OPTIONS FOR TEAMS & SOLOISTS
WILD DRIFTLESS
9-hour time limit
Trekking (on foot)
Biking (gravel roads, paved roads, and trails, including single-track mountain biking)
Paddling (canoes in flat-water and gentle rivers/streams)
Special tasks, including optional ropes section
WILD DRIFTLESS LITE
5-hour time limit
Trekking (on foot)
Biking (gravel roads, paved roads, and grassy/double-track trails)
Special tasks, including optional ropes section
No paddling
USARA Membership Required
When registering, be sure to click the box at the bottom under "Clubs" for USARA. You can either purchase a single-day membership for $8 or a yearly membership for $35. If you are purchasing a single-event membership, on the "Select your members" page (with the waiver at the bottom) be sure to uncheck the "Start membership immediately" button and select the date of the race (October 4, 2025).
USARA provides sanctioning for our event and secondary insurance for participants.
Oct 03, 2026
Distance — Other
Type — Adventure Race
276 days remaining
These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for October in Elkader.
Elkader is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,209 at the time of the 2020 census, down from 1,465 in 2000. It is the county seat of Clayton County. It is the site of Iowa's lowest recorded minimum temperature, −44 °C (−47 °F) on February 3, 1996.
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