9th Annual Driftless Flyathlon – YRSF

The Driftless Flyathlon brings the epic combo of fly fishing and trail running to northeastern Iowa. The Flyathlon may have gotten its start in Colorado, but the Driftless gives a unique perspective to this awesome event.

The Drfitless Flyathlon is held annually in the Yellow River State Forest, near Harpers Ferry, IA and this course consists of a 5 mile (mostly flat) trail run, with opportunities to catch rainbow trout, brown trout, and the Iowa native brook trout. So, whether you’re big into running or not, this course was made for you. Plus, by participating (and fundraising) you are helping to raise some funds for coldwater projects in NE Iowa!

This region of Iowa is inundated with deeply carved river valleys and a plethora of spring fed streams (and that means trout and lots of them). And in October, well, it doesn’t get much prettier in the Driftless Region (this area actually encompasses NE Iowa, SW Wisconsin, NW Illinois, and SE Minnesota and was left untouched by the glaciers during the last ice age).

Part of the experience is coming up for the weekend and hanging out with “fishy” people who love to run/fish/enjoy a craft beer! Plan to spend the weekend with us!

To explore projects that have been completed with Flyathlon funds over the past 9 years, please visit: http://runningrivers.org/projects/  

9th Annual Driftless Flyathlon
When: October 2nd – 4th, 2026
Where: Yellow River State Forest, IA
Number of Participants:  70​
Fishing Difficulty: MODERATE
Running Difficulty: EASY (4 miles out and back)
Registration: Registration will open at 8 am on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026.

Now is a critical time to invest in the preservation of our public lands and waters. Because Running Rivers is a recognized 501c3 organization, your donations (but not registration) are tax deductible. run. fish. beer. donate!