LITTLE ROCK, AR – On December 20–21, 2025, the spirit of adventure racing will roar back to life in central Arkansas. Teams of racers will converge with compasses and mountain bikes in hand, ready to embark on an exhilarating test of endurance, navigation, and teamwork. For over twenty years, Raid the Rock has challenged participants to push beyond their comfort zones – a euphoria comes with finishing an adventure race that many might call insane, but as veterans will tell you, it’s not crazy, it’s tough, and it’s absolutely worth it. This winter’s event carries on that legacy, inviting both seasoned racers and first-timers into a uniquely Arkansas adventure.
Over Two Decades of Adventure
Raid the Rock Adventure Race began in 2001 as a bold new kind of multisport challenge, founded by members of Team Arkansas Traveler to share their passion for adventure racing and raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation. The inaugural race that year was the stuff of legend: racers sprinted up a downtown Little Rock parking garage on mountain bikes and later rappelled off the old YMCA tower, navigating a course that also sent them hiking over Pinnacle Mountain and paddling down the Little Maumelle River. It was a heck of a beginning for adventure racing in central Arkansas, blending urban landscapes with wild terrain in one thrilling course.
Over the years, course designers continued to reinvent Raid the Rock. Some editions went deep into the Ouachita Mountains near Lake Sylvia or as far afield as Conway, emphasizing wilderness navigation; other years brought the race closer to the city, with checkpoints at urban landmarks. In 2014, for example, organizers “put the urban back into the race” with a course crisscrossing downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. No two Raid the Rock races are ever the same, each year’s course remains a closely guarded secret until race day, forcing teams to expect the unexpected. Racers receive their maps and checkpoint coordinates only moments before the start, then huddle under headlamps to plot their route in a strategic frenzy. This tradition of mystery means the precise challenges of the 2025 race won’t be known until the countdown begins, adding to the excitement and level playing field for all participants.
Raid the Rock’s longevity is a point of pride for Arkansas’s outdoor community. What started as an “urban adventure race” two decades ago has grown into a beloved annual event that seamlessly mixes city parks and remote backwoods. Through it all, the race’s core appeal remains intact: it’s an endurance expedition that anyone brave enough can attempt, and those who reach the finish line earn bragging rights in an adventure that only a few dare to tackle. That continuity speaks to the strong community that has formed around this event in Arkansas.
What Is Adventure Racing?
Adventure racing (AR) is not your typical triathlon or trail run – it’s an endurance sport born in the 1980s that combines multiple outdoor disciplines into one epic race. The concept gained worldwide attention in the 1990s with televised events like the Eco-Challenge, which captured imaginations as teams battled through jungles and mountains on global stages. At its heart, adventure racing is about testing the limits of human stamina, skill, and teamwork across unpredictable terrains.
Key elements of adventure racing include:
- Multidisciplinary Challenges: Races incorporate a mix of trekking or trail running, mountain biking, paddling (canoe or kayak), and often rope work like rock climbing or rappelling.
- Navigation by Map and Compass: Unlike a marked marathon route, AR courses are unmarked. Teams navigate using only maps and compasses to find checkpoints in the wilderness or city. Strong orienteering skills are a must – a missed turn or misplotted coordinate can send a team hours off course.
- Teamwork and Strategy: Adventure racing traditionally is a team sport. Teams of two to four must stay together and finish together. This dynamic adds a critical layer: cooperation. Teammates share the workload, make group decisions on navigation, and help each other through fatigue or challenges.
- Endurance and Resilience: Events range from “sprint” races of a few hours to expedition races lasting several days non-stop. Even an 8-hour race will push competitors to their physical and mental limits. Racers endure long distances and often harsh conditions – climbing steep hills, biking through mud, paddling against currents – all while sleep-deprived and on the move.
Adventure racing remains a true test of endurance, navigation, and camaraderie – an outdoor epic for those willing to step off the beaten path.
Meet the Race Director: Traci Berry
Behind the scenes of Raid the Rock is a leader as adventurous as the racers themselves. Traci Berry has been the race director since 2012, and her journey to that role is a story of passion and perseverance. A lifelong athlete who got hooked on mountain biking and adventure racing in the early 2000s, Berry first tackled Raid the Rock as a competitor in 2005 after recovering from a knee injury and she was instantly in love with the sport. She went on to compete in numerous adventure races and even helped form a top-10 nationally ranked team, racing across Arkansas and beyond.
By 2012, the original founders of Raid the Rock were ready to step back, and that’s when Berry stepped up. “I had a passion for adventure racing and Raid the Rock specifically, I didn’t want to see it go away,” she recalls of her decision to take the helm. Under her guidance, the race not only survived a transition in leadership, it thrived. In fact, Traci Berry has now directed Raid the Rock longer than the original organizers did, cementing her influence on this event’s legacy.
Berry’s background in outdoor recreation runs deep. Prior to directing the race, she managed high-ropes courses in the Buffalo National River area and later became the trails coordinator for the Northwoods Trail system in Hot Springs. Her wide-ranging experience from building zip-lines in the Ozarks to organizing paddling events on the Arkansas River means she understands exactly what makes an outdoor adventure challenging and fun. In recent years she’s even teamed up with accomplished adventure racer Rachel Furman as co-director, adding even more expertise to the race management. Together, Berry and her crew design courses that are safe but demanding, and they’ve earned a reputation for clever race layouts that highlight the best of Arkansas’s terrain.
Perhaps most importantly, Traci Berry has cultivated a welcoming culture around Raid the Rock. She encourages racers of all backgrounds to give adventure racing a try, maintaining that sense of community that hooked her in the first place. Thanks to her leadership, a new generation of Arkansas adventure racers has been born – many tackling their very first race under Berry’s watchful, enthusiastic eye.
2025 Race Details: Courses and Teams
The diverse landscapes of central Arkansas – from quiet bayous to rocky ridges – will serve as the arena for Raid the Rock 2025. In past editions, teams have paddled through cypress-lined swamps, scrambled up mountains, and even rappelled off downtown buildings in their quest to find checkpoints. This blend of wilderness and urban adventure is a hallmark of the race, pushing participants to adapt from remote woods to city streets and back again over the course of a single event.
Organizers have revealed that Raid the Rock 2025 will feature two distinct course options:
- 8-Hour “Traditional” Course (Intermediate) – A challenging yet manageable adventure race, roughly 40–50 miles in length, designed for intermediate-level participants. Don’t be fooled by the shorter duration – this course still requires advanced navigation skills and plenty of endurance.
- 24-Hour “Extreme” Course (Advanced) – A grueling full-day (and full-night) race aimed at seasoned adventure racers. Over 24 hours, teams will cover a vast course that pushes them to their limits in every way. High-level navigation expertise is a must – teams will be plotting routes in the dark, finding distant checkpoints at odd hours, and constantly strategizing how to move efficiently.
Both courses will unfold across Central Arkansas’s diverse terrain, taking advantage of the region’s mix of rivers, forests, and urban parks. While the exact route is secret until race weekend, racers can count on scenic views and demanding obstacles along the way. One moment they might be navigating dense woods or climbing a ridge; the next, they could find themselves running through city streets or paddling past the downtown Little Rock skyline.
Team configuration is flexible, allowing racers to compete in a way that suits their group. Teams may register in 4-person, 3-person, or 2-person divisions, or even tackle the course solo. The premier experience is often the 4-person coed team, and within that category there are usually subdivisions like Premier, Masters, and Open. Whether you’re rallying a crew of friends or going it alone, there’s a place for you at Raid the Rock.
Adventure Racing Thrives in Arkansas
Raid the Rock is more than just a race – it’s part of a flourishing adventure racing scene in Arkansas. In recent years, the state has gained recognition as a hotspot for adventure sports, and 2025 is shaping up to highlight that in a big way. In fact, Arkansas has the honor of hosting the USARA National Adventure Racing Championships for the first time ever in 2025. This weekend, teams from all over the country will descend on Bentonville to compete for the national title, racing through the Ozarks in an event that will shine a national spotlight on the Natural State’s terrain.
Just as important as these big events is the community that keeps adventure racing alive and well here. Arkansas’s local adventure races focus on inclusivity and community involvement, welcoming newcomers and supporting grassroots participation. Raid the Rock exemplifies this ethos by offering an intermediate course for those not ready to tackle 24 hours, and by fostering a friendly atmosphere where racers swap stories at the finish line and often return year after year. The result is a growing, diverse group of participants, from teenagers taking on their first overnight race, to veteran teams who have been racing together for a decade or more.
As the countdown to Raid the Rock 2025 continues, excitement is building. On December 20th, when those teams charge off the start line into the winter woods, they’ll carry on a tradition of exploration and endurance that has been two decades in the making. Whether you’re a hardened racer or a curious onlooker, Raid the Rock is a chance to witness something truly special – humans pushing themselves to the limit, guided only by a compass and a sense of adventure, against the beautiful backdrop of the Natural State.
Mark your calendars for December 20–21, 2025 – adventure awaits in central Arkansas! Raid the Rock is ready to write its next chapter, and it’s up to the intrepid racers and their teams to seize the day (and night).
This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
