camps and races in sedona & the santa monica mountains
TRAIL RUNNING ESCAPES
2025 DATES
February 24-28 Red Rocks of Sedona Trail Running Camp Sedona, Arizona Coconino National Forest
March 17-21 Red Rocks of Sedona Trail Running Camp Sedona, Arizona Coconino National Forest
April 19 The Vortex Ultra Experience ~ 50, 34, 21, 12 and 4 Miles Sedona, Arizona Coconino National Forest
October 18 Red Rocks of Sedona Trail Races ~ Marathon, 20M & 10M Sedona, Arizona Coconino National Forest
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Why run with us?
Be sure to check out our ONLINE STORE from the tab above. We have race specific merch and due to popular demand, we've "redesigned" our awesome logos to be "Sedona" centric. Check out our new branded stickers! All available just in time for the holidays!
Please email us at erica@trailrunningescapes.com before purchasing any airline tickets as camps are subject to cancellation if attendance is too low.
calendar of events
Trail Running Escapes offers trail running camps and races in the stunning Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona. Camps are offered February, March and November. Races are produced every 3rd Saturday in April and every 3rd Saturday in October (please see our calendar of events for exact dates). Arabella Hotel is our base camp for our camps and races. Please click on our Camps tab at the top of the page to read more about our dates, itinerary, the support we offer and the trails we cover. Our Spring race is under the "VUE" tab for Vortex Ultra Experience and our Fall race is under the "RRS" tab for the Red Rocks of Sedona.
We look forward to sharing our trails with you! Either with a bib or without :)
Want to run in Southern California? Our partner offers trail running camps on the Backbone Trail high above Malibu, California.
Details and dates coming soon!
erica EFINGER - OWNER/director
Erica is an accomplished endurance athlete, RRCA, USAT&F and Natural Running certified coach as well as a Race Director. She has been producing running events since 2014 and looks forward to sharing her locals trails with you in a supported environment. Whether it's a running camp or race, Erica will take the best care of you. She is also a founding member of the Conejo Valley Trail Runners and local "trail expert" to the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce in Southern California. Erica is a member of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Proud supporter of the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund.
Our trail running camps are fully supported ~ We have a support vehicle to rehydrate and refuel you along the way and schlep your layers, extra bottles...whatever you need. Our trail guides are local, knowledgeable trail runners. GPX Files are emailed to you for everyday. Our camps are designed so you can run every mile, partial mileage or add on more. Your camp. Your choice. We've done all the work, so all you have to do is run!!! But don't take our word for it, here's what some past Trail Running Escapes' runners had to say ~
"Words cannot express how thankful I am for this opportunity. This week has been extraordinary and I am going to plan on attending the camp every year. Thank you for sharing your beautiful trails with us. ~ Baya from Carlsbad, California
"My fastest marathon since 2005...I think the reason I was so fast was because I suffered so much in the heat of your camp. Today, race day (LA Marathon), I never got hot at all and was able to maintain a good pace. Thanks again for a great camp. It is the main reason I will be going to the Boston marathon in 2017." ~ Bob from Northern California
"The Backbone Camp was one of the best experiences of my life. I feel so accomplished having done it and it was so well organized. I felt so comfortable and supported the entire time. The people I met along the way, including the guides, were awesome. And the snacks were amazing. I can't wait to do another trail running escape with you." ~ Kira from Thousand Oaks, California
"I am back in freezing and rainy vancouver and keep on dreaming about last week! Thanks to you guys for making it such an amazing week. I will be back to the Santa Monica Mountains." ~ Wiebke from Vancouver, BC
"Each day of Erica's camp is like Christmas -- you wake up early with overflowing excitement for the day ahead and you go to bed each night feeling joyful and fulfilled. And the best thing is you get to experience this for 4+ days! Needless to say, I loved my time in the Santa Monica Mountains. The camp opened my eyes to a world of possibilities in my own backyard -- new trails, new friends, and a whole new community to engage with. Erica and her team of dedicated trail guides were nothing short of amazing -- patient, knowledgeable, friendly, supportive, and kind -- all first class! As much as I cherished each mile, I also cherished the amazing spread of goodies offered throughout the course of the day; Erica knows how to take care of ambitious runners! I will be forever grateful for the experience I had and I look forward to more Trail Running Escapes." ~ Jamie from Los Angeles
"It sounds like I am not the only one going through post-running camp withdrawal! What a great experience -- I thoroughly enjoyed spending the week with you all." ~ Aaron from Minneapolis, MN
"Thank you so much for giving us a great 5 days in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was fantastic."~ Joany & Mark from Ontario
"Erica does an outstanding job with every aspect of the camp...trail selection, transportation, snacks/food, hospitality. Doesn't matter if you're slow or fast, she allows everyone to enjoy the trails and scenery at their own pace. She's a pro and knows the local trails like no other! Already planning to attend next year." ~ Keith from Oklahoma City, OK
"We will come back for the sunshine & good times." ~ Rachel from Asheville, NC
"Thank you everyone it's an experience I will never forget. The pictures are priceless! Could not have asked for a better group to spend 4 tough days with!" ~ Allison from Agoura Hills, CA
"What a blast last week was, thanks!!! ~ Niqui from Frederick, MD
"This was a great challenging beautiful exhilarating week of running with Erica and my sister Mary! The West Lake Village was a wonderful place to stay and recover! Would recommend to all level of runners who want an excellent get-away!" ~ Kathleen from Duxbury, MA
"Thank you so much for an amazing experience. Feeling good and reflecting and thanking God for it all!" ~ Jamie from Oak Park, CA
"So grateful for such an awesome experience and happy to have met all of you. Can't thank you enough. I am so high on life right now." ~ Kay Mac from Agoura, CA
"Back at my desk in my office in Denmark and already missing the California sun ;-) Thank you all so much for great company on the trail. I had such a wonderful time - and thanks to Erica, Richard, Ben, Randy, Julian, and Janna for taking such good care of us. I will definitely recommend this trip to my friends." ~ Berit from Denmark
"Thanks for a life changing adventure!" ~ Carla from Oak Park, CA
"68 miles Santa Monica Backbone Trails-4 amazing days, beautiful views and a wonderful group of people to experience it with!" ~ Kelli from Oak Park, CA
"Great trail running camp. Erica does such a great job ~ for example when she found out that I could not handle caffeine and all the gels she had had caffeine in them she went out and got me some gels with no caffeine in them. This is only 1 example of how well you are treated at this camp." ~ Bob from NorCal
"I just can't say enough about Erica and this running camp! All you have to do is show up--they've thought of everything. Taking you to beautiful areas of Southern CA, showing up just when you need them along the run to have cold drinks and goodies, just such a wonderful experience. Highly recommend this to everyone!" ~ Dina from Westlake Village, Ca
"Excellent camp. Was great for my wife to have people to run with and support her. Everything was well organized. Thank you for the perfect vacation." ~ Donovan from Canada
"Had an amazing experience! I highly recommend to all, from experienced athletes who are looking to try a new terrain to the back of the pack (like me). Course was beautiful and the support was more than I expected. I look forward to trying her other escapes. Thank you Erica, Nicole and Stephanie for a wonderful time!" ~ Mariel from Camarillo, Ca