A great way to enjoy the scenery of Arkansas is via pedal power.
Whether you want to spend the day cycling a scenic back road in the Ozarks, pedaling the Northwest Arkansas bike trails,
riding single-track in the Ouachitas, or testing your mettle in a stage
race, there is a route for you here. The state hosts terrain and events
for all skill levels and our mild climate allows for bicycle vacations year-round.
In the midst of our 52 state parks,
three National Forests, and many city parks are thousands of miles of
supreme mountain biking trails. The state has plenty of terrain for
riders to test their gears on, be it a single-track path in the Ouachitas
or a long winding IMBA Epic route. Only 40 trails across the nation
currently hold the ‘Epic” status from the International Mountain Biking
Association (IMBA). We are home to two: the Womble Trail in the Ouachita
region and the Syllamo Trails in the Ozark National Forest.
For cyclists, the Arkansas River Trail is great for all-out bicycle vacations, leisurely family biking and more challenging riders alike. The trail includes a chance to traverse the Big Dam Bridge, a landmark in the city and the world’s largest bridge
built specifically for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
If you are interested in road racing, be sure to keep Northwest Arkansas bike trails in your sightline. The Joe Martin Stage Race
in Fayetteville takes place every May as part of the National Race
Calendar (NRC), the pro and elite amateur cycling tour of USA
Cycling.The state is also home base to the North American headquarters
for ORBEA.
Ready to hit the road? A round up of
destinations (for both mountain bikers and cyclists) are available on
this site. This is just a taste of the variety of routes for riders to
explore. Whether you are planning an on-or off road excursion, there’s a
trail in the state for a memorable biking experience and opportunity to
enjoy the open road (and trail).
