Biking in the Ouachitas

Hot Springs has been rated a bronze-level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, IMBA, a designation that highlights communities that offer standout experiences for every style of rider, both on and off the bike. Hot Springs is surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains and has a national park, a thriving arts community and is in the midst of a craft brewery boom. A big draw to the area are the Epic trails close by.

Arkansas is home to five Epic trails in the state and Hot Springs is 30 minutes to an hour away from three of them as well as other trail systems in the area. These include the Womble Trail, which has 37 miles of singletrack through the Ouachita National Forest; the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, which includes around 45 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails along the southern shore of Lake Ouachita, the largest lake in the state; and 108 miles of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, a long distance hiking trail through the Ouachita National Forest. This designated section of the route currently holds title as the longest mountain biking trail in the state. 

There are also other trails in the area including Cedar Glades Park near downtown Hot Springs. A large-scale trail system called the Northwoods Trails are also in Hot Springs. Nearby, the Iron Mountain trail system in Arkadelphia is located in the foothills of the Ouachitas on the south shore of DeGray Lake.