Ozark Mountain Biking

The Northwest Arkansas trail systems around Springdale are widely considered among the best mountain biking terrain in the United States. The Slaughter Pen trail system in Bentonville — about 45 minutes north — is the flagship, but the Devil's Den State Park and Lake Leatherwood systems to the southwest are equally good and considerably less crowded.

The terrain is sandstone-based Ozark hills — rooty, occasionally technical, and fast in the dry season. Trails are well-marked and graded from beginner to expert. The riding season runs almost year-round, with summer the best time for dry, fast conditions. Bentonville, the epicentre of the scene, has multiple bike shops offering rentals, guided tours, and shuttle services to the best trailheads.

things to do cycling
A story
Northwest Arkansas has attracted more professional mountain bike racers to relocate here than almost any region in the United States outside Colorado. The combination of Walmart-funded trail development, ideal sandstone terrain, a mild climate, and relatively affordable cost of living has created a small but serious cycling culture that competes at the national level.