Over the past two decades, trail building in Northwest Arkansas has evolved from rogue volunteer enthusiasts bushwhacking through the Ozarks into a world-class operation with a professional infrastructure building the finest trails on the planet
Over the past two decades, trail building in Northwest Arkansas has evolved from rogue volunteer enthusiasts bushwhacking through the Ozarks into a world-class operation with a professional infrastructure building the finest trails on the planet.
What has resulted is hundreds of miles of new trail that suits every taste imaginable—from hard surface, well-lit commuter paths that now connect every major city and town in the region, to double black diamond trails worthy of events like the 2022 Cyclocross World Championships, to colorful strider courses for toddlers. When it comes to the cycling scene in Oz, there is something for everyone.
Oz Trails has helped bring the region into technicolor, illuminating the inherent magic of the Ozark Mountains and building joy and community in the process.
From Fayetteville in the south to Bella Vista along the Missouri border, residents have embraced and uplifted cycling as a preeminent defining characteristic of the region.
Beyond the trails themselves, there exists a secondary infrastructure that makes wanting to hop on a bike as seamless as possible. From bike wash and water stations to brand new campsites and restrooms to well-lit parking lots, the trails in Oz give little excuse not to have a good time with friends and family.
The investment in a year-round cycling culture has reaped dividends, and a 2017 study estimates that cycling brought in $137 million in economic benefits to the area.
Whether you are looking for the courage to hit some rocky air at Slaughter Pen, the heart to maneuver Mount Kessler’s technical trails or the brains to map out a downhill monster at Eureka Springs, you will find a place to belong on the trails of Oz.
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