The experience of riding a bicycle depends a lot on where you take your bike for a ride, as well as what bicycle you own. You need to ride a bike for the ride track and vice versa. If you own a cool mountain bike but only ride it on your commute, then you aren’t getting the most out of your bike. If you want to take your bike for a real spin and hone your skills as an outdoor cyclist, then read on, and learn about the best mountain bike trails in Bentonville AR.

Riding a bicycle so work may be a very wholesome and calming thing to do, however, it doesn’t negate the fact that bicycles can also a much extremer outdoor activity as well. There are essentially three kinds of cyclists. The first kind includes folks who want to save their money, the environment and stay healthy so they ride a bicycle on their daily commutes. The second kind is hardcore cyclists who ride their cycles at high speeds for a good workout and are usually seen wearing proper cyclist gear – these cyclists participate in races as well sometimes. Then, finally, we have mountain bikers, the most extreme of the three.

Mountain bikers ride specially designed bicycles with powerful shocks and multiple gears, that allow them to traverse off-road terrain. If you ask us, mountain bikers have the most fun out of the world’s bicycle riding population. When you ride a bicycle, you get to take in so much of your surroundings and then there’s that feeling of freedom that comes from traversing on two wheels. However, mountain bikers require more than just a pretty environment to ride in, they need obstacles and challenges.

If you’re a mountain biker who lives in Bentonville, then you’re in luck because we’re about to list and review 5 of the best mountain bike trails in Bentonville AR. Some mountain biker trails are full of obstacles that can be dangerous for novice bikers while others are less extreme but still fun. North West Arkansas is known for its scenic trails and some of these trails have even won awards. People from all over the world come to take on these trails and participate in challenges involving them. Of course, this also means that there’s a decent local scene for mountain bikers as well.

If you want to hone your skills to participate in a mountain trail competition, then this list will prove to be especially useful to you. Even if you’re just looking for a fun track to ride on to chase the adrenaline rush, you can find one that suits your preferences in scenery and riding skill level on here.

Top 5 Best Mountain Bike Trails in Bentonville AR

• Slaughter Pen Trail

The Slaughter Pen Trail is a 50% Singletrack trail that stretches on for a whole 23.7Miles, making it the longest trail on our list. To get there, you can take Interstate 540 and make an exit at U.S 71B. From there, you just have to drive for another mile before you can ditch your car in the parking lot and get out your bike for some real fun.

This trail is rated to be of moderate difficulty, meaning that you don’t have to be an absolute madman on a bicycle to be able to take it on. The trail loops, making it a great place to practice riding. The faster you ride, the more challenging the Slaughter Pen Trails become, making them perfect for novice and pro mountain bikers alike.

• Lake Leatherwood Trail

The Lake Leatherwood Trail is about the only natural downhill trail in the area, which means that you have to be very nimble and in control of your bike to ride it safely. This trail stretches for about 20.8 miles and it’s 95% single track, meaning that you’re getting from point A to Point B with no loops. The difficulty of this trail is pretty much hardcore since it’s got lots of technical drops and the climbs are the kind where you need to get it right the first time. This location is popular for short track racing events where pro mountain bikers from all over the world come to compete. There are also a number of social gatherings and music festivals that happen here.

• Mount Kessler Trail

This is a single-track trail that stretches for 13.6 miles. There are two kinds of mountain bikers that like coming here; the kind who want to have fun but also want to take in some good scenery as well and then those who love jumping from rock to rock on their bikes with no fear of not making it. The trail may be short, but don’t mistake it for anything less of a challenge for those who’re looking for it. This trail isn’t novice-friendly but if you have some experience under your belt, you’ll be just fine.

• Devil’s Den State Park

This single-track trail is short and only stretches for about 5.6 miles and is a single track. However, the Devil’s Den Park is still very popular, not because of its difficulty, but because of its status as one of the oldest mountain bike trails in all of Arkansas. The trail itself is known as Fossil Flats and is very scenic and doubles as a great spot for camping and fishing as well. It’s popular for the mountain bike championship and festival events that take place each year. It’s a great track for racing.

• Back 40 & Blowing Springs Loop Trail

Back 40 is a long trail that stretches for 22.2 miles while the Blowing Springs Loop is about 4 miles. This trail is popular all over the world for being a great track with pretty much everything; great downhills, some technical obstacles and pretty much whatever a mountain bike rider will enjoy. The scenery here is a lot more interesting than Slaughter Pen since you’ll see many caves, springs, and waterfalls along the way. It’s a great trail that welcomes all bikers.