Ouachita National Recreation Trail

Mountain Biking Trail

Details
105.34 mi
16,971 ft
The longest mountain bike trail in Arkansas!

The Ouachita National Recreation Trail “is the longest trail in the Ouachita National Forest spanning 192 miles across its entire length,” [according to]( the USFS. An additional ~32 miles of trail on private land brings the entire trail length up to about 223 miles in total. However, only certain portions of the trail are open to mountain bikes. This 105-mile section is continuously open to bikes, and is almost all entirely on singletrack!

This massive expanse of singletrack makes for a perfect bikepacking objective or, if you’re a true badass, perhaps an epic day ride. You could opt to bikepack this section point-to-point or, by using other trails in the area such as the [Womble]( and the [Lake Ouachita Vista Trail]( create a lollipop or a loop route.

Despite being the longest mountain bike trail in the state, the Ouachita National Recreation Trail still flies well under the radar. “Over 100 miles of the trail is open to mountain bikes and I very rarely run into riders that have been on any of the trail,” said Jake Meredith on []( “It is very challenging in places though. Hike-a-bike is just part of it. It is one of the most rewarding trails though.”

Sources:


Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Whose Idea Was This?2.60 mi-991 ft-7.1%
Right Side of the Tracks1.74 mi-512 ft-2.7%
Take a Dip Then UP6.10 mi1,175 ft3.6%
OT Clear Fork to Cedar Creek7.68 mi1,043 ft0.2%
Hwy 71 East Climb4.37 mi791 ft3.4%
Fs 40 Rd Climb1.18 mi371 ft5.9%
Polk Road 713 Climb0.72 mi354 ft9.3%
Little Bushy rd. to Big Bushy Rec area6.44 mi-741 ft-1.6%
Little Brushy to Big Brushy6.08 mi-663 ft-1.5%
AES BBE Stage 10.58 mi-141 ft-4.5%
A good way to start the Ouachita Challenge1.40 mi-279 ft-3.7%
Sleepy Hollow Descent5.65 mi-748 ft-2.5%
AES BBE Stage 20.59 mi-154 ft-4.9%
More climb 0.84 mi203 ft3.6%
the 2nd Descent on the Challenge Course1.31 mi-341 ft-4.9%
AES BBE Stage 31.04 mi-384 ft-6.9%
Ouachita Race - Aid 1 to Aid 27.57 mi-778 ft-0.3%
Big Brushy to Blowout Mtn4.17 mi650 ft2.8%
Nat For Dev Road 33 Climb1.02 mi364 ft6.7%
Nat For Dev Road 33 Climb0.78 mi322 ft7.7%
Top of the Descent off of Blowout0.72 mi-443 ft-11.7%
Descent off of Blowout1.94 mi-735 ft-7.1%
Bottom Half of the Blowout Descent0.76 mi-390 ft-9.7%
Nsd 8100 Climb0.81 mi407 ft9.5%
OC Chalybeate Climb0.91 mi410 ft8.0%
Sims Loop Descent1.27 mi-354 ft-5.2%
Old Harris Creek Motor Way Climb1.68 mi518 ft5.8%
Down Chalybeate OT2.37 mi-617 ft-4.9%
Forest Service Road 603 Climb0.48 mi289 ft11.1%
OT Descent0.50 mi-233 ft-8.8%
Arkansas 27 Climb0.62 mi266 ft8.1%
J08 Climb1.58 mi554 ft6.6%
Unnamed Rd Climb1.21 mi558 ft8.7%
Gladstone Forest Rd Climb0.91 mi331 ft6.8%
Stoddard Trail Climb1.62 mi587 ft6.8%
Sweet Climb3.62 mi1,004 ft5.0%
Blue Mountain Road Climb0.59 mi348 ft11.1%
Descending east to Old Brushy1.12 mi-407 ft-6.9%
Old Brushy to HWY 73.45 mi-453 ft-0.0%
Happy Ending1.71 mi-456 ft-5.1%
Descending east to Highway 70.67 mi-328 ft-9.2%