There are several different trailheads throughout the system where you can begin your ride; however, I like to jumpstart my ride with the All American Trail. This exciting, mostly downhill, feature-packed trail begins just off the Bentonville downtown square. In 2018, the entrance was extended to begin across from a water splash pad (which makes for a refreshing romp following a hot day of mountain biking).

All American’s slab rock-laden banked turns, wooden and rock skinnies, small jumps, and high earthen banked turns are sure to get the adrenaline pumping.

You’ll also want to pause halfway down the trail to follow a spur trail that offers an overhead bird’s eye view of the world-renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of Art. Well-worth a pause in your ride.

Upon reaching the bottom of All American, take a short sprint on a paved bike path to cross NE A Street to enter the first pocket park on Rocking Horse Trail. I recommend riding this in a clockwise direction, transitioning to Boo Boo for a short climb to an elevated hub. You can continue to circumnavigate the park, but I enjoy using the momentum from the hub for a thrilling, fast ride down Choo Choo.

Choo Choo is a short downhill directional run with a continuous string of high-banked earthen berms that keep you rocking and rolling from side to side throughout the trail.

Leaving the park, you follow another paved bikeway to reach the remaining parks in the trail system.

Leopard Loop is a nice, flowy run, with a long, narrow wooden meandering bridge being the main attraction.

Just after entering Park Springs, riding counterclockwise, you ride over one of the highlights of this area, Phil Penny of Rogue Trails’ signature rock. In the middle of a sweeping rock-laden banked turn is a large rock in the shape of the state of Arkansas. The trails here also routes cyclists through a scenic water garden area.

After wringing all the fun to be had from the Park Springs trails, don’t bother returning to the street where you entered. Just drop down the hillside to reach the remaining section of trails via a tunnel. How cool is that?

Emerging from the tunnel, you enter the latest addition to this group of trails, a network of several old school “handmade” trails. I recommend climbing up the trail to your right on Apple Dumplin to ride counterclockwise, making sure you take the high ground when given an option to catch a couple of fun features. Then return, riding Black Apple Creek Trail, and finish with a challenging rocky ledge-y scramble on Apple Turnover.