Arkansas: Home to More IMBA Epics than Any Other State!

Arkansas's Ozark and Ouachita mountains protect true wilderness and miles and miles of epic singletrack!

Greg Heil

Images

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View from atop Hickory Mountain!

by Addie Teo

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Crek crossing, LOViT style.

by Addie Teo

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Small bike pic with viewIMG_8660 (2).jpg
Another great view!

by Addie Teo

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Lunch with friends and a view of Lake Ouachita!

by Addie Teo

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Stream in the Upper Buffalo Headwaters area.

by Steven Deckert

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Small waterfall.

by Nathan Wentz

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Nathan splashing through a stream crossing.

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View of White River

by Denny Hess

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Climb to bluff view.

by Denny Hess

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Stairway to Heaven

by Denny Hess

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Syllamo Trail straightway.

by Denny Hess

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Jack's Branch Loop.jpg
View of White River

by Denny Hess

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Syllamo Trail

by Denny Hess

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Syllamo Trail singletrack.

by Denny Hess

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Typical trail sign on the Syllamo.

by Denny Hess

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One of many views on the Syllamo Trails.

by Denny Hess

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# 614 OC overall female winner Jessica Rawlins.JPG
# 614 OC overall female winner Jessica Rawlins leading the pack.

by Bob Robinson

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#42 Kevin Conerly overall OC winner in good postion at early water crossing.JPG
#42 Kevin Conerly overall OC winner in good postion at early water crossing.

by Bob Robinson

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Clay Hunter pulling away on descent at OC

by Bob Robinson

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Having some fun on the Womble

by Bob Robinson

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Intense shot of heated competion thru forest of the Womble.JPG
Heated and intense competition thru forest of the OC.

by Bob Robinson

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Description

For years, IMBA’s list of “Epic” rides has inspired mountain bikers from around the world to pack their bags and travel to a far-flung locale to pedal a long, gnarly, challenging backcountry trail that was almost guaranteed to change your life. IMBA describes their epics as "immersive rides that are technically and physically challenging, beautiful to behold and worthy of celebration.” These trails are so worthy of celebration that many mountain bikers have set a lifelong goal of completing all of the rides on IMBA’s list of Epics.

That goal could prove challenging, as the list continues to change over time. New trails are added almost every year due to the crowd-sourced nomination process, and occasionally old trails are removed. But the trails that remain are always worthy of exploration!

While many states—or even countries—can only claim to have a single Epic Ride, the state of Arkansas is home to five designated epics—the most out of any state in the country! If you’ve never ridden in Arkansas before, you might find yourself a bit shocked by this revelation… but if you’ve had the opportunity to venture deep into the Ozark and Ouachita mountains, you know that Arkansas is home to plenty of true wilderness and epic singletrack!

Plan your visit to Arkansas around this list of IMBA’s five Epic Rides!

Source:
IMBA.com

Adventures

Lake Ouachita Vista Trail

The LOViT trail is a sweet IMBA Epic singletrack that has everything you’d want in a mountain bike ride.

Womble Trail

The Womble Trail is an IMBA Epic Trail that offers 37 miles of steep, rocky climbs; narrow trails cut into the mountainside with intimidating drop-offs; and fun, flowy descents.

Syllamo: White River Bluff Trail

This short lollipop trail is a snapshot of the entire Syllamo Trail System, with some easy, rolling pine tree-lined sections, rocky trail, and bluffs with views.