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BOC Ponca Downhill MTB Trails: My Take & What You Should Know

ByBecky Timbers
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Trail sign for the BOC Ponca downhill mountain bike trails
Photo out over front of mountain bike handlbars onto large rock drop at the BOC Ponca downhill trails

I’ve been struggling to figure out what to say about the BOC Ponca downhill mtb trails… On one hand, I want to talk them up because the Buffalo River area is beautiful and definitely worth checking out, but on the other hand, I didn’t think they were honestly that amazing. Truthfully? I probably won’t ride them again.

After exploring so many of the mountain bike trail networks around Arkansas, I’ve come to have pretty high expectations for the singletrack riding around the state. But the Ponca trails fell pretty short in my book, which was disappointing – I’d had high hopes!

I don’t want to discourage you from checking them out, but in this post, I give my honest review of my day riding the shuttle and exploring each of the trails. If you do want to visit the Buffalo River area (which I absolutely recommend doing), I also give a few other ways you can experience this part of Arkansas off the mountain bike.

Quick Tips

For riding the BOC Ponca downhill mountain bike trails

  • This is not a machine-built bike park. Most of the trails are hand-cut and rugged.
  • There are some big rock drops and features here.
  • It is not beginner friendly.
  • Shuttles run daily in spring, summer, and fall. No need to make a reservation.
  • The trail back to the shuttle pick-up is uphill (about 200 ft in 0.7 miles).
  • There’s no cell service on the lower half.

TWW Take

Please note that these are my personal opinions – you may argue otherwise! And if so, state your case (politely) in the comments 🙂

Fun-ness Factor

Trail Variety

Average Difficulty

Photo out over front of mountain bike handlebars onto rocky trail lined with green grass at the BOC Ponca Downhill Trails in Arkansas

What I like about the Ponca MTB Trails

  • The Buffalo Outdoor Center is really cool.
  • It’s beautiful!
  • There are some unique trail features, both natural and manmade.
  • Rugged, remote, backcountry feel.

What I don’t

  • The trails are not well-maintained (at least when I was there)
  • It’s very loose and gravelly.
  • Most of the trail features are big and scary: huge drops and gap jumps.
  • There’s more pedaling required than I like for shuttled downhill days.
Trail sign for the Ponca downhill mountain bike trails in Arkansas

BOC Ponca Downhill MTB Trails Map

The BOC Ponca Downhill trails offer over 11 miles of steep, technical singletrack with features like gap jumps, rock drops, and wooden ramps. The top-to-bottom runs are +/- 6 miles and take at least 30 minutes (probably more!).

Quick stats:

  • Miles of trail: 10 miles
  • Max elevation: 2,324 fee
  • Vertical drop: 1,244 feet
  • Number of trails: 8 downhill trails
  • Lifts: Shuttle bus
Wooden ramp onto a steep rock slab on mountain bike trail in Arkansas
This wooden ramp to rock slab roller on White Lightening is steeper than it looks. There are some big trail features on the Ponca downhill trails

Trail rundown

There are 7 downhill trails at Ponca. Depending on what route you take down, it’s about 6 miles from the shuttle drop-off at the top back to the Buffalo Outdoor Center.

  • Buffalo River Run: This is the ‘easiest’ trail and a good first run. The middle section is pretty rocky and technical with pedaling required. The lower half is faster, but still not technical aside from the loose gravel.
  • Upper Miner’s Downhill: I preferred to take this trail down from the top. It’s a semi-jump line and in better shape than Buffalo River Run.
  • Lower Miner’s Downhill: This was one of my favorites. It’s very rocky and technical in places, but that’s the kind of riding I like!a
  • White Lightening: I imagine this is probably the ‘highlight trail’ for many people who ride the Ponca DH trails. If you take the alt-line, there are some wooden features and a long rock slab roller.
  • Mule Kicker: This trail is a good second run. It’s not quite as steep as Skull Crusher, but it’s a bit more interesting than Buffalo River Run.
  • Skull Crusher: Steep and raw with big high-stakes drops. I actually preferred this one over Mule Kicker.

If you want to ride all the trails at least once, here are the three runs I did:

  1. Buffalo River Run all the way down
  2. Upper Miner’s Run > Lower Miner’s Run > Mule Kicker
  3. White Lightening > Skull Crusher

⚠️ Safety on the BOC Ponca Downhill Trails: This is a place where you really need to think about safety. For starters, there is no cell service on the lower half of the trails, so you won’t be able to call for help. Ponca is also VERY remote. It will take some time to get an ambulance there and even more time to transport you to a hospital. Ride within your skill level and don’t take unnecessary risks. I recommend wearing a full face helmet.

Trail sign warning mountain bikers not to ride alone at the BOC Ponca mountain bike trails in Arkansas
As a solo rider, this didn’t make me feel great 😅

Watch BKXC ride the BOC Ponca Downhill Trails

Apparently, he liked them more than I did 😅 The trails also look in better shape.

Photo out over front of mountain bike handlebars onto wooden ramp drop over dirt road at BOC Ponca downhill mountain bike trails
This is a road gap drop on Skull Crusher – it seemed like all the trail features were either small or huge like this one
Loose gravel singletrack trail through the woods
Much of the trails are loose gravel…
Rocky trail at the BOC Ponca downhill mountain bike trails in Arkansas
Expect some rough pedaling as well

FAQs for the BOC Ponca Downhill MTB Trails

Got questions? I’ve got answers! Here are some helpful tips for your trip out to Ponca.

Ponca is a tiny, tiny ‘town’ (population 9), located in the Buffalo River area. It’s about 1 hour and 40 minutes southeast of Bentonville.

Yes, and you’ll probably have a better time on one.

The shuttle runs daily in the spring, summer, and fall. It’s pretty casual, so just show up to the Buffalo Outdoor Center, purchase your shuttle pass ($40 full day or $20 half day), and let them know when you’re ready to head up the hill. No need to book ahead of time.

Yes. The trails are free and open to the public. There is parking both at the bottom at BOC and at the top. You don’t need to pay to ride the trails if you do a self-shuttle.

You can pedal up Buffalo River Run. All the other trails are downhill-only.

Yes. BOC has full-suspension mountain bikes that you can rent, which come with a full face helmet.

The Buffalo Outdoor Center has a little deli counter where you can order sandwiches. Up the road is another outfitter that has a food truck and a general store.

I recommend a mid-travel full-suspension mountain bike. I rode my Santa Cruz Bronson, which is 150 rear travel, 160 front travel and felt like that was perfect. You don’t want a downhill bike.

No, they’re really not. If you’re newer to mountain biking or have young kids, I don’t recommend riding the BOC Ponca trails. Your day will probably end with tears.

Photo out over front of mountain bike handlebars onto rocky trail lined with green grass at the BOC Ponca Downhill Trails in Arkansas
The trails are quite beautiful, though!

Need gear recs?

Head over to my gear closet! I’m always testing out new pieces of bike gear and if I really like them, they earn a place on this page.

See my gear favorites

Camping & Where to Stay

Despite its whopping population of 9, there are actually a number of great places to stay in Ponca. Here are your options:

⛺️ Steele Creek Campground: This small, no-frills campground is on the banks of the Buffalo River. A few things to note about it, though: there is no cell service, the road down is very steep and switchbacked so no RVs or tow-behinds, and the tent camping is more like a group campsite than individual sites.

🚐 BOC RV Park: This is located up on the ridge near the start of the downhill trails. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to stay there because there is no shade or privacy. Tents are also not allowed.

🏠 BOC Cabins & Vacation Rentals: If you want to splurge a bit, I recommend booking one of the BOC cabins. They’re super cute and private – some even have hot tubs! You can also check VRBO for some cool rental options around Ponca.

Antique car filling up gas at Ponca, Arkansas gas station. Sign says "population 9"
Ponca: Population 9!

Other things to do in the Buffalo River area

Even if you don’t ride the BOC Ponca downhill mtb trails, I still highly recommend heading out to the Buffalo River area for some exploration. It’s beautiful and there are lots of ways to get out and enjoy nature.

  • Hike Lost Valley: The Lost Valley Trail is one of the more popular trails in the area, but for good reason. There are waterfalls and caves and beautiful Ozark scenery.
  • Hike out to Whitaker Point: This is where Hawksbill Crag is, an iconic overlook in Arkansas.
  • Float the Buffalo River: My dad and I rented a canoe from BOC and floated from Steele Creek to Kyle’s landing it was a blast and so beautiful. You can also hike up to the Big Bluff Lookout from the river and hike out to Hemmed-In Hollow Falls.

Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by the BOC Ponca Downhill trails. While the setting is beautiful and the potential for big, rowdy lines is definitely there, the trails didn’t feel as well maintained as I’d hoped. There was more pedaling than expected for a shuttle-accessed network, and many of the features were huge—fun to look at, but intimidating to actually ride. If you’re a confident rider looking for serious airtime and steep, techy descents, you might love it here. But for intermediate riders or those expecting a more polished gravity experience, in my opinion, it falls a bit short. That said, the Buffalo River area is amazing, so still get out there to hike or float the river!

Are the BOC Ponca mountain bike trails something you want to check out? Have you already been there? What was your experience like? Leave a comment below!

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Becky is the creator and founder of the bike blog Two Wheeled Wanderer. She's been riding bikes and traveling the world since she was a kid and likes nothing more than enjoying some flowy singletrack or embarking on a multi-day bikepacking adventure. When she's not blogging, Becky is a Level 1 PMBIA-certified mountain bike coach and coaches with Ladies AllRide.

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