Centennial Park: The Best Mountain Biking in Fayetteville, Arkansas?
It feels like every time I write about a mountain bike trail or network in Arkansas, I end up raving about it. And honestly, for good reason! I haven’t ridden a trail network here yet that didn’t leave me grinning (although I wasn’t a huge fan of the BOC Ponca Trails). Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain in Fayetteville is no exception. In fact, it might just be one of my favorite hidden trail gems in the state.
This network is home to a legit World Cup XC course that brings in pro riders multiple times a year. But don’t let that intimidate you— you don’t need a race kit or podium dreams to have a blast here. I’m definitely not a racer, and I still love the mix of fast-and-flowy loops, mellow jumps and drops, and chunky rock descents that keep things interesting.
So if you’re planning a trip to Northwest Arkansas and looking to branch out beyond Bentonville, definitely put Centennial Park on your list. You can even combine it with a day at Mt. Kessler. Here’s everything you need to know for your first ride.
Quick Tips
For mountain biking at Centennial Park
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
The Good & Not So Good of Mountain Biking at Centennial Park
What I like
What I don’t
Planning your Centennial Park ride
Best trails to hit
One big ride can cover most of the best trails. Here are my favorites
- Learners Permit (beginner)
- World Cup (intermediate+)
- Captain Fantastic (intermediate)
- Hail Mary (advanced)
Tip: I like to warm up on the northeast side and then pedal over to the downhill trails on the southeast side.
Route recommendations
- The In-and-Out Loop (beginner) – Nice great beginner-friendly loop. The route starts in a weird place. Just start at the main parking area and start with Fayetteville Traverse counterclockwise.
- Centennial Park Greatest Hits (intermediate) – This is my go-to route whenever I’m back here. It covers the World Cup tracks as well as the two best downhill lines on the south side: Captain Fantastic and Hail Mary.
Centennial Park Trail Map
FAQs & Planning Tips
🅿️ Parking: There’s a large parking area at the top of Millsap Mountain, which is where I usually park. Here are the Google directions.
🗺️ Navigating the trails: The trails are well-signed, but there are no trail maps. I recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.
💧 Water: Don’t plan on water.
📅 How many days: I love riding here often when I’m in NWA for longer stays, but if you’re only visiting you really just need one day.
☀️ When to go: The trails are rideable year-round, but please don’t ride them when wet and muddy.
🚲 What type of bike to bring: A short or mid-travel full-suspension mountain bike.
⚡️ E-bikes: Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed at Centennial Park (and pretty much all of Arkansas).
Centennial Park is one of my favorite places to ride in Northwest Arkansas. It has a great mix of trails from XC flow to legit downhill tracks. There’s rock tech, swoopy berms, big drops, and even a paved beginners loop (Pop Rocks).
If you’re looking to expand your rides outside of the Bentonville area, I definitely recommend taking a trip down to Fayetteville to check out the Centennial Park trails at Millsap Mountain. I think you’ll love it!
Have you explored the mountain bike trails at Centennial Park in Fayetteville, AR? What did you think of the World Cup track? Leave a comment below!
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