Devil’s Den State Park: My Favorite Mountain Bike Trails in Arkansas!
Out of all the places I’ve mountain biked in Arkansas (and honestly around the United States – which is a lot!) Devil’s Den State Park is one of my favorite places to ride. The geology and rock features on Devil’s Racetrack are super unique and beautiful (you probably haven’t ridden anything like it) and the views above the river from We Can Take It are stunning. Then there’s the pure fun descent down Sparky!
Any time I find myself back in Arkansas, I make sure to hit up the Devil’s Den mountain bike trails at least once – my favorite route (see below) never gets old. If you’re planning a trip to NWA, read on to learn everything you need to know about the mountain bike trails at Devil’s Den State Park.
Quick Tips
For mountain biking at Devil’s Den State 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 Devil’s Den State Park
What I like
What I don’t
Planning your Devil’s Den State Park Ride
Best trails to hit
Honestly, all of the trails at Devil’s Den are worth checking out, but here are my favorites:
- Devil’s Racetrack (intermediate)
- We Can Take It (intermediate)
- Sparky (intermediate)
- Orville (advanced)
Tip: There is a river crossing after finishing Sparky or Orville. If there’s been a lot of rain, your feet/legs will get wet.
Route recommendation
- Devil’s Racetrack (intermediate) – This route doesn’t cover the north end trails, but still hits most of the highlights.
- Devil’s Den Highlights (intermediate+) – My go-to route! Warning: the back trails may be in a bit of rough shape… If you have more climbing in you, head up the We Can Take It switchbacks and hit Orville.
Devil’s Den Trail Map
FAQs & Planning Tips
🅿️ Parking: There are several parking areas that access the mountain bike trails, but I recommend parking at the Devil’s Racetrack Parking Lot (bathrooms but no water). If you’re just visiting for the day and plan on doing the full tour (see route recommendation below), this is a great starting point.
Another popular place to park is Campground A, which also has quick access to the trails as well as post-ride showers.
🗺️ Navigating the trails: The trails aren’t as well marked as they could be, especially the farther out you go from the campground. I recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.
🎟️ Fees: There is no day-use fee for riding at Devil’s Den.
💧 Water: There are no water fountains on the trails, but the campground has water.
📅 How many days: You can cover most of the trails in one day using my route recommendations above, but if you have the time, I suggest camping overnight and spending two full days there.
☀️ When to go: The trails are rideable year-round, but they may be closed temporarily for rain or snow.
🚲 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 Devil’s Den (and pretty much all of Arkansas).
🚌 Shuttle: There is no shuttle up Mt. Nebo. I think there may have been one at one point in time, but currently there isn’t one. Bring your climbing legs or opt for an e-bike. Of course you can always shuttle yourself if you have two vehicles.
⛺️ Camping: There’s a large campground at Devil’s Den State Park (135 sites) as well as also full-service cabins with kitchens and bathrooms and rustic ‘camper cabins’ with no facilities.
If you plan on camping, I recommend trying to get campsites 1 -23 since they are located closest to the mountain bike trails. There are bathrooms, showers, and a nice river to relax by post-ride.
Advanced reservations for camping are highly recommended. You can book your campsite or cabin here.
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.
Devil’s Den State Park is a special place and the mountain biking there is some of the best in the state. I’ve never seen such cool rock formations! Visiting in the spring when the red buds are blooming and the waterfalls are running is an experience I won’t forget. If you’re in Arkansas and looking for a great ride, definitely put Devil’s Den on your list!
What questions do you have about mountain biking at Devil’s Den State Park? Have you ridden these trails? What did you think? Leave a comment below!
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