Mountain Biking in Fayetteville, Arkansas: Is It Worth It? (Spoiler: Absolutely!)
Everyone’s heard about the incredible riding in Bentonville. If you haven’t, you might be living under a rock. But what many riders don’t realize is that Arkansas has destination-worthy trails beyond Bentonville, too.
One of my favorite spots? Fayetteville. Just south of the MTB capital, this laid-back college town has some seriously fun and underrated riding. Two of my go-to trail networks—Centennial Park and Mount Kessler—are just minutes from town, with Mount Fitzgerald a short drive north and several other systems nearby.
Sure, Bentonville lives up to the hype, but if you’ve already been or have extra time to explore, Fayetteville is 100% worth adding to your Arkansas mountain biking itinerary. Here’s what you need to know about hitting the trails.
Highlights of mountain biking in Fayetteville
Fayetteville mountain biking map
The two closest trail networks to Fayetteville are Centennial Park and Kessler Mountain. But there are other trail networks within a short drive that are also worth checking out like Mount Fitzgerald and Sequoia Woods.
Plan your rides
1. Start at Centennial Park
While I love all these trail networks in Fayetteville, I think Centennial Park is my favorite. Not only does it have a super cool World Cup track that pros from all over the US (and maybe even the world) ride, but there are a ton of other great trails, too. It’s worth pedaling over to the DH lines on the southside to ride Captain Fantastic (so fantastic) and the rocky tech downhill lines if that’s within your skill set.
Centennial Park is also a great place to work on skills – there are big berms for cornering, professionally built jumps and drops you can trust, and Learner’s Permit where you can put it all together.
If you’re looking for a bigger, ride you can also connect Centennial Park with Mt. Kessler. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into – this could be a very big, exhausting day.
2. Head over to Mt. Kessler
Mt. Kessler is fun – at least I think so, but I also like rocky tech and challenging rides. It’s definitely a step up from Centennial Park. The thing to know about riding at Kessler is that it’s not easy. Sure, there are stretches of fast flow and smooth, bermed singletrack, but I’d say the majority of the trails here are better suited for intermediate+ riders who enjoy technical riding.
If you really want to challenge yourself, try your hand at Bewitched. There’s a super long skinny that is pretty intimidating! Also, if you want to ride Spellbound, I highly recommend going clockwise. I rode it the other way and it was not very enjoyable….
3. Ride “The Best Trail Ever” and visit Coyote Cave at Mount Fitzgerald
Ok, so Mount Fitzgerald isn’t technically Fayetteville – it’s actually in Springdale a few miles north, but it’s worth a mention. You could stop here on your way from Bentonville to Fayetteville.
Mount Fitzgerald is one of my favorite places to ride in NWA for a quick loop that packs in a lot. Coyote Cave and Best Trail Ever (ride it counterclockwise) are the highlight trails here with impressive rock work and great flow.
On the south side of Mount Fitzgerald, there’s a small new-school area with three freeride trails starting from a main hub and three flow tracks. Unfortunately, these trails don’t seem to get the same love as Bentonville’s trails, so the last time I was there they were in slightly rough shape, but still worth checking out.
4. Go rouge at Lincoln Lake
I enjoyed my ride at Lincoln Lake, however, it’s definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. The trails here are filled with rocks and are in varying states of unmaintainedness. That being said, I didn’t see any other mountain bikers (there were a few hikers) and I personally love those kids of solo, backcountry rides regardless of how ‘fun’ the trails are.
One thing to note if you do decide to ride here is that finding the trail at the start can be a little tricky. I almost gave up on my ride because I got on a hiking spur trail, not the main trail. It should actually look like a rideable trail, not a hike-a-bike through a rock field.
5. Lake Wedington
I’m going to be honest here, I haven’t actually ridden Lake Wedington… I did drive out there but I just wasn’t in the mood to ride my bike that day. I’m sure you can relate? Anyway, when I do ride these trails (and I do plan on getting back out there), I’ll give some more insight into what to expect and whether it’s worth it.
For now, I can say that the Lake Wedington trails look pretty cross-country with some good views out over the water. If you want to take things up a notch with a bit more ‘backcountry’ tech, it seems like doing an out-and-back on Twin Knobs is a popular choice. Judging from photos, there may be trees down, though!
What about Sequoia Woods? If you look at the map of Fayetteville mountain biking on TrailForks, you’ll see a network called Sequoia Woods. Truthfully, I haven’t ridden here so I can’t add my personal take on the trails there, but they don’t get good reviews. If you’re just visiting, I recommend sticking to the five trail networks I’ve mentioned above.
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.
Fayetteville might not get the same spotlight as Bentonville, but the riding here is legit. Between Centennial Park, Mount Kessler, and Mount Fitzgerald, there’s plenty to keep you rolling for a few days. The trails are fun, the town has a great vibe, and it’s pretty easy to get around. If you’re already in the area or looking to mix things up, Fayetteville is definitely worth a stop on your two-wheeled adventuring!
Have you explored the mountain bike trails in Fayetteville, AR? What did you think? What’s your favorite trail network or go-to loop? Leave a comment below!
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