Flow Meets Tech at Handcut Hollow: A Guide to Bentonville’s Off-The-Beaten Path Trails
I’ll be totally upfront, Handcut Hollow isn’t my favorite place to ride in Bentonville. Actually, it might be at the bottom of my list. And judging by how quiet the trails usually are when I’m out there, I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way.
That said, it’s not a bad trail network. There are definitely some highlights: Interplanet Janet is a blast, and if you’re up for a real challenge, Zone 4 will absolutely test your skills (and your lungs). But overall, Handcut Hollow just doesn’t have the same fun factor or flow that you’ll find at Slaughter Pen, Coler, or Blowing Springs. The trails here make you work. Tight switchbacks, steep climbs, rock gardens, and off-camber roots are the name of the game here.
If you’re a fan of old-school tech and quieter trails, you might really enjoy it. But if you’re only in Northwest Arkansas for a short visit, I’d say save it for another trip and focus your ride time on the main networks instead.
Quick Tips
For mountain biking Handcut Hollow
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 Handcut Hollow
What I like
What I don’t
5-Day Bentonville Mountain Biking Itinerary
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Planning your HandCut Hollow Rides
Best trails to hit
HandCut Hollow isn’t a big trail network. You can hit most of the best trails in one ride.
- Interplanet Janet (intermediate)
- Body Machine (intermediate)
- Ready or Not (intermediate)
- My Hero Zero (intermediate)
- Traverse (intermediate+)
- School House Rock (advanced)
Tip: I prefer riding Traverse Trail clockwise
Route recommendations
- Traverse Loop (intermediate+) – This 7.5-mile loop is pure old-school riding at its core.
- One Day at HandCut Hollow (intermediate) – A good intro to the network. Keep lapping the DH trails at the end if you want more.
HandCut Hollow Trail Map
How hard is Zone 4? The brief given to the trail builders of Zone 4 (there were several crews that worked on it) was to build the hardest climbing trail possible. To date, I don’t think anyone has cleaned the whole thing in one go, including pro riders.
FAQs & Planning Tips
🅿️ Parking: There are two main parking areas for Handcut Hollow. The upper parking lot is large and has the iconic hatchet sculpture, but if you park here, you’ll need to finish your ride on a pretty hefty uphill, so keep that in mind. There’s a smaller parking lot at the bottom, which is great if you just want to do laps from the Handcut Hollow DH Hub.
🗺️ Navigating the trails: The trails are easy to navigate for the most part. All the trails are well-signed and it’s not a huge trail network. That said, I recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.
🚻 Bathrooms: There are no bathrooms.
💧 Water: There may be a water station at the bottom of the hub dh trails, but I’m not 100% sure. I’ll check next time I visit Bentonviille.
📅 How many days: Honestly, unless you’ve already ridden everything else or you really like handcut trails, I’d give HandCut Hollow on ride max. The downhill trails from the hub are cool and they’re short, so you could spend an hour or two lapping those, especially if you’re on an e-bike.
☀️ When to go: Bentonville can be ridden year-round depending on the weather.
🚲 What type of bike to bring: A short or mid-travel full-suspension bike would be best.
⚡️ E-bikes: Yes, class 1 pedal assist e-bikes are allowed at Handcut Hollow (and pretty much everywhere in Arkansas).
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.
At the end of the day, Handcut Hollow isn’t trying to be the flashy, flowy centerpiece of Bentonville’s trail scene, and that’s okay. It offers a different kind of ride: one that’s raw, rugged, and a bit more under the radar. If you’re looking to challenge your skills on techy terrain without the crowds, it might be just what you’re after. But if it’s your first time in Bentonville or you’re short on time, stick to the headliners. Handcut Hollow will still be there if you find yourself craving something a little more offbeat next time!
Have you ridden the HandCut Hollow? What are your thoughts? Too old-school or just right? Leave a comment and let me know!
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