Mountain Biking the (Semi-Sweet) Little Sugar Trails in Bella Vista: Ride Guide + Tips
Most mountain bikers come to Bentonville for the new school flow and features of the Slaughter Pen trails and Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. But I think the cross-country riding in NWA is well worth checking out, too (and I say this as someone who doesn’t wear a tight-fitting lycra kit).
The Little Sugar trail network up in Bella Vista has some good singletrack to lay down the miles including the 25-mile Tunnel Vision Loop (although there are plenty of shorter rides as well). Little Sugar is similar to the Back 40 trails, which cover the east side of Bella Vista, but the two trail networks do offer their own unique terrain and riding appeal. Little Sugar has a bit more spice and sass than the Back 40 trails.
I don’t recommend spending your whole trip to Bentonville at Little Sugar (or the Back 40 for that matter), but it does warrant a ride or two. In this post, I share everything you need to know about checking out the Little Sugar trails and the Tunnel Vision Loop.
Quick Tips
For mountain biking Little Sugar
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 Little Sugar
What I like
What I don’t
5-Day Bentonville Mountain Biking Itinerary
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Planning your Little Sugar Rides
Best trails to hit
Little Sugar has one big 25 mile loop (Tunnel Vision), but unless you’re set on it, I recommend piecing in other trails for a short ride.
- Tango Whiskey (intermediate)
- Staggerwing (intermediate)
- Bamboozled (intermediate)
- Down Under (intermediate)
- Air-Raid (advanced )
- Danger Will Robinson (advanced)
- Sick-A-More (advanced)
Tip: Little Sugar is more rugged and challenging than Back 40.
Route recommendations
- Down Under (beginner+) – Fast flow, steep climbs, paved stretches – it’s got a bit of everything. Ride it CCW.
- Modelo Loop (intermediate) – A classic Little Sugar ride. Maybe you’ll even find a Modelo…
- Quick North Lago Vista (intermediate+) – Another classic ride. Not super interesting, but it does have some good flow.
- Spicy Modelo (advanced) – Bring snacks and water for this one!
Little Sugar Trail Map
Back 40 or Little Sugar? You’ve probably noticed that the mountain bike trails in Bella Vista are split into two halves: the Back 40 trails aaand the Little Sugar trails. Which ones are better? You’d think that both sides would be pretty similar, but they’re actually not. Here’s how they compare:
Back 40
Little Sugar
So which do I prefer? I prefer Back 40 over Little Sugar.
FAQs & Planning Tips
🅿️ Parking: Since Little Sugar is so spread out over Bella Vista, there are lots of places to park to start your ride. Check out my route recommendations above to see where to park based on what ride you want to do.
🗺️ Navigating the trails: The trails are well-signed and there are maps at most major intersections. However, I still recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone because it’s easy to take a wrong turn and end up doing a lot of bonus miles.
💧 Water: Actually, yes. There are a handful of water fountains installed around Little Sugar and some trail adopters actually put out coolers filled with water bottles. That said, you can’t rely on these, so bring enough water to get you back to your car.
📅 How many days: Honestly, I’d say just one if you want to check it out. I prefer the Back 40 for XC-style riding and then there’s so much more around Bentonville.
☀️ 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 mountain bike.
⚡️ E-bikes: Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes are allowed at Little Sugar (and pretty much everywhere in Arkansas).
👙 Swimming: If you park at the Bluebird Parking area, there’s easy access down to the river. There’s a rocky beach and a nice place to take a dip.
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.
Overall, the Little Sugar trails aren’t my favorite in Bentonville and Bella Vista, but if you have the time or you want to beat yourself up a bit, they are worth checking out. The Huntley Gravity Zone is pretty cool and I really like the pocket of trails in the NW corner (Staggerwing, Long Shadow, Immortal Amanda, etc…) Just make sure you bring lots of snacks and water – the miles here are surprisingly tough!
Have you ridden the Little Sugar trails in Bella Vista? What are your thoughts? Do you prefer these or the Back 40? Leave a comment and let me know!
Read next
Want even more planning tips for NWA? Download my Bentonville Mountain Biking Itinerary
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