Mountain Biking Mt. Kessler Trails: A NWA Hidden Gem

Looking for great mountain biking around Fayetteville, AR? Check out the Mt. Kessler trails! Learn what to expect and how to link up your ride.

Quick tips for Mountain Biking at Mt. Kessler

There are rocks, rocks, and more rocks
Don’t climb the black trails unless you really want a beat-down
A run down Flight Training is a must! (It’s not really a black)
Miles are hard-won here, don’t make your ride too ambitious (see my route recommendation below)

Fayetteville, Arkansas is home to a handful of small mountain bike trail networks, but the two that most people consider ‘the best’ are Centennial Park and Mt. Kessler. I’ve spent quite a bit of time exploring both – they’re right next to each other – and while they might not have the hype that Bentonville trails do, I still think they’re pretty darn fun and worth checking out.

The Mt. Kessler trails are a funky mix of machine-built singletrack and rough, ROCKY, old-school terrain. If you do not like rocks, I recommend skipping this place! But if you are up for a bit of a battering (in a good way :), I highly recommend giving Mt. Kessler a go. It’s unique, challenging, and a must-ride if you’re in Bentonville and want to explore farther afield.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about spending a day exploring the Mt. Kessler trails.

Trail Map

Map of the Mt. Kessler mountain bike trails in Fayetteville Arkansas — Mt. Kessler is located just southeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas

What I love about Mt. Kessler

I make sure to ride Mt. Kessler at least once whenever I’m in Fayetteville. Here are a few reasons I loved it:

Old-school rocky tech. I realize this isn’t going to be everyone’s idea of fun, but I really do like a solid day of techy riding and Mt. Kessler has that. From the tricky rock work on Spellbound to the wheel-stopping rocks on Crazy Mary, there is plenty of rock tech to be found if that’s your jam.
The descent down Flight Training. So fun! This is a machine-built flow trail with tight berms and some optional jumps and drops. It’s a must if you visit.
Unique terrain and interesting natural features. I could say this for every mountain bike trail network in Arkansas, but Mt. Kessler is no exception – there are unique and interesting features spread throughout – it’s never boring!
Good physical and mental challenge. I wouldn’t recommend heading to Kessler if you’re looking for a quick, easy spin. But if you want a physical and mental workout, it’ll provide that 🙂

What I don’t

Of course, not all trail networks are perfect. Here’s what might turn you off from checking out the Mt. Kessler Trails.

It is rough! If you don’t like rocks, you won’t enjoy the riding here.
You often feel like you’re pedaling downhill. This is often true and one of the reasons I don’t love Crazy Mary (more on the trails below). It feels like you’re pedaling downhill.
There are rocks, rocks, and more rocks. See bullet point #1.
Knowing what direction to ride each trail is confusing. I give my route recommendations below, but if you come into Mt. Kessler blind, you might regret it. The first time I visited, I pedaled up Spellbound and definitely regretted it…

How I think it rates

Overall fun-ness:

The Mt. Kessler Trails are… unique. Not everyone is going to love them, but if you enjoy technical, rocky riding, you’ll dig this place. I do look forward to riding here whenever I’m back in Northwest Arkansas, but that being said, I’m glad it’s not my home trail network. Every time I finish a ride at Mt. Kessler I feel like I’ve just been handed a bit of a beat down.

It took me a lot of tries and studying the trail map to figure out the best way to put together a route. If it’s you’re first time riding at Mt. Kessler I highly recommend heeding my route recommendations below so you don’t make your ride any more of a struggle than it needs to be.

Photo out over front of mountain bike handlebars onto rocky section of trail

Rock singletrack mountain bike trail at Mt. Kessler in Arkansas

Average difficulty:

The trails at Mt. Kessler are not very beginner-friendly. Even the blue-rated trails have some tech and chunk. If you’re a newer rider, I recommend staying lower on the slopes – Last Call (ride it north to south) is a great intro trail to Mt. Kessler mountain biking.

Trail variety:

There is a bit of variety at Mt. Kessler, but for the most part, the trails are rocky, technical, and old-school. If you’re looking for flow, Flight Training is a super fun and fast bermed flow trail with optional features. This is the most ‘new school’ trail at Kessler. It’s rated black, but there’s nothing mandatory on it.

If you’re looking for even more of a challenge, take on Bewitched – there’s a looong elevated wooden skinny and some pretty cool routing through rock gardens and rock features.

Photo out over mountain bike handlebars on to elevated wooden bridge — There is some trail variety at Mt. Kessler (including this loooong skinny bridge on Bewitched), but overall it does cater to more experienced riders

Best Trails at Mt. Kessler

Saddle Up: I like to ride this trail as a fun finish to my ride, but a lot of people use it as their climbing trail instead of going up Fayetteville Traverse
Fayetteville Traverse: A well-built cross-country trail with lots of switchbacks. On the north end, it’s used as the return trail from Flight Training.
Last Call: Half machine-built, half hand-cut Last Call is probably the most ‘fun’ trail at Mt. Kessler. I like to finish my ride with Last Call to Saddle Up.
Terrapin Station: Nothing too memorable about this trail – it’s mostly used as a connector.
Rock City: Best ridden south to north, this is a hand-cut, technical trail. I’ve ridden it both ways and I definitely prefer it trending downhill
Flight Training: A machine-built flow trail with optional jumps and features. It starts with a wooden bridge/drop that can be rolled. Not really black-rated unless you hit all the features.
Chinkapin Oak: A fun and technical descent/traverse down from the ridge. If you think it’s going to be all downhill, think again. There are plenty of wheel-stopping rocks and punchy lunges. But I prefer it to Crazy Mary.
Crazy Mary: Honestly, I don’t love this trail and I’d rather take Chinkapin Oak back down from the ridge. It’s rocky, pedaly, and jarring.
Goat Trail: I rode this for the first time recently and loved it! It’s a short little trail (ride it east to west), but it follows a ridge and passes by a unique ‘shale meadow’. Like most trails at Kessler, though, it is very rocky.
Spellbound: I’ve only ridden this once and while it’s pretty cool with lots of unique rock work, it’s exhausting. Ride it south to north for the most ‘enjoyable’ experience.
Bewitched: This is the newest – and hardest – trail at Mt. Kessler. There is a looong elevated wooden ramp that’s pretty high stakes if you commit. The rest of the trail is cleverly routed through rock gardens. If you can clean it all in your first go, I’d be extremely impressed.

Mountain biker resting against railings of wooden bridge at Mt. Kessler in Arkansas — The drop/roll-in to Flight Training

My Route Recommendations

Mt. Kessler Fun Route

This is my go-to route that I do when I’m visiting Mt. Kessler. It covers the best (in my opinion) trails without being too much of a beat-down (although there is some of that, too). If you want an easier route, see my suggestions below.

Route Basics

Skill level: Advanced
Fitness level: Better than average
Distance: 11.3 miles
Elevation Gain/loss: 1,214 ft
High point: 1,803 ft
e-bikes allowed? Yes
Map: TrailForks

Ride it for:

Challenging rocky terrain
Fun descent down Flight Training
Beautiful wooded forest

Need to know:

The miles here are hard-won
Don’t ride the trails when wet

Route directions: Saddle Up Parking > Fayetteville Traverse (pedal through the park) > Serpentine > Rock City > Flight Training > Fayetteville Traverse > Goat Trail > Egg Beater > (optional: Spellbound) > Chinkapin Oak > Terrapin Station (or Bewitched) > Last Call > Saddle Up

Make it harder: Two options –

Add a loop on Spellbound, riding it south to north. This is a techy and tiring trail – beware!
Take Bewitched instead of Terrapin Station. Again, a very techy and challenging trail

Make it easier: Two options:

Take Fayetteville Traverse to Flight Training instead of Rock City
Take Trent Trail instead of Egg Beater (which is a bit of a beat-down)

Map of Mt. Kessler mountain bike trail route with alternative options — Follow the red to make the route harder, follow the blue to make it easier

Facts & FAQs

Q: Where is Mt. Kessler?

Mt. Kessler is located a little southwest of Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s about 30 minutes south of Bentonville.

Q: Where do I park?

There is a huge parking area at the sports complex at the base of the Mt. Kessler trails. There are bathrooms and water stations. I like to park at the end of Saddle Up.

Trail sign post at Mt. Kessler in Fayetteville, Arkansas — The trails are well-signed with trail names, but not maps. Have TrailForks downloaded to your phone

Q: Do I need to pay to ride?

No, the trails at Mt. Kessler are free to ride.

Q: Are the trails open year-round?

Yes, but please don’t ride them when they’re wet. It’s very damaging to the trails.

Q: How many days do I need at Mt. Kessler?

If you’re just visiting, one day at Mt. Kessler is sufficient if you want to explore other Fayetteville trails as well.

Post-ride Fun & Food

Mt. Kessler is located just a short drive from Fayetteville, which is a really cool town with lots of great restaurants and things to do. If you have time to explore, here are some of my favorite places/stops:

Wood Stone Craft Pizza for great pies and drinks
The Fayetteville downtown square. Even if you just drive through it, it’s worth seeing!
Little Bread Company for great sandwiches, coffee, and baked goods/pastries
Onyx Coffee for delicious, NWA-roasted coffee
Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks – a beautiful place to stroll around for a few hours. They often have fun events.

Have you ridden the mountain bike trails at Mt. Kessler? What did you think? With all my warnings about the rocks and technical terrain, is it still a place you’d like to check out? Leave a comment below!

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