Mountain Biking the Mt. Nebo State Park trails: Epic Views & Long Downhills!

Silhouette of mountain bike leaning against railing under gazebo with expansive landscape views in background in Arkansas

Beautiful sunset over mountain ridges on top of Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas

One of my missions for mountain biking in Arkansas was to ride at all four of Arkansas’s Monument Trail Systems. Mt. Nebo was the third network I rode (the first two were Devil’s Den and Hobbs) and it quickly became one of my favorites. I only had two full days to ride, but I wish I could have stayed a week!

So what makes the mountain biking at Mt. Nebo so special? The views for one thing. The campground and parking areas are situated at the top of the plateau mountain with 360-degree panoramic views all around. It’s stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset.

The trails are also awesome with the perfect mix of tech, flow, and features. Be ready to earn your downhills, though — climbing is required at Mt. Nebo!

If Mt. Nebo is on your radar for a mountain bike trip (and it should be), this post has everything you need to know to plan an awesome visit.

Quick Tips

For mountain biking at Mt. Nebo State Park

Do it! Mt. Nebo is such a cool place to ride and camp.
Bring your climbing legs! (Or e-bike)
The road up to the top is very steep and windy. Vehicles longer than 24 feet are prohibited.
Spend at least 2 days camping here if you can.

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

What I love about mountain biking at Mt. Nebo

Amazing views
Great campground and cabin rentals
Super fun (and long) descents
Lots of trail variety in a relatively small trail network

What I don’t

The climb up Ox Pull 🥵 Holy moly.
Lizard Trail is a unique, but frustrating stretch of singletrack.

Rock armored trail under natural cliff overhang on trail at Mt. Nebo state park in Arkansas

A note on the climbing: Before I get into the trails and route recommendations, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the climbing. There is a lot of climbing involved at Mt. Nebo. The two rides I did both had over 2,500 ft of elevation gain.

I don’t want to intimidate you or discourage you from riding at Mt. Nebo because it is awesome, but be prepared to pedal. The good news, though, is that the climb trails are really well built with lots of switchbacks and (mostly) mellow grades. I found the climbing there to actually be quite enjoyable.

Two easier options for getting to the top are shuttling and e-bikes. Currently, there is no commercial shuttle company, so you’ll need to set a shuttle up yourself (and remember, the road up is very steep and windy). Class 1 e-bikes are also allowed at Mt. Nebo, although there are no local shops around that rent them.

Planning your Mt. Nebo Rides

Best trails to hit

Honestly, most of the trails are great, although I only recommend doing Lizard if you’ve already ridden everything else and/or you’re up for a big challenge.

Miller’s Goat (beginner)
Chickalah Downhill & Valley Loop (intermediate)
Hayes Creek Run (advanced)
Lizard Trail (advanced)

Tip: Pace yourself here – the uphills are uphill.

Route recommendations

Mt. Nebo Day 1 (intermediate) – Great first ride at Mt. Nebo. Add Lizard Trail if you’re feeling frisky.
Mt. Nebo Day 2 (intermediate) – Hit the other trails that you didn’t do on day 1.
The Total Package (advanced) – If you only have one day at Mt. Nebo, this route covers a lot of ground. Personally, I’d skip Lizard Trail, though, and do the full Chickalah Valley Loop.

Mt. Nebo State Park Trail Map

Mountain bike propped up against rock on stone-laid trail next to small pool of water at Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas — The Chickalah Downhill ends at a stunning little grotto before you start climbing back out

Curvy bridge on singletrack trail at Mt. Nebo in Arkansas with bike leaning against metal railing — A nice bridge feature on Hayes Creek

FAQs for Mt. Nebo State Park

Got questions? I’ve got answers! Here are some helpful tips about the Mt. Nebo mountain bike trails:

Yes, class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes are allowed at Mt. Nebo. You may scoff, but you’ll be jealous when you see an e-biker casually cruising up Ox Pull!

You can either park at the top of Mt. Nebo (if your vehicle isn’t longer than 24 ft) or at the bottom. I camped at the campground at the top, so I rode from my campsite, finishing my rides with hefty, but doable, climbs. The route recommendations I’ve included above all start from the campground, but you can easily start the routes from wherever you decide to park.

Here are the four main parking areas at Mt. Nebo:

Sunset Point (top – recommended if not camping)
Sunrise Point (top)
Bench Trail parking (top)
Ox Pull parking (bottom)

Nope! There’s no day-use fee for mountain biking at Mt. Nebo. You do need to pay for camping, though, obviously.

Yes, but the park may close them temporarily for rain or snow.

Yes! There’s a great campground at the top of the mountain with awesome views. There are 24 sites available with water, electric, picnic tables, and access to showers and bathrooms. There’s also a swimming pool that is open in the summer. There is no dump station. If the campground is booked, there is a small overflow lot.

Tip: If you can, snag sites 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17. These have the best views!

If you want more privacy, there are also 10 bike or hike-in only campsites at Mt. Nebo. They’re located around the perimeter of the mountain top and some are even trailside.

Learn more about camping at Mt. Nebo here.

I didn’t know this before I visited, but Mt. Nebo is home to 15 really cool and unique cabins that you can rent out. Most of the cabins are perched along the rim with amazing views from their porches. Each cabin is equipped with a kitchen, heat, air conditioning, and linens and some are even dog friendly. They can sleep 2-8 people depending on the cabin. I would love to come back and spend a week or more at one of these cabins!

Yes, the trails are well-marked and there are maps at the major intersections. I still recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.

Yes, Mt. Nebo State Park is part of Arkansas’s Monument Trail System, which was created to “bring world-class mountain bike trails to Arkansas State Park” – in my opinion, they’ve succeeded!

I’ve ridden at each of the four Monument Trail Systems and Mt. Nebo is my second favorite after Devil’s Den. The other Monument Trail Systems are:

There is not. I think there may have been one at one point in time, but currently there is no mountain bike shuttle. Bring your climbing legs or opt for an e-bike. Of course you can always shuttle yourself if you have two vehicles.

I highly recommend staying for at least two days if not more. I only had two full days to ride and I wish I’d been able to stay for several more. It’s just such a cool place with amazing views and great riding. If you don’t want to camp, Mt. Nebo has really nice cabin rentals, too. See below for more info on camping and cabins.

Mt. Nebo State Park has a lot of other great things to offer aside from mountain biking. Here are some things to do off the bike:

Hike the Rim Trail: This 3-mile trail skirts the perimeter of the mountain top and is only open to hikers.
Watch the sunset/sunrise: Catching a sunset and/or sunrise on top of Mt. Nebo is a must.
Learn about the history: Stop at the Visitor’s Center to learn about the history of Mt. Nebo including the Summit Park Hotel that opened in 1889 and the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930’s.

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.

See my gear favorites

Van parked at Mt. Nebo State Park campground — The Mt. Nebo campground is awesome – if you can, spend a few days here!

I really, really enjoy riding the Mt. Nebo State Park trails. The views are awesome, the flow trails are super well-built, the tech is just the right amount of challenging, and even the tough climbs feel worth it. Everything comes together in this compact but dialed-in network. Add in the campground perched at the top and the perfect spots to catch sunrise and sunset, and Mt. Nebo starts to feel like a near-perfect mountain biking destination. Just be ready for the climbs—they’re no joke, and you’ll definitely be earning your descents!

Is Mt. Nebo on your AR bike-it list? What questions do you still have about riding here? If you’ve already been, what was your experience like? Leave a comment below!

Mountain Biking the Mt. Nebo State Park trails: Epic Views & Long Downhills!

Quick Tips

TWW Take

What I love about mountain biking at Mt. Nebo

What I don’t