Mountain Biking at Mt. Nebo State Park: Epic Views & Long Downhills

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 a destination you want to check out for mountain biking – which I highly recommend doing – I share everything you need to know in this post to make the most of your visit.

Quick Facts & FAQs

Q: Where is Mt. Nebo State Park?
A: Mt. Nebo State Park is located in Dardanelle, Arkansas. It’s about 2 hours 20 minutes southeast of Bentonville and 1 hour 20 minutes northwest of Little Rock.

Q: Where should I park?
A: 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 below 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)

Q: Do I need to pay to ride?
A: Nope! There’s no day-use fee for mountain biking at Mt. Nebo. You do need to pay for camping, though, obviously.

Q: Are the trails open year-round?
A: Yes, but the park may close them temporarily for rain or snow.

Q: How many days do I need to explore the trails?
A: 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.

Q: Is there a shuttle?
A: 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.

Mt. Nebo Trail Map

watch BKXC explore Mt. Nebo

My Honest Take

Overall rating

10/10 for Mt. Nebo! I really, really loved everything about Mt. Nebo from the camping to the views to the downhills and even the climbs. The mountain bike trails here are super fun and diverse with machine-built flow as well as very challenging tech on Lizard.

I defintely want to get back here and spend more time relaxing and the campground and enjoying the fasy, flowy descent. If you’re on the fence about making a trip to Mt. Nebo, do it. You won’t be disappointed! (Unless you really hate climbing…)

Average difficulty

For the most part, Mt. Nebo trails are suited for intermediate riders. There is the beginner-friendly (and beautiful!) Miller’s Goal loop as well as the expert-only Lizard Trail. Hayes Creek is rated a black on TrailForks, but I’d consider it a dark blue.

Trail variety

There’s a little bit of everything at Mt. Nebo. Chickalah Valley is your classic machine-built flow trail while Lizard is one long and challenging rock garden. You also get some XC pedaling in on Miller’s Goat and, of course, plenty of climbing 🙂 If you’re looking for air, there are optional jumps and drops on Haye’s Creek Run.

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 aroubd that rent them.

Should you ride at Mt. Nebo State Park?

Best Trails at Mt. Nebo State Park

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.

route recommendations

The two route recommendations I give below are based on a two-day stay at Mt. Nebo. If you have an e-bike you could do all the trails in a day, but it’s such a cool spot I recommend staying at least 2 days. If you only have one day, I recommend doing the day 1 route.

Camping at Mt. Nebo

As I’ve mentioned several times in this post, I highly recommend spending at least two days at Mt. Nebo. There are several camping options as well as cabin rentals:

Mt. Nebo Campground

The Mt. Nebo Campground is situated at the top of the mountain with great views out over the surrounding area.

There are 24 campsites 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!

Cabin rentals

I didn’t know this before I visited, but Mt. Nebo has 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!

Bike-in campsites

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 trail-side.

>> Learn more about Mt. Nebo cabins and camping here.

Other things to do at Mt. Nebo State Park

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:

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Is Mt. Nebo on your list of places to mountain bike in Arkansas? What questions do you still have about riding here? If you’ve already been, what was your experience like? Leave a comment below!