Quick tips for Mountain Biking Pinnacle Mountain
Pinnacle Mountain was the last Monument Trail System for me to check off (I’d already ridden Devil’s Den, Hobbs, and Mt. Nebo) and honestly, I was a bit disappointed. Each of the other trail networks had something amazing to offer like:
- Epic views and long downhills (Mt. Nebo)
- Really cool rock formations (Devil’s Den)
- Truly world-class machine-built cross-country trails (Hobbs).Â
But Pinnacle? After spending a day exploring the trails there, it didn’t really seem to have anything exciting to offer. If I had to give it a ‘specialty’ I’d say it wins the award for rugged, steep, chunky, old-school trails. Of course, there was some flow, but not as much as the other Monument Trail systems.
I don’t want to discourage you from checking them out if your mission is to hit all of the Monument Trail Systems in Arkansas. They are pretty cool. But maybe hit Pinnacle first so your expectations are set accordingly 🙂
Read on to learn everything you need to know to make the most of your mountain biking experience at Pinnacle Mountain State Park.Â
Quick Facts & FAQs
Q: Where is Pinnacle Mountain State Park?
A: Pinnacle Mountain is located just 30 minutes northwest of of Little Rock, Arkansas on the Arkansas River.
Q: Where do I park?
A: There are several parking areas, but I recommend parking at the Middle Mountain Parking Area because it has easy access to both the east and west trail networks.
Q: Are the trails well-signed?
A: Yes, but I still recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.
Q: Do I need to pay to ride?
A: No, the trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park are free to ride
Q: Are the trails open year-round?
A: Yes, but please don’t ride them when they’re wet.
Q: How many days do I need at Pinnacle?
A: Honestly, just one.
Trail Map
My Honest Review
Overall rating
If you read the intro, you know that I wasn’t a huge fan of the mountain bike trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. They are good, yes, but compared to the other Monument Trail Systems (Devil’s Den, Hobbs, and Mt. Nemo), Pinnacle definitely comes up short. It was especially disappointing because I rode Pinnacle Mountain last, so I was kind of expecting something epic.
The trails here are just meh. Nothing special and if I’m being honest, they’re a little (or a lot…) neglected. Do I recommend riding here at all? Sure, if you have the time. But personally, I think spending another day at Mt. Nebo or heading up to the Buffalo Headwaters is better worth your time.
Average difficulty
I don’t know if it’s because of the erosion or what, but I found the trail ratings (green, blue, black) to be very inconsistent. The two hardest trails are Carnasaw and Glade Runner, which are old-school downhill trails. Chaotic Zone is not a black. Some of the ‘green’ trails, on the other hand, are quite rocky and rutted, so keep that in mind.
Also, Pinnacle State Park is set into a mountain so expect to earn your downhills. I rode 16 miles with 2,900 ft of climbing.
Trail variety
There isn’t a whole of of variety in the trails at Pinnacle. I’d say they’re a mix of cross-country and light downhill. Coachwhip tries to be a jump line, but it falls pretty flat by my standards.
I will say that Turkey Tracks and Glade Runner are pretty legit downhill trails, so if you are looking for some tech, head that way. The other trails are XC with a few rock features thrown in.
Should you ride Pinnacle Mountain?
What to love about it
What to not
Read next
Planning a mountain bike trip to Arkansas? Check out these posts for inspiration and details:
Best Trails at Pinnacle
What about the other trails? The other downhill trails on the west side like Armadillo Run and Middle Mountain were very rutted and eroded when I was there, which is why I don’t recommend them, at least until they get some love. Carnshaw is a legit steep, old-school black trail that most people will walk.
Route Recommendation
Depending on how much you want to pedal and how many days you’re in the park, you can easily split the park into two: do the west side on day one and the east side on day two. The below route is a mash-up of the best trails on each side.
Pinnacle Highlights
This route hits all the best trails on both sides of Pinnacle Mountain with lots of options to modify it to make it longer or shorter. When I rode here, there was quite a bit of erosion on the trails, as I’ve mentioned. This route hits the least eroded trails, but hopefully, they’ll get a trail crew in soon to do some maintenance.
Route Basics
Ride it for:
- Good variety of trail
- Dynamite Trail with a great lookout
Need to know:
- Expect erosion
Route directions: Middle Mountain Parking > Coachwhip Loop > Centipede > Chaotic Zone > Coachwhip Loop > Upper Stick > Jackfork > Dynamite > Twistflower > Lower Stick > Upper Stick > Upheaval > Turkey Tracks > Lower Stick
Make it longer: Got some more climbing in you? Add Aramadillo’s Run and/or Mid-Mountain either at the start or the end of your ride.
Make it shorter: I thought the trails on the east side were better than the west, so if you want to cut off some miles, skip the Coachwhip Loop.
Camping
There is no campground within Pinnacle Mountain State Park, but Maumelle Park Campground is just a short drive away with 128 sites, clean showers and bathrooms, and access to the Arkansas River.
Have you ridden the Pinnacle Mountain trails in Arkansas? What did you think of the mountain biking there? Leave a comment below!
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You may have missed two of my favorite runs at Pinnacle. Logging Road (on the middle mountain side) and the south section of Jackfork going downhill. The section you climbed on Jackfork is also worth a ride down.
Thanks! I didn’t take logging road because I wasn’t sure how to fit it into a route. I think next time I’d take Logging road instead of doing the full coachwhip loop (probably clockwise?)
I could see how Jackfork would be awesome as a descent, too. I hope Pinnacle gets some some trail love soon!