The Trail is closed until sometime this Fall
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Mena
Location: From Hwy. 71 in Mena turn north onto Marrow Street. Continue on Marrow Street for about half a mile. You will pass Emerson Motor plant on your left and then the National Guard Armory. The Rich Mountain Community College will be on your right. Stay on Marrow until it comes to a dead end and turns into a dirt parking area. You can park out there anywhere you like except for around the small modular building to your right. Follow the signs to the trail.
Type: Single track / loops.
Distance: About 4.2 miles doing both loops.
Summary: All of this trail is on private property so while on the trail please respect the land. Riding here is a privilege and not a right. The trail is broken up into two loops. The first is called the College loop and the second is the Watkins loop. There is really nothing technical or hard about this trail, it was built for the sole purpose to give the locals a place to ride and hike that was not quit as demanding as Earthquake Ridge. There are some areas with roots but most can be bypassed if the rider so desires. The trail is in no way flat as there are a few minor hills to climb but to a conditioned rider they will probably go unnoticed. The trail weaves in and out of pine and hardwood forests and has numerous creek crossings. The trail gets its name from a creek that runs just to the north of it, and it lives up to that namesake. So stay on the trail and you should not have any trouble with the briars, get off the trail and your chance of coming off this trail with out a flat have greatly dropped. There is a spur that connects this trail with the Rocky Bottoms trail which in turn connects to Earthquake Ridge. The spur is located at the far west side of the trail. Riding this trail before heading up to Earthquake Ridge gives you a good warm-up.
Recommended Route: Start at the parking area or ride in from one of the motels in town. The Sun Country Inn, Lime Tree and Harvey House are all with in about a mile of this trail. From the parking area just follow the signs to the trail. This trail is best done going counter clockwise as it leaves the Rocky Bottoms spur for last. Head over the spur, you will have to cross a railroad track (watch for trains) and then a road (watch for cars). Take the Rocky Bottoms Trail up to Earthquake Ridge and do a lap or two and then back down the Rocky Bottoms trail, back to the spur and then back to the parking area. Many of the locals use this trail for walking on so be careful and keep an eye out for hikers.
Rating: I would rate this trail for all riders. It is great for the new beginner to see what mountain biking is all about and it adds a few little sections to make them work. It makes for a great warm up and cool down trail for the Earthquake Ridge trail or just to go out and get a little recovery ride in.
Other recommended trails in the area:
Earthquake Ridge, Rocky Bottoms,
Twin Pines,
Womble, Eagle Rock, Big Brushy,
Forun Gap