The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Mena
Location: In Mena on Hwy. 71 go to the intersection of Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 88 / Mena Street there is an old train station on the corner. Turn north onto Hwy. 88 / Mena Street and follow it up going toward Rich Mountain for about 2 miles. You should see a Visitor Information Center on your right. You can park at the Visitor Center. The trailheads are to the north and south of the Visitor Center.
Type: Single track / loops.
Distance: About 6 miles.
Summary: Seeing how this is my home turf trail I have probably ridden this trail more then any other in the state. Don't let the distance fool you, it may only be about 6 miles long but it will give you a good workout. The trail is all single track with some areas that are a little rough especially on the big downhill on the west side of Hwy. 88. There is really nothing to technical on this trail other then a little ridge riding going up the mountain. There is plenty of climbing out there especially as you climb to the top of the trail which is 1 mile up. A few places such as the inner loop are fast, flat, and twisty. For the most part the trail is made up of loose rock, about what you would expect for this area. There are a few little rock gardens out there but they can be ridden. If you do this trail counter clockwise one of the best parts is the big down hill on the west side of Hwy. 88. To me this trail has everything a rider would look for, climbs, fast long downhill's, a little technical stuff, fast flat areas and a couple of spots to grab some air. Really the only thing lacking is distance. There is now another 2 miles or so of trail that is connected to Earthquake Ridge. This new trail is called the Rocky Bottoms Trail, for more information on the Rocky Bottoms Trail click on the link below. Rocky Bottoms trail connects to the Ridge at the southern most part of the trail near the Inner Loop and Carriage Trail via an old road. Earthquake Ridge is part of the Ouachita Tour of Trails.
Recommended Route: We normally ride from in town and do the Briar Creek trail counter clockwise and then take the spur to Rocky Bottoms up to Earthquake Ridge, do a lap on the Ridge counter clockwise and then head back down the Rocky Bottoms trail back across the spur and back over to Briar Creek. This route gives you about 12 miles and a really good workout, plus you can ride from in town and never have to get in a vehicle.
When to ride: Any time of the year is great for this ride. The trail is always in good shape and maintained.
Rating: As a whole the trail would not be good for novice riders. The Inner loop, Settler loop, and the Carriage trail are all pretty tame and most novice riders could handle these. As for the other loops I would recommend only for advanced beginners, intermediate, and advanced riders.
Other recommended trails in the area:
Womble, Rocky Bottoms,
Twin Pines,
Briar Creek, Big Brushy