The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Hot Springs
Location: Take Hwy. 270 west out of Hot Springs. At Hwy. 227 hang a right and go for about 6 miles to Mountain Pine. In Mountain Pine take a right onto Hwy. 227 and follow this for about 6 miles until you come to the Lake Ouachita State Park. Now the hard part, take a right at the four way stop and stay on this road, you will eventually come to a old one lane bridge and the pavement will end, I want to say there is a sign there some where that says dead end but I'm not sure. Follow the dirt road and keep an eye out to your right for a little brown sign that reads L.B. Trail. Take a right here and follow this road, you will come to another road take a left on this road, there should be a sign there as well. Follow this road till it dead ends, and there you have it. The trail head is to the right of the parking area cross a bridge and go to the right, your on your way. If your not sure of where you are going, stop in at the Visitor Center at the State Park and ask directions to the trail.
Type: Single track / loops.
Distance: About 18 miles doing all loops.
Summary: Little Blakely is one of those trails that makes you feel like you have accomplished something when you are done. It is mostly single track with a little bit of double track, there are 5 loops to this trail. The South Loop is about 5 miles long, starting out on this loop you can expect to hit a few little climbs. The technical stuff starts on the way back as the trail meanders in and out of cove's following the lake. The trail is narrow and steep at points with roots, rocks and switchbacks to test your skill. Try not to lose it at this point because the trail runs along the edge of the hill and if you fall off your going to roll for awhile. This is my favorite loop out there but it is very demanding. The North Loop is about 3.9 miles long and is considered the advanced loop because of the rocky conditions but it can be ridden. Morgan Hollow Loop is the place to get you warmed up, it has a couple of good climbs and some rock gardens to work your balance on, this loop is about 4.5 miles long. The Glades Loop is a pretty forgiving ride you shouldn't have much problem here. There are a couple of climbs but nothing that is painful, it can be a little rocky in spots but other then that it's not to bad. Rocky Ridge Loop is a hike-a-bike loop not to much of it can be ridden, very rocky and overgrown. We tried it once and we spent more time trying to find the trail then ridding it, my suggestion is to skip this one. By the way this trail is out in the boonies, many people have compared it to the movie "Deliverance". If you are going to be ridding this trail alone I would suggest you let someone know where you are going, a broken leg would not be a good thing on this trail if you are all alone. It could be awhile before another human being comes along, a long while. This trail is part of the Ouachita Tour of Trails.
Recommended Route: Start on the South Loop going counter clockwise take it to the K marker and turn right. When you arrive at the J marker turn right again and do the North Loop. When you come to the H marker head straight and do Morgan Hollow Loop. Once at the G marker turn right and get on the Glades Loop and follow it to the F marker and then turn right. Don't go down Rocky Ridge Loop continue on to marker C and get on the South loop. Follow this loop to the B marker and hang a right and then follow it on back to the parking area.
When to ride: The Spring and Fall months are the best time of year to ride this trail. We have ridden this trail in the summer with out any problems. A lot of it depends on how well the trail is being maintained.
Rating: Morgan Hollow and Glades Loop are not to bad for a beginning rider. The North Loop is for riders with better handling skills as is the south part of the South Loop. I would not bring a novice rider to this trail. The climbs are not really that bad but the technicality of this trail requires some good handling skills. Most advanced, intermediates and advanced beginners are going to like this trail if they enjoy technical trails.
Other recommended trails in the area: Cedar Glades, Charlton
Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, Womble