The Trail
Nearest Town with Accommodations: Mena
Location: From Mena take Hwy. 8 east. Watch for Hwy. 375 to your right, the turn off will be just before the airport. You will stay on Hwy. 375 for about 11 miles, 375 will turn into CR-64. CR-64 will turn into CR-25 after about 2 miles. Stay on CR-25 for about 3 miles watch for CR-38 and turn right onto CR-38. Follow CR-38 for about 8 miles to Shady Lake.
Type: Single track / loop.
Distance: About 3 miles.
Summary: I have only ridden this trail a couple of times and unfortunately I never had my GPS with me. The trail travels around Shady Lake and has a few scenic views of the lake. The trail is made up of mostly loose rock with some hard packed areas. There is really only one good climb out there that will take you up a mountain that overlooks the lake. Coming back down the mountain can be a little hairy and some riders may have to get off and walk. At the bottom there is an excellent view of the dam and lake. For the most part this is a casual little ride. One of the good things about staying out here is that you can do this little trail before jumping on the Viles Branch Trail that will take you to Athens Big Fork, and Little Missouri Trails. The recreation area is really nice with some modern conveniences. It is a really nice area to camp and spend some time with the family. There are many places to hike out there as well as a swimming and volleyball area. There is a small playground for the wee ones. Overall the trail is short and not to rough or technical. I would not drive all the way out there just to ride the trail but it is worth the drive if you plan on doing some camping and staying for awhile, as mentioned above it allows access to other trails in the area.
Recommended Route: Starting from the camping area take the trail counter clockwise.
When to ride: Spring and Fall are the best time of the year to ride this trail. During the Summer months the trail can be a little overgrown in places.
Rating: This trail is for just about anybody who has been mountain biking if even for a short time. The novice rider might find this trail a little taxing in places but there are plenty of bailouts if the trail becomes overwhelming. Some beginners, intermediate and advanced riders will probably not get there fill by riding just this trail, but they can always head over to Viles Branch for some really extended riding.
Other recommended trails in the area: Viles Branch, Athens Big Fork,
Little Missouri, Brush Heap Loop, Eagle Rock Loop,