Advanced
Highlighting the eastern sandstone and limestone bluffs of Fayetteville’s Mount Kessler, our ‘Beast of the East’ route layers a series of Intermediate and Advanced singletrack trails together for over 8-miles of backcountry mountain biking – inside the city limits!
Beginning from the base of the mountain and public parking, cyclists can expect to warm up fast with an initial 3-mile ascent up portions of the Fayetteville Traverse and then along the historic Trent Trail, where remnants of old wagon tracks lead south to the mountains peak. Heavily wooded, old growth forests line this long, laborious climb to the top – providing ample shade even in warmer months.
The riding gets risky from here, beginning with a 1-mile descent down Crazy Mary – an advanced hand-built trail with a wealth of rock gardens and rewarding views. A right turn at the bottom follows Bewitched, Kessler’s newest hand-cut trail experience brewed up by the Ozark Off Road Cyclists (OORC). Likely the most technical riding in all of Northwest Arkansas, expect to be bewildered at the level of rock work and wooden features packed into this 1-mile, black diamond trail – constructed in entirety by the OORC and their volunteer trail building community.
After a short section of the Chinkapin Oak trail, named for the ancient woodlands found along the mountains rugged ridges, the route drops below the bluff line as it follows Terrapin Station – an intermediate section of singletrack littered with boulders, rocks, and roots. The route finishes with a few of the mountains only flowy bits, with Last Call leading to Saddle Up – descending back to the trailhead and parking lot.
Where to Park
Located just west of Interstate 49 off Cato Springs Road, Fayetteville’s Kessler Mountain Regional Park serves as the trailhead for “Mile Zero” of the Razorback Greenway and close to 20-miles of world-class natural surface trails popular with mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners and dog walkers. Free public parking is available at the playground area at the park’s entrance, PLUS restrooms, water fountains, bicycle repair stations and other amenities.
