Imagine riding on a paved bike path that meanders through the woods in a peaceful setting without worrying about cars. Well, we don't have to imagine anymore, because this is now a reality in many areas. Many cities across the great state of Arkansas have carved out Multi-Use bike trails through their towns and parks that are specifically designed for walkers, joggers and bikers. Multi-Use trails are typically 10 to 12 feet in width and are often striped just like an auto lane. Here are some of our favorite Multi-Use bike trails:

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Scull Creek/Mud Creek - Fayetteville:
http://trails.accessfayetteville.org
Fayetteville has over 16 miles of paved, multi-use trails, with the backbone of this system being Scull Creek Trail (4.4 miles), which connects to the Mud Creek Trail (1.9 miles). These two trails connect the downtown Dickson Street area with the commercial area in North Fayetteville, including Walmart and the Mall.

During a weekend ride or walk on this trail you will encounter a lot of other riders and walkers (the electronic counter indicates 2,000 pedestrians per day), but very few cars, as there are only a few street crossings. The trail even features a 650' long tunnel underneath the interstate, and 6 bridges. If you haven't been on this trail, you need to get out there – it's truly one of our greatest resources in the area, and the trail is even lit at night.

On the north end of the lake there is a new, paved multi-use trail, perfect for anyone wanting to take a leisurely stroll or bike ride. You can also play disc golf or go mountain biking and hiking along the 6 mile trail that winds around the lake. There are also restroom facilities, swingsets, and a small pavilion.

There are too many places to park to list them all, however, one great place is at the northeast corner of Appleby and Gregg Avenue in the new Washington Regional Parking lot. From here, you can either head North under the tunnel to the Mud Creek Trail, or South toward Dickson Street.

Dogwood Springs Trail - Siloam Springs
www.siloamsprings.com/departments/parks_rec
Residents of Siloam Springs can ride over 6 miles of multi-use trails. The Dogwood Springs Trail is approximately 5 miles, connected in the middle by sidewalks through downtown Siloam. This is a great trail to walk or ride as there is a lot to see as you wind through town, along creeks and through wooded areas. Parking is available at Henry Park (along Benton Street, North of University Street) and, when not in session, at the High School along Holly Street.

Bentonville
www.bentonvillear.com/parks_main.html
The city has over 12 miles of paved multi-use trails, with more in the works. Not all of the trails are linked, however, this is continually changing, and the few sections that are not connected require only a short ride on a road providing you with miles of riding. As you view the map online you'll see there are many locations to park throughout the city, including the Library, Dave Peek Park, Memorial Park, and in the north part of town along Highway 71B.

While the North Bentonville Trail (2.2 miles) is not connected to Tiger Boulevard you can ride NE A Street a short distance south to the trails on Tiger Boulevard, which then connects to the rest of the trail system.

GET MAP

Rogers and Springdale: Both cities are continually working on their multi-use trails, however, are not as far along as the other cities in the area. Eventually, once all cities have completed their planned Multi-Use trail system, all the cities in NWA will be connected.

In Springdale the J.B. Hunt Park provides access to the JB Hunt / Lake Springdale Trail. This trail will provide you with about 2.5 miles of scenic riding. Rogers is building trails throughout the area, but currently the only continuous section is about 1.5 miles. For now, you can ride the road around Lake Atalanta, which is partially paved and partially gravel. You can also head up to the Pea Ridge Battlefield Park, which is a great place to ride! Expect more updates on our website for Springdale and Rogers as they continue to build trails.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Burns Park - North Little Rock:
Park Maps & Info
Burns Park is a tremendous city park, with nearly 1,600 acres of places to play. Included in park is a 7 mile stretch known as the River Trail. This trail connects you to the Big Dam Bridge, which is a 3/4 mile long pedestrian trail extending over the Arkansas River to Little Rock.

Burns Park is located in North Little Rock on the north side of the Arkansas River. Take I-40 to exit 150, then follow the signs to Burns Park. There is parking for the trail in the southeast and southwest parts of the park. From the park, you can ride west to Cooks Landing and cross the Big Dam Bridge over to Little Rock, or ride east/southeast to downtown North Little Rock.

River Trail / Big Dam Bridge - Little Rock:
www.rivertrail.org / http://www.littlerock.org/parksrecreation/rivertrail
These trails are connected in North Little Rock, via the Big Dam Bridge, or by the old railroad bridge at the east end of the trail. Riding across the Big Dam Bridge provides you with spectacular views of the Arkansas River.

The combination of the trail on the Little Rock and North Little Rock side, including the bridge, in our opinion makes this a premiere place to ride in the state of Arkansas. Both cities have certainly done a great job to make this trail superb.

There is also ample parking along the trail: View Map

There is also a 24 mile loop that can be ridden in this area, but part of the ride is on city streets (you can see this loop on the above map). Our first recommendation is to ride with others who can show you the route. Otherwise, print out the map and take it with you so you can see exactly where you will need to ride on the city streets.