24th Annual Ozark Mountain Bike Festival

The oldest, ongoing  mountain bike event in Arkansas has reached 24 years old.  The Ozark Mountain Bike Festival is held annually at Devil’s Den State Park in Northwest Arkansas. Unlike many other mountain biking events, this one is not centered around racing but more around the fun of riding a mountain bike. Full of introductory and intermediate workshops, fun rides and kids events, the festival is designed for riders of all levels. This festival is a family friendly event and a great getaway for the weekend. The park offers camping and cabins but they fill up quick. Other overnight options include Lake Fort Smith State Park, about 30-40 minutes away or hotels in nearby Fayetteville.

Below is the schedule for the Festival…

OZARK MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL
24 YEARS OF MOUNTAIN BIKING
DEVIL’S DEN STATE PARK

SATURDAY, APRIL 7th

9am FOSSIL FLATS TRAIL RIDE. Great for beginners. SPEED: Novice. TERRAIN: Rolling, rocky with two creek crossings. DISTANCE: 3 miles. START & END: Trailhead near campsite 15.

10am INTERMEDIATE RIDERS WORKSHOP. TRAIL: Fossil Flats. START & END: Trailhead near Campsite 15.

10:15am GIRLS ONLY RIDE: TRAIL. Fossil Flats Trail. SPEED: Beginner. TERRAIN: Rolling, rocky with two creek crossings. DISTANCE: 5.5 miles. START & END: Trailhead near campsite 15.

10:30am MT BIKE TRAIL MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP: Meet at the Fossil Flats Trail to learn the basics of mountain bike trail repair. Learn how to improve trail tread, solve water problems and to determine where a trail should go. This skill can be interchanged with other types of trail maintenance. The park will supply tools.

1pm BEGINNERS MT BIKE RIDING WORKSHOP. TRAIL: Fossil Flats. START & END: Trailhead near campsite 15 Learn how to pedal more efficiently, ride better and negotiate rugged terrain. STEVE SCHNEIDER will improve your mountain bike skills on this 4 mile ride!

2pm HWY 74, BUTTERFIELD HIKING TRAIL FOSSIL FLATS. TRAIL Portions of the Butterfield Hiking Trail and Fossil Flats. TERRAIN: Intermediate with a long descent and a long ascent. SPEED: Intermediate. DISTANCE: 9 miles. START & END: Holt Road at the top of Hwy 74.

2:30pm HOW LOW CAN YOU GO – KIDS FUN COURSE. Test you biking skills. Ride a skinny, a teeter-toter, weave around cones, see how low you can limbo!!! Meet park interpreter and mountain biker extraordinaire in area A between campsites 14 and 16.

4pm POKER RUN: FOSSIL FLATS TRAIL. Fun for all ages. Ride to the five different stops on the trail to get a card to build your poker hand. Take your poker hand to the pavilion during the cook-off to collect your winnings.

6pm CRITICAL MASS RIDE. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF CYCLING!!! Start at the Fossil Flats Trailhead and pedal from Campground A to Campground E on Hwy 170, then on the Lake Trail to the pavilion for the cook-out. SHARE THE ROAD!!

7pm PAVILION: HAMBURGER COOKOUT and SCREEN YOUR SHIRT: Bring your cards from the poker run to clam your swag. The best hand wins the best swag. We will cook hamburgers for everyone participating. And while you wait for a hamburger, we will help you screen your own event shirt for only three dollars. You supply the shirt of your choice, and we will supply the technology. You will have a once in lifetime collectors t-shirt of the 24th annual mt bike festival.

8:30pm NIGHT RIDE: Fossil Flats Trail. ALL RIDERS MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE SOURCE OF LIGHT. DISTANCE: 5.5 miles START & END: Meet at the trailhead in Area A. Please use good judgment if you take kids. Remember the trails normally close at dark.

SUNDAY, APRIL 8th

10am FOSSIL FLATS TRAIL SPEED: Beginner TERRAIN: Rolling, rocky with two creek crossings. DISTANCE: 5 miles. START & END: Trailhead near campsite 15.

10am HWY 74, BUTTERFIELD HIKING TRAIL FOSSIL FLATS TRAIL TERRAIN: Intermediate with a long descent and a long ascent SPEED: Intermediate. DISTANCE: 15 miles. START & END: Fossil Flats Trailhead.

For more Information about this event:
Call 1.479.761.3325
E-mail: tim.scott@arkansas.gov