Spring in Arkansas is one of the best times of the year to get out into the woods. We’ve already seen the Redbuds blooming and the Dogwoods will be popping soon. For mountain bikers, all the internet talk is about which trails are dry. If you’re into cross-country riding, Camp Robinson is the destination for many central Arkansas mountain bikers.
Located at the Camp Robinson National Guard Training Center in North Little Rock, the trailhead is very secure as access is limited to those who have checked in at the gate. While this can add an extra step to going for a ride, in the end, it may be worth it to you. You can find out more about getting a pass to ride these trails at our Camp Robinson Step-by-Step article. While we try to keep this up to date, we do recommend calling the number in the article to get the latest access information.
About the Trails
The Camp Robinson mountain bike trails are among the oldest mountain bike specific trails in the state. It is unsure if Fossil Flats at Devil’s Den State Park or Camp Robinson came first, both began welcoming mountain bikers in the 1980s. Over the next almost 40 years, volunteers have built over 40 miles of hand-cut singletrack trails in the hilly woods east of the Air National Guard Airport.
The trails include fairly flat, smooth beginner trails near the trailhead and can get progressively harder and more technical the farther you go. I tend to refer to the system design as a “postage stamp” trail system. It’s a lot of trails built in a small space. This can be good or bad. Once you know the trails, you can find shortcuts to get to the trails you want to ride on any given session but, if you are unfamiliar with the trails, it’s easy to get turned around out there. The trail signage is a little weak as signs fall down over time and the focus of the volunteers is on repairing and rerouting older trails and building new trails. We recommend finding someone who knows the trails to go with you the first couple of times or at a minimum, go to MTB Project or Trailforks and download the maps. There is a group ride on Thursday nights at 6 pm, it is not a no-drop ride but it regroups at trail intersections.
The trails are not the big, wide, groomed trails that have come along with the newer, machine-built techniques but are built well and unlike many of the newer trail systems, they don’t have problems with wet weather, an important consideration for Arkansas Spring riding. These trails, even when wet, don’t get muddy. We recently rode the trails just a couple of days after several days of rain that made some of the newer local trails unattractive to ride. Here is a taste of what we found out there.
Other Amenities
The National Guard has been kind enough to put a large shelter at the trailhead. This is not a typical pavilion but more like a garage. There are picnic tables, and a fire pit, and people leave some older camp chairs that are free to use. There is a bike fix-it station with a pump in the shelter. This becomes a fun place to hang out with other riders once you’re done with the trails for the day.
The trails are also open to runners and hikers, so if you prefer your fun without wheels, feel free to enjoy Camp.
Whether it’s wet or dry, Camp Robinson will make you a better rider. The tight turns, technical trails, short downhills, and punchy climbs are fun and worth any rider’s time. We hope to see you out there soon.
