Mena, Arkansas: A New Mountain Biking Destination on the Rise

Mena, Arkansas, long known for its picturesque location in the Ouachita Mountains and access to scenic routes like the Talimena Scenic Byway, is rapidly emerging as a significant player in the world of mountain biking. What started with local efforts is blossoming into an ambitious, multi-phase project poised to make Mena a premier, year-round destination for riders of all levels, potentially even offering the region's first lift-served downhill trails.

Ward Lake Bike Trail: The Foundation is Laid

The excitement in Mena began with the completion of the Ward Lake Bike Trail, a project that has already delivered accessible and engaging riding opportunities. Located on city property, the Ward Lake Zone trails were officially opened in October 2024, thanks to a collaborative effort between the City of Mena and professional trail builders Progressive Trail Design (PTD).

The Ward Lake system currently features a mix of trails designed for various abilities:

• "American Made": A 1.2-mile aggregate surface trail that encircles the old lake bed, offering a beginner-friendly path for walking and biking. It also serves as a crucial launching pad for the rest of the park.
• "Liberty Ridge": A 0.7-mile bidirectional climbing trail (rated blue) that leads riders to an upper hub.
• Downhill Trails: From the hub, riders can choose between two 0.6-mile downhill trails:
• "Stars and Stripes": A fun blue-rated trail with smaller jumps and minimal rock features.
• "Patriot's Plunge": A black diamond trail featuring larger berms and jumps with several rocky jump exits, offering a more technical challenge.

These trails, while relatively small in mileage, have been praised for their exceptional quality by those who have ridden them, with some calling them "tech-flow" for their combination of technical features and smooth flow (Singletracks Mountain Bike News, 2024). The city also plans to connect the Ward Lake trails to downtown Mena via a new trail connection, further enhancing accessibility for residents and visitors (Arkansas Outside, 2024).

The Ambitious Vision: Proposed Route and Lifts

The Ward Lake trails are just the "tip of the iceberg" for the much larger "Trails at Mena" project. This ambitious undertaking aims to create an extensive mountain bike trail system connecting Mena to Queen Wilhelmina State Park, situated atop Rich Mountain, Arkansas's second-highest peak. The project envisions up to 100 miles of new trails, with a significant focus on gravity-specific downhill riding.

A key differentiator for the Mena project is the inclusion of lift-served downhill trails. This would be a game-changer for Arkansas, which currently lacks such infrastructure. The proposed plan, which has been undergoing extensive environmental review through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, calls for the development of "uplift infrastructure" to transport users throughout the permitted area.

Initial concepts included up to five chairlifts, but the most recently approved plan (Alternative 3) reduces that to up to three lift systems (Arkansas Outside, 2024). These lifts would facilitate access to a staggering 1,300 vertical feet of descending, offering a downhill experience comparable to destinations in the Rockies (Singletracks Mountain Bike News, 2024; Fayetteville Flyer, 2025). This could position Mena as a year-round downhill bike park, with a particular appeal during the winter months when other regions are snowbound.

The project is a collaborative effort involving various entities, including the Arkansas State Park, the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, the Walton Family Foundation, and the City of Mena (Arkansas Outside, 2024). While the full realization of the "Trails at Mena" is a multi-phased project that will unfold over several years, the preliminary approvals and ongoing construction signify a strong commitment to making Mena a major mountain biking hub.

With the success of the Ward Lake trails and the exciting prospects of lift-served downhill riding, Mena is firmly on the map as a burgeoning destination for outdoor enthusiasts, promising a vibrant future for mountain biking in the Natural State.

References:

• Arkansas Outside. (2024, April 11). The City of Mena Moves Forward on New Trails. Retrieved from https://arkansasoutside.com/the-city-of-mena-moves-forward-on-new-trails/
• Arkansas Outside. (2024, October 25). Mena Celebrates New Trail System at Ward Lake. Retrieved from https://arkansasoutside.com/mena-celebrates-new-trail-system-at-ward-lake/
• Arkansas Outside. (2024, November 25). Mena Area Trails Expansion Gains Approval. Retrieved from https://arkansasoutside.com/mena-area-trails-expansion-gains-approval/
• Fayetteville Flyer. (2025, February 4). Bella Vista, Mena projects to bring lift-served mountain biking to Arkansas. Retrieved from https://fayettevilleflyer.com/2025/02/04/bella-vista-mena-projects-to-bring-lift-served-mountain-biking-to-arkansas/
• Singletracks Mountain Bike News. (2024, September 9). The ambitious Trails at Mena project is underway with newly-built singletrack in the Ward Lake Zone. Retrieved from https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/the-ambitious-trails-at-mena-project-is-underway-with-newly-built-singletrack-in-the-ward-lake-zone/
• Singletracks Mountain Bike News. (2024, May 10). Lift-Served Downhill Trails with 1,300 Feet of Vert Are Coming to Arkansas. Retrieved from https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/lift-served-downhill-trails-with-1300-feet-of-vert-are-coming-to-arkansas/