Every night, weather permitting, world-class folk musicians play in the town square of neighboring Mountain View, Arkansas, for nothing but the pure joy of it. The Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View is devoted to preserving the rich heritage of life in the Ozark Mountains. Mountain View is considered the Folk Music Capital of the World and has numerous motels, restaurants, and shops.

Nestled in the Sylamore District of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, the Syllamo Trail is one the finest purpose-built mountain bike trail systems in the country. Arranged in four intertwined loops, the 50 miles of trail provides options for an all-day epic, or for shorter tours. You can also get more information from the US Forest Service website.

The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) added the Syllamo Trail System to it's 2005 list of Epic Rides. IMBA Epics are at the top of many mountain bikers "must-ride" lists as they "create classic memories and inspire us to save the trails". >>Click Here For More Details

The terrain offers something for everyone: plenty of rolling singletrack invites the less experienced riders, but those same trails, when ridden at speed, get fast, furious and fun. The technical limestone block sections and the burly rock steps will widen the eyes of seasoned riders.

Three trailheads are on Green Mountain Road, which is the first gravel road to the West 0.5 miles north of Jack’s Fishing Resort and one trailhead is on Arkansas Highway 5, 3.5 miles north of Jack’s (see map (pdf)). The following trail descriptions are listed in order of easiest to most difficult. Several of the trails have a lot of variety in difficulty—stretches that would be pleasant for a beginner, and then very technical stretches where less experienced should walk their bike.

Bad Branch Loop- Don’t let the name fool you! The Bad Branch Loop, marked with red blazes is the most beginner friendly of the 5 major Syllamo Loops, and
offers riders nearly 12 miles of single track that contours ridgelines, and twists and turns through the forest. This loop is great for riders of all skill levels, and can be ridden at an easy pace by those wanting to enjoy the scenery, or all out by those who want the thrill of speeding around its turns and between the trees.

The Jack’s Branch Loop, marked with yellow blazes,traverses 14 miles, making it the longest section. It can be accessed from both the Scrappy Mountain and Bad Branch Trailheads. From the Scrappy Mountain Trailhead, follow the blue and yellow blazes.

Bald Scrappy Loop – 7.3 miles, most easily accessed from the White River Bluff Trailhead where the trail practically runs through the parking lot. This loop is marked with orange blazes on carsonite posts. No matter which direction that you choose to ride this loop, there will be some fun downhill runs and not so fun uphill climbs!

White River Bluff Loop – The shortest loop, (4.5 miles round trip) is also the most scenic. The trail is marked with green blazes and leaves the White River Bluff Trailhead parking lot directly opposite the bulletin board. Approximately .4 miles from the parking area, the actual 3.5 mile loop portion of the trail begins.

Scrappy Mountain Loop - 12 miles featuring switch backs down (or up!) steep mountain slopes and three creek crossings. This loop is easily accessed from both the Syllamo and Scrappy Mountain Trailheads and is marked with blue blazes. Without question, this is the toughest of the Syllamo loops both physically and technically.

>>Click Here For A .PDF Version Of The Trail Map

The surrounding area – Discover one of the most spectacular and carefully developed caves anywhere, Blanchard Springs Caverns. Blanchard Springs Visitor Information Center is located just minutes away from the trail. Visitors can also enjoy float fishing and canoeing on the White and Buffalo Rivers, which border the east and west sides of the district. Forest Service and private campgrounds are also available in the immediate area. Also, if you’d like to park your bike for a day, the Sylamore Ranger District has over 55 miles of hiking trails. Campers registered at Blanchard Springs DO NOT have to pay an additional fee to ride or hike the trail. Non campers should park in the day use parking lots (swimming or picnic areas) and are required to pay the appropriate parking fee. Fees paid to tour Blanchard Springs Caverns also entitle visitors to park at the campground free-of-charge on the day of their tour.

Directions: Expect a two-hour drive from Little Rock. Take I-40 W/US 65 N. Leave I-40 at exit 125, US 65 North. After about 40 miles, veer right onto AR-9. Follow AR-9 for 35 miles, until you reach the town of Mountain View. Here pick up AR-5/AR-14 North. Access the trails from several trailheads along or just off AR-5: Syllamo Trailhead on Arkansas Highway 5, the White River Bluff or Scrappy Mountain trailheads on Green Mountain Road.

Best Season: Spring and fall. The riding can be good as early as February.

Lodging: There are a number of bed and breakfasts and motels in Mountain View.

Camping: Blanchard Springs Campground