2013 Saddlebock Mountain Bike Festival – Fun for the Whole Family!

Enjoying the bonfire.

Through word of mouth, the hidden gem of Hazel Valley Ranch had been talked about among my fellow mountain biker and cyclist friends here in Central Arkansas.  I was determined to get up to NW Arkansas the next time an event was held there, and when Joe invited me to accompany him to the Saddlebock [...]

Hazel Valley Hospitality – The Saddlebock Mountain Bike Festival (Part 1)

The waterfall at Spongebob Creek.

I first visited Hazel Valley Ranch to cover the White Rock 50 Mile Mountain Bike Race early last year. I vowed I’d be back. When Roger Raines of Hazel Valley Ranch let me know of the plans for the Saddlebock Mountain Bike Festival I was all in. Sponsored by Saddlebock Brewery and Ozark Off-Road Cyclists, the [...]

Bear Creek Canyon – Winter Hiking

Hikers carefully work their way along the edge of Bear Creek, where water from recent rain gushes with great force through the deep rock slot.

Waterfalls, gushing currents slicing through rock highlight overnight trip I recently guided 14 hikers into Bear Creek Canyon to explore the waterfalls and rock formations in this steep and beautifully rugged area. I had been looking for something new and wanted an off-the-beaten path (literally) hike to discover together with the group. It was a [...]

So Cool They Gave It Two Names

Register Here, Don't Panic

Heading back to Little Rock from Eureka Springs we decided to make a full day of it with a short hike to one of the most iconic places in the state. After a little over an hour of driving through the hills and hollows of the Ozarks we came to Cave Mountain Road, just off [...]

Detour Destinations – Indian Rockhouse Cave

Can you make out Lisa at the entrance to Indian Rockhouse Cave?

Lisa and I have developed a practice of finding short hikes that can break up long drives. It’s become a ritual on drives from Little Rock to Eureka Springs. We try to plan out our lunches to coincide with the hike, normally between 3 or 4 miles total. This started a couple of years ago with [...]

Alternatives and Traditions

Not sure how to interpret this. Any ideas?

We have a few traditions around our household. Most are in some way wrapped around Halloween, we are a little obsessed with the heinous day. Another tradition is the Christmas Day Hike. There is something calming about getting out of the house on Christmas morning and entering the woods. We’ve begun including the dogs on [...]

Rain Doesn’t Stop Arkansas’s First Bike & Hike

A family-friendly event.

Yep, it rained. It poured. But that didn’t stop folks from hopping on their bikes and taking on Arkansas’s first Bike & Hike last weekend. The event was a chance to enjoy the outdoors but also served another purpose: to raise awareness about ALS, a rare disease that damages the nerves that control voluntary muscle [...]

Filling My Bucket

When entering or exiting the trail, stay on the wood side of these rocks.

Last February, Arkansas Outside contributor, Sarah Miller, wrote an article on trail karma for us. It was a excellent reminder that as trail users we all have a responsibility to help maintain the wonderful trails throughout our state. This Summer I began racing in the Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series for the first time. I [...]

2012 Grants for IMBA Clubs and Chapters Announced

Volunteers working with IMBA on a new trail at Devil's Den State Park.

IMBA News Release – The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is pleased to announce its 2012 grant offerings, provided in partnership with CLIF Bar, HucknRoll and USA Cycling. All three can be applied for separately using the same application and are available to IMBA-affiliated clubs and chapters. The deadline to apply for each grant is April 15, 2012. Grants [...]

Mount Nebo Trails – Part 2

Panoramic from the Rim Trail.

You really should start with Part 1 …Lunch was good and soon we were ready for round 2. Our plan was to head down the Rim Trail again but at Gum Springs we would head down to the Bench Trail, playing it by ear from there. The trailhead for the Gum Springs Trail is very close [...]