Photos of Arkansas'
Lake Fayetteville Trail
Located in Fayetteville and a
facility of their Parks and Recreation departement, Lake Fayetteville
offers boating, fishing,
hiking, sport fields. pavillions, and more. The 5.5 mile Lake
Fayetteville Trail begins at either parking area. You can get
info from the Parks and Recreation at (479) 444-3471, or these
websites:
Though the beginning is a paved
trail, the old singletrack dirt trail is off to the side close
to the bordering road. The new pavement ends after a half-mile
or so, at which point only the singletrack continues. The pavement
was new as of summer 2007 as was the botanical garden which abuts
this trail and I suggest you stop and check it out. It was still
under construction when we were there, but it had taken enough
shape to show it will be a wonderful facility for adults and children
and a nice break as you complete the strenuous loop.
The entire singletrack is dirt
and offers rocks, roots, and ruts -- and after rains, also some
mud holes which you can go through or circumvent (for the most
part.) Though the trail circumnavigates the lake, you rarely catch
a glimpse of it. The uphills often come after a downhill with
a sharp turn at the bottom and getting speed again to top the
next rise is problematic, so don't get caught in the wrong gear!
The trail is not always well
marked, but if you stay close to where you know the lake is, you'll
be fine, and if not, you'll just get a little more mileage and
a chance for exploration. If you look at the map on the above
website, you'll see there are alternative loops, but the area
isn't large enough to get lost. Being from the Chicago area, I
envy the local residents for having such a wonderful mountain
bike experience in their backyard. During our hour or so on the
trail, only one other biker was encountered, so I wonder if locals
know about this gem of a trail.