Cycling in Hot Springs

Hot Springs pairs bathhouse row and a national park with a mountain-bike system serious riders travel for. Five minutes from downtown, Northwoods Trails packs 31-plus miles of purpose-built singletrack — green, blue, and black flow, jump lines, and the expert-only Lucky 13 — across four trailheads. Add the singletrack and skills park at nearby Cedar Glades and you have a full weekend of riding before you ever soak your legs in the thermal springs.

Rentals are easy to sort downtown. Hot Springs Bicycle Touring Company on Broadway rents bikes (including e-bikes) from about $10/hour or $40/day and runs guided tours, while Parkside Cycle, the town’s full-service Trek shop, rents road and mountain bikes by reservation and leads tours by appointment. Both keep trail maps and can point you at the right trailhead for your level.

For a stay built around the dirt, the treehouse resort In The Trees offers guest e-mountain-bike rentals and trail guides with quick access to Northwoods and Cedar Glades — a rare lodging with its own bike program. Downtown hotels sit minutes from the trailheads too, but plan to rent from one of the shops rather than count on hotel bikes.

Ride in spring or fall for the tackiest dirt and mildest temperatures; central Arkansas summers are hot and humid, so go early and hydrate. If you’re here in November, the Gudrun MTB Festival takes over Northwoods.