Lake Leatherwood, nestled in the historic mountain town of Eureka Springs, is a 1600-acre park, featuring 25 miles of cross-country trails and a downhill-specific gravity zone. The gravity zone features seven downhill lines, each about a mile long. A shuttle sprints riders and their bikes (for a fee) up the mountain to two stone platforms that serve as the launching pads for each descent. There are smooth, flowing trails for beginners, technical rocky downhills for intermediate riders, and massive jumps and drops for the experts, including the so-called “lily pad.” You’ll know it when you see it. Hint: it’s on Downhill One, and it’s big.
The cross-country trails were built and developed over the last two decades, largely thanks to volunteer advocacy and labor. The system weaves up and down the hillsides and takes visitors around Lake Leatherwood to one of the must-see spots: the 1940s limestone dam built by the Works Progress Administration created by the New Deal.
The park also offers activities like fishing and boating. Cabins and camping are available throughout the year. The park is located just minutes from Eureka Springs’ downtown, so after you hit the trail you can take in the crooked streets, Victorian homes, and haunted hotels. Eureka Springs has long been a cultural epicenter of the state thanks in large part to its free spirit and bohemian lifestyle, which appeal to artists and nature lovers alike.
