Devil’s Den State Park is an iconic park in the Arkansas State Park system and many consider it the birthplace of mountain biking in Arkansas. The park features 15 miles of mountain biking trails that are highlighted by huge rock formations, caves, creek, and rugged beauty. The parks most popular trail “Fossil Flats” was the passion project of park employee Tim Scott after he was inspired in the early 1980s by a mountain bike festival he attended in Crested Butte, Colorado. Tim knew he had the terrain and grit (single-track trail building was all by hand then) to create a truly special destination in his park.
The trail system offers 3, 4, or 6-mile options in its stacked loop system. The shortest loop is the 3 mile Outlaw Loop. It is very beginner-friendly, the most difficult part is the crossing over the rock creek bed about 1.5 miles in. If you’re riding clockwise, the Sawmill Loop picks up where the Outlaw turns right and adds a good double-track climb with plenty of loose rock for added tech challenge. You can continue on the Sawmill with a turn to the right about a mile in or take that next mighty left up Racer’s Hill. Racer’s Hill will put you back onto Saw.
