On June 12, 2026, the Oz Trails Bike Park of Bella Vista, Arkansas, became the state’s first “lift-served” bike park. The occasion was accompanied by fanfare befitting such a momentous event, with a WWII P-51 Mustang fighter plane streaking across the sky. It dipped its wing in salute, as Tom Walton, grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders snipped the ribbon for the Grand Opening.
“The bike park is opening a new chapter for mountain biking in the state,” stated Gary Vernon, the park’s General Manager. He should know; he has been involved since the opening chapter some twenty years earlier.
At that time, Vernon maintained MTB trails as a volunteer with Friends of Arkansas Singletrack (FAST). Tom Walton approached him with the idea of constructing a five-mile trail within the city limits of nearby Bentonville.
Tom Walton’s vision has evolved into five amazing trail systems and over 550 miles of connected purpose-built trails in Northwest Arkansas. In the process, that vision has led to the creation of countless jobs, helped recruit and retain talent for businesses throughout the region, attracted visitors from around the world, and improved the quality of life for residents in truly immeasurable ways.
And now, the Oz Trails Bike Park is “the cherry on top” of this sweet mountain biker treat.
Let’s ride
The opening ceremonies delayed the lift operation by more than 30 minutes. During that time, the line of cyclists filled the rows of switchback fencing at the chairlift entrance, stretched across the pavestone courtyard, and into the parking area. Although the wait for riders to make their initial run was over fifteen minutes, for the remainder of the day it was no more than two to three minutes.
This was the result of the park’s decision to go “first class” when shopping for chairlifts. Rather than purchasing a used, outdated, slow lift from a ski resort, they opted for a state-of-the-art Poma-Leitner lift. This high-speed detachable quad chairlift ferries four cyclists and their bikes up the 2,600-foot incline in just over three minutes. It also includes adaptive bike trays for three- and four-wheeled bikes.
As cyclists roll their bikes off the lift to begin their downhill Oz adventure, they quickly discover the lift is not the only area where Vernon and others involved in planning the park opted to go “first class.”
When selecting the crew to design and construct the network of trails, they chose the team that built arguably the most well-known flow line trail in the world. Dave Kelly, Co-Founder of Gravity Logic, is renowned for designing and constructing the famous A-line Trail at British Columbia’s Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
Kelly immediately shared Vernon’s excitement about the project.
“Most places we work are ski areas, full of ski runs, full of snowmaking, full of infrastructure,” Kelly explained. “And here we essentially have 200 acres of a blank canvas, on which we can design from scratch, trails for all capabilities,” Kelly enthusiastically exclaimed.
For all capabilities. This fits in line with Vernon’s primary goal of the park, which is “to build the best mix of beginner-to-pro trails of any park in the country, with the emphasis on progression.”
Offering over 30 different runs packed into some 20 miles of purpose-built downhill trails, and over 300 feet of elevation to work with, the Bike Park is the best learn-to-ride network in this part of the country.
Begin with Fire Starter. The smooth chip-and-seal surface is safe for even the greenest riders. On my first visit to the park, as I rolled off the lift onto Fire Starter, I came upon a toddler and his dad. The dad told me his son had just graduated from a Strider to a pedal bike. As he told me this, the youth was approaching a slight incline in the trail.
“Ok, start pedaling,” Dad encouraged. “Now, stand up and pedal harder.”
At the crest of the grade, the dad instructed the kiddo to pull over so I could pass. As I rolled by, I gave him a “Great job, Big Guy.” He flashed me a smile that filled the opening of his full-face helmet.
With 75 percent of the network rated beginner/intermediate and 25 percent advanced/expert, there is gradual progression available for riders to fine-tune their skill set and prepare them for the more challenging trails. And for highly skilled downhillers, there are trails like High Voltage.
Right out of the gate, High Voltage rolls riders around two tight, high-banked berms. It then sends the rider off a wooden drop, sailing over another trail below. The landing on the other side was designed to build on the higher speeds required for the upcoming doubles.
High Voltage parallels the lift, providing spectacular entertainment for its seated passengers. As riders’ speeds approach 40mph, the monster jumps send cyclists to heights even with the lift chairs.
The landing of the second jump drops into a steep ravine, then whips riders up the opposite hillside’s steep face for a giant step-up jump. Riders are launched some twenty-five to thirty feet in the air to reach the sweet soft landing at the top of the rise.
For the younger riders who would like to experience the type of bike paths their parents used to ride, there are even a few raw-rake-and-ride trails. The park plans to allow these trails to weather naturally, exposing roots and rocks beneath the soil, which add to the challenge. It was a trip down memory lane as I sliced through the forest on these retro flow lines.
I’m certain that for everyone who visits the bike park, the response to Vernon and Kelly’s goal of creating a network of trails for all capabilities will be a resounding, “Oh yeah, mission accomplished!”
And there is more
The 15,000-square-foot Oz Trails headquarters building is located at the base of the lift. The structure includes Ozzy’s Ride + Dine restaurant/bar, a retail store, a bike repair shop, bike rentals, restrooms, and event space for rent in the lower and upper plazas.
Like the trail system, all areas of the facility are “first class.” Ozzy’s includes an inviting balcony lounge area. It’s a welcoming setting for family and friends to enjoy food and drinks with a view of the chairlift and bike jumps, reminiscent of the warming huts located at ski resorts.
Vernon recruited the best technicians to work at the bike shop. And for riders wanting to progress their mountain biking skills, four-time World Champion Mountain Bike Racer Anneke Beerten helped create a Bike School program at the park.
For “added atmosphere”, Vernon brought in larger-than-life art from renowned sculptors Claes Oldenburg and Gillie & Marc. The monumental bronze Majestic Bear was created in collaboration with Oz Art to greet visitors at the lift’s crest. It has become a popular ‘selfie’ destination.
A great beginning
After two months of operation, Vernon states, “We have exceeded our goals, and we are really happy.”
During their research and visits to other bike parks across the country, they found that many parks drew about 500 riders on a busy day. Thus far, the Oz Trails Bike Park attracts over 600 riders on a slow day. On their busier days, the park hosts over 1,000 unique passholders.
Even with these high visitor numbers, the Bike Park does not feel crowded. The facility was designed from the ground up to be a gathering place for more than just riders.
“The ultimate gathering spot,” as Vernon described it. “Where locals who just want to come and see their friends, and visitors who want to come and enjoy this space.”
Note: A monthly membership pass, which includes unlimited lift access and additional benefits, is $129. A one-day lift pass is $59.99. A half-day pass is $34.99. A single month is $149. A pedal day pass is $19.99. A single lift ride is $9.99. The park is currently open from 10a to 7p Thursday through Monday, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
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