The zeitgeist of Arkansas mountain biking centers on the northwest corner of the state. Towns like Fayetteville, Bella Vista, and, of course, Bentonville all garner attention.
And perhaps rightfully so. Seeing a town like Bentonville invest so heavily in outdoor and mountain bike infrastructure has created a blueprint for other communities to follow. Now, cities across the country are reaping the benefits that mountain biking brings to their communities, with many incorporating trails as part of their urban planning initiatives.
But there’s more to the state than the northwest corner. Advocates and trail builders alike are hoping mountain bikers don’t forget the opposite corner. Southeastern Arkansas is also enjoying a trail boom, with miles of singletrack built in the last few years.
And more is on the way.
New trails coming to Monticello, Arkansas
With a population of around 8,200 residents, Monticello is one of the largest communities in southeastern Arkansas. While the town has its roots in agriculture and timber, new industries such as education have become an integral part of Monticello.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello establishes the community as a college town. As the only forestry school in the state, the university is a significant draw for forestry and agricultural students — a nod to Monticello’s foundational industries.
While the area isn’t traditionally known for its singletrack, a community of mountain bikers has slowly grown over the years, advocating for the development of trails. The City of Monticello has responded by contracting with Progressive Trail Design (PTD) to build singletrack.
PTD is a full-service trail design and build company based in Bentonville, Arkansas. Founded in 2007, during the genesis of the Arkansas trail boom, PTD worked on projects such as the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve in Bentonville. However, they’ve also branched out from their Bentonville home, building trails across the state, the country, and the world.
“The sky is the limit with what the mountain bike community could look like [in Monticello],” Rob Grunnagle, Director of Marketing at PTD, told us. “The trails and mountain biking in general are so new to the area that time will tell.”
Despite the area’s newness to the sport, things are looking good. Two phases of trail development will bring an eventual 25 miles of singletrack to nearby Monticello Lake, with plans to build singletrack that fully circles the lake. A local volunteer advocacy group — the Trail Organization of the Arkansas Delta (TOAD) — is already maintaining completed trails and continuing to promote more singletrack in the area.
The Lakewoods Trail System will eventually boast 25 miles of singletrack
In the fall of 2023, PTD wrapped up the first phase of trail building at the Lakewoods Trail System, located at Lake Monticello, just north of town. Phase one of the Lakewoods Trails, built on the eastern side of the lake, saw PTD construct approximately six miles of singletrack spread across eight distinct trails.
The trails begin at Harold D. West Park, on the shoreline of Lake Monticello. The park also features one large and several smaller pavilion areas, a playground, restrooms, and a dock for jumping into the lake.
In the first phase of the system, PTD focused on beginner-friendly trails and a skills park with wooden features such as skinnies, bridges, and rollers. Of the six miles of trail they built, nearly two miles are intermediate singletrack, with the remaining four-plus miles being beginner trails. While there isn’t much elevation gain or loss, the trails are more pedal-flow focused, with fast turns and undulating terrain cutting through the oak forests.
“Phase two will add an additional 11 miles of trails,” Grunnagle explained, noting that the focus will be on building singletrack that wraps around the perimeter of Lake Monticello. In addition to this main loop, PTD plans to construct connector trails that form optional, larger loops, giving riders the flexibility to circle the lake, explore extended loops, or combine both.
With an elevation change of around 50 feet, the phase two trails are expected to be somewhat similar to phase one: fast, pedal-driven flow through fairly tight oak trees, catering to beginner and intermediate-level riders.
On the west side of Lake Monticello, PTD will also construct a four-mile loop, which is being designed and built with NICA training and racing in mind. They also intend to add a couple of short jump lines on that side of the lake.
As of June 2025, PTD has already been on the ground, marking the trails for phase two. “We are waiting on the Arkansas Department of Transportation to complete the contracts before breaking ground,” Grunnagle said.
Once those contracts are signed and PTD starts construction, Gunnagle told us that they anticipate completing the eleven miles of phase two in 10 to 12 months.
Grunnagle also shared that a significant portion of funding for the Lakewoods Trail System came from Arkansas’ Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) through a Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant. The current funding for both phases of the project is over $500,000.
Along with help from the newly formed trail advocacy group TOAD, Grunnagle said that the City of Monticello will also be involved with trail maintenance. He also pointed out that this is another excellent example of a city recognizing the benefits that trails can bring to the community.
“We think it is fantastic that the City of Monticello recognizes the value of experiencing nature through outdoor recreation,” said Grunnagle. “Trails provide access to these experiences. These experiences increase the quality of life and contribute to the health and wellness of its citizens and the region.”
And, if your math shows only 17 miles between phase one and two, you’re not wrong. The remaining eight or so miles to reach Monticello’s goal of 25 miles will depend on yearly fundraising for future phases.
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