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On Thursday, August 27th, Central Arkansas Water (CAW) hosted a public workshop to discuss a proposed recreation plan for Lake Maumelle, Lake Winona and adjacent CAW property. This meeting provided a significant opportunity for mountain biking in central Arkansas as the section of the Ouachita Trail along the north shore of Lake Maumelle is currently closed to mountain bikes. CATA members and others from the Arkansas mountain biking community attended to urge CAW to include mountain bike access in its recreation plan for Lake Maumelle.
CATA has met with CAW and requested that mountain bikes be permitted on this section of the trail, but to date, these requests have been denied. However, CAW representatives assured us that there would be an opportunity to make a case for opening the trail to mountain bikes - this meeting was that opportunity. CAW held the workshop to seek input and recommendations in order to “evaluate the water quality compatibility of current and potential recreation activities.”
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 On October 3rd, CATA and ArkansasOutside.com will host the second annual Big Rock Mountain Bike Festival at Cooks Landing in North Little Rock. The festival is an extension of IMBA’s annual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day that’s been held at various locations in central Arkansas over the past 4 years. The festival will include a kids obstacle course, easy trail rides on the Pfeifer Loop trail led by experienced mountain bike leaders and other events such as a women’s mountain biking clinic, a bunny-hop clinic and other games and contests.
The festival is family-friendly event designed for riders of all ages and abilities, and is currently scheduled to run from 9 am to 3 pm. Food and refreshments will also be available. The 2014 festival was a tremendous success, with riders of all ages enjoying the trails and camaraderie of the central Arkansas mountain biking community. This year’s festival promises to be even bigger and better with new events and a few surprises - be sure to mark your calendar as you will not want to miss Big Rock! CATA will work on the Pfeiffer Loop trail in preparation for the event and will post information on upcoming trail work days as the festival approaches. Watch the CATA Facebook page and website for updates. This Thursday, August 27th, Central Arkansas Water (CAW) will host a public workshop to discuss a proposed recreation plan for Lake Maumelle, Lake Winona and adjacent CAW property.
CAW is seeking input and recommendations in order to “evaluate the water quality compatibility of current and potential recreation activities.” This meeting represents a significant opportunity for mountain biking in central Arkansas as the section of the Ouachita Trail along the north shore of Lake Maumelle is currently closed to mountain bikes. CATA has met with CAW and requested that mountain bikes be permitted on this section of the trail, but to date, these requests have been denied. However, CAW representatives assured us that there would be an opportunity to make a case for opening the trail to mountain bikes - this meeting is that opportunity. Strength in Numbers This is a call to action to the central Arkansas mountain biking community - we need your help in urging CAW to reconsider its position and include mountain bike access in its recreation plan for Lake Maumelle. Join us this Thursday from 6 to 8 PM at the Winfield United Methodist Church. Details The public workshop will occur on Thursday, August 27, from 6-8 pm at the Winfield United Methodist Church located at 20100 Cantrell Road, Little Rock 72223. For more information about the Recreation Plan workshop and to RSVP, please contact Amanda Fleming at 205-588-4612, [email protected].  On Saturday, June 20th, CATA Kids returned to Boyle Park for the first in a series of Trail Love n' Ride events for 2015. An eager group of young trail stewards lopped and trimmed the trails and checked on CATA-built bridges. The kids also learned about nature, built a bird box to take home and capped the afternoon off with a fun group ride on the Boyle Park trails. For more photos from the event, click here. Watch the CATA website and Facebook page for more information on upcoming CATA Kids events and be sure to mark your calendar. You won't want to miss these fun, family-friendly events!  Photos from the Inaugural All-A-CARP ride. More on the event at ArkansasOutside.com.  The first CATA Kids trail work day last summer was an overwhelming success, with several young mountain bikers a/trail stewards working hard on a Burns Park trail, riding on CATA President, Bruce Alt's ATV and celebrating a short afternoon's work with cold watermelon and a mountain bike ride.
On Saturday, June 20th, beginning at 9 AM, CATA Kids will return to Boyle Park, where they helped restore the trails last year. We will lop and trim the trails, check on the CATA-built bridges and enjoy a fun group ride. Mark your calendar and watch the CATA website and Facebook page for more information as the event approaches.  The North Little Rock military base has long been home to some of the best singletrack in Central Arkansas, and it’s only getting better! CATA and Central Arkansas Recreational Pedalers (CARP) have been hard at work maintaining and re-routing existing trails, as well as building new trails at Camp Robinson. The base now boasts 40 miles single track trails for riding, running and hiking.
Access To access the trails, you will need an Arkansas Sportsman's Pass. Annual passes can be purchased for $25, as well as a 3-day pass for $5 at the Visitor's Center, Monday through Thursday between 10 AM and 6 PM. Those 16 or older must purchase a pass to use the trails. Under 16? You can enter Camp and ride with someone who has a pass, but you must complete the under-16 waiver and sign in and out with the pass holder. Waivers are available in the Visitor’s center on a table on the left near the entrance. See you out there!  Join CATA for the inaugural All-A-CARP ride, trail run and cookout event, June 13th at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock. Come and enjoy the Camp Robinson trails, including the new Merlin's Revenge, Flatlands and By the Numbers trails, as well as some re-routed sections.
Where: Camp Robinson in North Little Rock When: Saturday, June 13 starting at 9 a.m. What: Trail runs and rides for all skill levels, including kids, beginners, and women-specific rides No Camp Robinson pass? No problem! How: Three-day ($5) and annual ($25) passes will be available on site (kids under 16 ride/run free) Refreshments will be available on the trail, plus a grilled lunch and beverages included for a ride fee of only $12 per person. All proceeds will be dedicated to CATA's trail maintenance and stewardship of trails in central Arkansas! Want to get your Camp Robinson Sportsman Pass early? Here are the instructions: http://www.arkansasoutside.com/camp-robinson-trails-step-by-step/ Many mountain bikers today have grown up enjoying access to trails purpose built for other outdoor recreational pursuits, largely hiking. But did you know that there is a purpose-built mountain bike trail, just 25 miles west of Little Rock in the Ouachita National Forest?
Built in 1993 by the USDA Forest Service, the Wildcat Mountain Mountain Bike Trail tracks 10 miles through virtual wilderness near Lake Sylvia. Seemingly lost in time, many local riders admit to riding Wildcat 20 years ago, but not since. Intrigued by the prospect of adding 10 miles of challenging trail in Central Arkansas, Joe Jacobs, co-owner of Arkansas Outside, challenged CATA to restore the Wildcat to its former glory and then some for active use by all outdoor trail enthusiasts, including hikers and trail runners. After conducting two recent reconnaissance hikes, CATA’s Director of Stewardship, Basil Hicks, Jr., encouraged CATA’s members to tackle this ambitious project. Working in full cooperation with the USDA Forest Service’s Jessieville District, CATA’s Trail Love Crew launched its restoration effort on a cool, misty Saturday. Ten trail warriors, including two members of the Ouachita Mountain Hikers hiking club, dove into the effort with loppers, brushcutters, chainsaws, and a handheld GPS unit. In awe of Wildcat’s rocky outcroppings and gurgling mountain brooks, these trail stewards painstakingly followed the original mountain bike trail, removing fallen trees and saplings. CATA invites anyone with an interest in restoring this trail to join our Trail Love efforts this spring. Plans call for a grand reopening guided bike ride, hike and cookout to honor our Ouachita National Forest partners - an event the whole family will enjoy! To learn more, see this recent post on Wildcat trail work. For more information, and to track our progress, follow the Central Arkansas Trail Alliance on Facebook. Central Arkansas Trail Alliance has made it a mission to bring back and improve one of the older mountain bike trail systems in central Arkansas, Wildcat Mountain. We are working closely with the US Forest Service to make this area a premier mountain bike system. Work started this past weekend, in the rain. Watch our Facebook page for upcoming workdays. The trail crew today. We split into 2 teams and knocked out a little over a mile each...there is still plenty of work to be done, but the first effort was a really good one. I was very impressed with the elevation and length of the climbs. — with Greg Jones, Richard Thompson, Pam Staley, Ralph Butler, Marie Michalets, Harrison Maddox, Basil V. Hicks Jr. and Bruce Alt. Below are a few images from our workday on the Wildcat Mountain Bike Trails in the Eastern Ouachitas. Thanks to Justin Ray for the photography and help. |
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