Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail

Ozark - St. Francis National Forests
Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail
Sylamore Ranger District
U.S. Forest Service Southern Region
Arkansas
Welcome to the Syllamo (Sĭl’-lă-mō) Mountain
Bike Trail. This series of interconnecting loops offers
the mountain bike enthusiast 50 miles of trail, most
of it single-track.
The trail name dates back to an infamous resident of
the area in the early 1800s. A Creek Indian named
Syllamo was tolerated by the native Shawnees. His
favorite hunting grounds were a particular creek
drainage that was named for him. Eventually the
name was anglicized to its current form – Sylamore
(Sĭl’-ă-mōre). You may have noticed all the tributes
to Syllamo in the area – Sylamore Creek, Sylamore
Hiking Trail, the Sylamore Ranger District, and the
community of Sylamore.
The Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail is a fee area. The
fees are kept locally to help maintain the trail and the
trailhead facilities. The various loops can be
accessed from four different trailheads in addition to
Blanchard Springs Recreation Area. All trailheads
contain a vault toilet, a bulletin board containing fee
information and a map, and a gravel-surfaced parking
for approximately 20 vehicles. Three trailheads are
on Green Mountain Road, which is the first gravel
road to the West 0.5 miles north of Jack’s Fishing
Resort and one trailhead is on Arkansas Highway 5,
3.5 miles north of Jack’s (see map).
The following trail descriptions are listed in order of
easiest to most difficult. Several of the trails have a
lot of variety in difficulty—stretches that would be
pleasant for a beginner, and then very technical
stretches where less experienced should walk their
bike. Trails are marked with various color blazes on
brown fiberglass posts. If you are unsure about your
skill level or new to the Syllamo, it is suggested that
you start with the most beginner friendly trails and
work your way up to the trails that contain the more
technical sections. Each trail is broken down by
fitness level, skill level, length, preferred route, and
Ozark-St. Francis National Forests www.aokforests.com
605 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801
479-964-7200
August 2006
total elevation change on the map section of this
brochure. Remember to wear your safety gear and
enjoy the ride!
Bad Branch Loop- Don’t let the name fool you! The
Bad Branch Loop, marked with red blazes is the most
beginner friendly of the 5 major Syllamo Loops, and
offers riders nearly 12 miles of single track that
contours ridgelines, and twists and turns through the
forest. This loop is great for riders of all skill levels,
and can be ridden at an easy pace by those wanting to
enjoy the scenery, or all out by those who want the
thrill of speeding around its turns and between the
trees. This loop features fairly limited elevation
changes on gentle grades, with little technical riding
skill necessary. The loop passes through the Bad
Branch Trailhead on the west end of the parking lot
(near the restroom). In addition to the main loop,
there are also two “bail out” loops marked “TO
GREEN MTN RD” that allow riders to make a 4 or 8
mile loop ride.
The Jack’s Branch Loop, marked with yellow blazes,
traverses 14 miles, making it the longest section. It
can be accessed from both the Scrappy Mountain and
Bad Branch Trailheads. From the Scrappy Mountain
Trailhead, follow the blue and yellow blazes. The
trail is also accessible from the east end of the Bad
Branch Trailhead. The north side of this loop (the
section clockwise from the Bad Branch Trailhead to
the intersection of Scrappy Mountain and Jack’s
Branch) is especially beginner friendly.
The south side of the loop, counter clockwise from
Bad Branch Trailhead to its connection with the
Scrappy Mountain Loop, contains sections that may
be too steep or technical for the beginner. With this
warning, the inexperienced rider willing to walk their
bike through these sections can experience many
miles of fun riding.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Southern Region
Hunting is also a legitimate use of National Forest
lands. On the Sylamore Ranger District, the heaviest hunting pressure occurs during the modern gun
deer season in mid-November and the spring turkey
season in April. Mountain biking is permitted year
round, but riders are strongly encouraged to wear a
blaze orange vest or jacket during any hunting
seasons.
The surrounding area – Discover one of the most
spectacular and carefully developed caves
anywhere, Blanchard Springs Caverns. Blanchard
Springs Visitor Information Center is located just
minutes away from the trail. Visitors can also enjoy
float fishing and canoeing on the White and Buffalo
Rivers, which border the east and west sides of the
district. The Ozark Folk Center State Park in
Mountain View is devoted to preserving the rich
heritage of life in the Ozark Mountains. Mountain
View is considered the Folk Music Capital of the
World and has numerous motels, restaurants, and
shops. Forest Service and private campgrounds are
also available in the immediate area. Also, if you’d
like to park your bike for a day, the Sylamore
Ranger District has over 55 miles of hiking trails.
Campers registered at Blanchard Springs DO NOT
have to pay an additional fee to ride or hike the trail.
Non campers should park in the day use parking lots
(swimming or picnic areas) and are required to pay
the appropriate parking fee. Fees paid to tour
Blanchard Springs Caverns also entitle visitors to
park at the campground free-of-charge on the day of
their tour.
Rules of the Trail:
1. Ride on open trails only. If a trail is posted
with a “No Bikes” sign, don’t ride it.
2. Control your bicycle. This is particularly
important when you meet hikers or other cyclists
on the trail. Good balance and proper braking
are essential mountain biking skills.
3. Leave no trace. Don’t ride in conditions where
you will leave evidence of your passing,
especially on certain soils after a rain. Stay on
existing trails and don’t create new ones. Leave
what you find and pack out your trash.
4. Always yield the trail. The steps are simple;
slow down, establish communication with the
people you meet and pass safely. Yielding
doesn’t always mean stopping and dismounting,
though sometimes that’s the best idea.
5. Never spook animals. It doesn’t matter if it’s a
fox, bear, or deer. Give all animals plenty of
room and try not to startle them.
6. Plan ahead. Carry everything you need for a
good ride: a spare tube and a pump, a rain
jacket, basic tools. Know where you’re riding.
Wear a helmet.
7. Pick up a map. Maps are available at the
Sylamore District Office and at the Blanchard
Springs Visitor Information Center.
Facilities:
•
•
•
50 miles of trail, approximately 90% is singletrack.
4 trailheads, each with parking for 20 vehicles
and a vault toilet.
No overnight camping in trailheads.
Access Points:
• Arkansas Highway 5: Syllamo Trailhead
• Green Mountain Road: White River Bluff,
Scrappy Mountain, and Bad Branch Trailheads.
With care this road can be negotiated in almost
any vehicle, although it is a dirt road and rather
rough.
• Blanchard Springs Recreation Area
Fees: Current user fees and regulations are posted
at the self-service pay stations in each trailhead.
For More Information, contact:
Sylamore Ranger District
1001 E Main
Mountain View, AR 72560
870-269-3228 M-F
http://www.syllamo.com/
Blanchard Springs Visitor Information Center
870-757-2213 or toll-free 1-888-757-2246
Because this south section of trail is so long
without contacting Green Mountain Road, three
“Bail Outs” have been marked for those who
start and decide they are not up to the entire trip.
These are simply woods roads that intersect the
trail and lead the rider back to Green Mountain
Road. They are marked “TO GREEN MTN
RD” with an arrow pointing in the correct
direction. White aluminum blazes have also
been installed along the road to help riders find
their way. At intersections the top of the blaze
will be slanted in the direction you are supposed
to go. Once back to Green Mountain Road,
going left will take you back to Bad Branch
Trailhead and right will take you to Scrappy
Mountain.
The Blanchard Spur is a hiking trail contained
mostly within the Jack’s Branch loop. As the
name implies it is a spur trail that connects the
Jack’s Branch Loop to the Blanchard Springs
Campground. It is marked with yellow blazes
with a black “S”. The Spur is quite steep and
less experienced riders should be especially
careful when going down hill. The Spur and a
1.6 mile section of the Jack’s Branch Loop serve
double duty as part of a loop hiking trail that
begins in Blanchard Springs Campground. The
hiking trail is blazed with green blazes and hiker
symbols. To avoid confusion, mountain bikers
should only follow the yellow blazes in this
area.
Bald Scrappy Loop – 7.3 miles, most easily
accessed from the White River Bluff Trailhead
where the trail practically runs through the
parking lot. This loop is marked with orange
blazes on carsonite posts. No matter which
direction that you choose to ride this loop, there
will be some fun downhill runs and not so fun
uphill climbs! Much of this trail is suitable for
beginner level riders who are willing to walk
their bikes through the more difficult sections.
White River Bluff Loop – The shortest loop,
(4.5 miles round trip) is also the most scenic.
The trail is marked with green blazes and leaves
the White River Bluff Trailhead parking lot
directly opposite the bulletin board. Approximately .4 miles from the parking area, the actual
3.5 mile loop portion of the trail begins. Going
to the left at this point will quickly bring you to
one of the most scenic points on the trail: spectacular views of the White River, its valley, and
surrounding Ozark Mountains. This portion of
the trail is quite technical and beginner level
riders may have to walk their bikes, but the
views are worth the effort. After another 1.5
miles, crossing Townsend Road and topping the
next ridge, the rider will be greeted by a fantastic view of the North Sylamore Creek drainage.
North Sylamore Creek runs through the heart of
the Sylamore Ranger District and is a federally
designated Scenic River.
Scrappy Mountain Loop - 12 miles featuring
switch backs down (or up!) steep mountain
slopes and three creek crossings. This loop is
easily accessed from both the Syllamo and
Scrappy Mountain Trailheads and is marked
with blue blazes. Without question, this is the
toughest of the Syllamo loops both physically
and technically. The portion of the trail that lies
east of Arkansas Hwy 5 (counter-clockwise
from the Syllamo Trailhead) is especially tough
and should only be attempted by advanced
riders. One feature of this loop, known as the
“Stairway to Heaven,” is a stairway constructed
out of boulders found nearby that serves as a
transition from a small bluff to the trail below.
It should only be ridden by advanced riders.
Important Information – The trail crosses AR 5
two times, as well as several crossings of Forest
Service roads. Please be careful at all road
crossings. By shuttling vehicles shorter rides
that are all down hill can be made. Those with
roof mounts need to be careful on Green Mountain Road to avoid overhanging limbs.
The National Forest - All of the Syllamo
Mountain Bike Trail is on the Sylamore Ranger
District of the Ozark-St. Francis National
Forests. For those of you who may not be
familiar with the National Forests, they are best
described as a working forest. During your visit
you may see timber being harvested, prescribed
fire, and other land management practices.
Ozark - St. Francis National Forests
Syllamo Mountain Bike Trail
Sylamore Ranger District
Fitness Level
Moderate
Intermediate
Difficult
Skill Level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Description
Rolling route with no sustained climbs over 150 feet in length.
Route includes occasional steep pitches 150-300 feet in length and sustained climbs
Route has frequent steep pitches with large elevation changes and long difficult sustained
climbs.
Description
Route generally on winding single track packed trails. Basic skills of balance and bike
control while climbing or descending gentle slopes are required.
Route includes some sections where both ascents and descents may be steep. Riders must
know how to maintain balance while riding over a rough surface and how to pick a clean
line while descending or climbing rock outcroppings.
Route includes more frequent sections of very difficult ascents and descents requiring
constant bike control to avoid injury. Trail surface requires advanced technical skills to
negotiate numerous difficult rocky obstacles.
Trail
Distance
(mi.)
Bad Branch Loop
12
Jack’s Branch Loop
14
Bald Scrappy Loop
White River Bluff Loop
Scrappy Mountain Loop
7.3
4.5
12
Elevation
Change
(ft.)*
880
1280
970
385
1390
Fitness
Level
Skill
Level
Preferred
Route
Intermediate
Beginner
Clockwise (CW)
Counter
Clockwise (CCW)
CCW
CCW
CW
Difficult
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Advanced
Difficult
Advanced
RESPONSIBLE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING TIPS
Travel and recreate with minimum impact
Respect the environment and rights of others
Educate yourself, plan and prepare before you go
Allow for future use of the outdoors, leave it better than you
found it
Discover the rewards of responsible recreation
For more information about responsible Mountain Bike
Riding visit http://www.treadlightly.org
Sylamore Ranger
District
62
Ozark N.F.
71
Russellville
40
Ft. Smith
Ouachita
N.F.
30
71
Texarkana
Sylamore
Ranger
District
Walnut
Ridge
67
40
Little Rock
Hot
Springs 65
Arkansas
El Dorado
82
St. Francis
N.F.