Centennial Park
Centennial Park
This was the home of the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in January 2022! The 12-mile network includes a trail called Learner’s Permit, which rides exactly as it sounds; an ideal option for beginners and families looking for an entry-level mountain biking experience. Riders can expect about three miles of flowy singletrack with some climbing, but minimal technical difficulty. The Centennial Park trailhead and parking are accessible from a frontage road along I-49 at the intersection of Mountain Ranch Boulevard and Technology Way. Centennial Park’s crowning feature is a massive stone structure that’s been described as Fayetteville’s version of Stonehenge. The hub is located at the very top of Millsap Mountain and includes a tunnel and stairs that have been incorporated into both the cross-country and cyclocross courses.
Trail Profile
• City: Fayetteville
• Number of Miles: 11.9
• Type of Trail: Mixed soft surface ie; single-track, double-track, Category I, II & III
• Trailblazer role: Assisted in design, project management and adapted design as construction underwent to accommodate city’s and event promotion needs.
• Designer(s): Rock Solid, Trailblazers, Brook Watts, USAC, UCI, Runway, City of Fayetteville.
• Permitting Agencies: City of Fayetteville, ADEQ, other utilities.
• Contractor(s): Rock Solid, Q6, Trailblazers, Chuck Woods, Flow Farmer.
• Easement & Property Acquisition: Yes
• Construction Administration: Yes
• Date of Build: October 2018 – September 2022
• Funding Partner(s): WPPG, WFF
This project was created to be a high-level venue for soft-surface that would be able to accommodate high-level events.
The course has been used for the CX World Champs and UCI XCO MTB race in 2022. Something special about this trail is that it is first of its kind in the nation where it was purpose built for soft-surface users.
On the southern slope of Millsap Mountain, you’ll find nearly four miles of trails that are both technical and punchy. This loop is accessible from the top of Learner’s Permit via Junk Drawer. Once you navigate your way through some rocky sections and arrive at the long-abandoned pickup truck that has now been turned into a jump, you begin to understand the trail’s unique name. Meanwhile, Basket Case is a short, but rowdy connector packed with rocks and a couple of expert features like an on-and-off lily pad.
This is where you’ll find the Fayetteville Traverse. Once completed, this trail will connect Fayetteville’s amenities, public parks, trail systems, the University of Arkansas, and downtown with a continuous natural surface route. In the meantime, you can use the traverse as part of the return route to the top of four intermediate and expert downhill-only trails with names like Captain Fantastic and Chunky. Expect lots of rocks, multiple line choices, and some of the biggest jumps in the region. Cited from Oz Trails.
