New soft surface trails for bikers and hikers

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT)- Over 13 miles of soft surface trails have been added to Craighead Forest Park, and the project is expected to be complete by next week.

Crews are finalizing a new addition to the park. The city of Jonesboro will host a ribbon cutting to officially open the soft surface trails on Tuesday, April 23 at Pavilion 1 at 2 p.m.

The city invested $800,000 in the trail project.

Director of Parks and Recreation Danny Kapales said the trails are made for mountain bikers and people who want to hike.

“They’re not made just for bikers,” Kapales said. “They are made for people who want to come out, hike, and enjoy nature in the park.”

Kapales said a majority of the trails are beginner-friendly.

“A little over 9 miles of those trails are green trails,” Kapales said.

Like snow skiing, the level of difficulty is categorized by colors. Kapales said green trails are the easiest, then blue, then black. He said the most challenging trails are labeled double black diamonds. One DBD trail has a 20-foot drop-off for expert use only.

Long-time Mountain Biker John Terrell has been biking at Craighead since 2010. He said the new trails make riding fast way more enjoyable.

“The old school trails had lots of roots and rocks, and now you can cruise and coast a lot faster,” Terrell said.

Terrell said that although his favorite kinds of rides include big jumps and drops, he said the new trails accommodate everyone.

“That jump is very hard to make but if you have all the things in between to get there, that’s what makes it kind of special,” Terrell said. “Anyone can ride there and learn to ride very well.”

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