Big Rock Quarry Bike Park Pump Track

It’s no secret that Arkansas, specifically Northwest Arkansas, is becoming a cycling hotspot. The cycling enthusiasm – and more importantly, the investment – is really picking up steam in Central Arkansas as well. We all know about the great things happening with the Arkansas River Trail and Pinnacle Mountain State Park bike trails. And I’ll be writing soon about the new mountain bike trails at River Mountain Park. The latest bike project to hit Central Arkansas is the Big Rock Quarry Bike Park pump track.

You may be asking “what is a pump track?” I had the same question, and I’ll get to that. The first thing to know is that it is the first phase of the Big Rock Quarry Bike Park in North Little Rock. The city of North Little Rock has made a significant investment to get this thing built. And from what I’ve been told, if it goes over well, the Walton Family Foundation may be kicking in for future phases to the bike park. I’ve been anxiously following along on the construction of the pump track, thanks to updates from the guys at Angry Dave’s Bike Shop. So once it became open to bikes, I had to go try it out.

Directions

The Big Rock Quarry Bike Park is located at the bottom of the bluffs at Emerald Park in North Little Rock. (Emerald Park is on TOP of the bluffs.) There are two ways into the Big Rock Quarry Bike Park. One way is to park somewhere in Burns Park and ride your bike east up the AR River Trail until you reach the bluffs of Big Rock Quarry. You’ll see several trails branching from the River Trail towards the bluffs. All of these trails will eventually lead you to the pump track.

The other way into Big Rock Quarry is to drive in from Pike Ave in NLR. Take River Rd through Rockwater Village to where it ends, just past the NLR Fraternal Order of Police. Park here and bike in, taking the gravel road on the right-hand side of the River Trail. You’ll be able to drive all the way into the bike park very soon. But at the time of my visit (12/31/21), it was not yet open to cars, and driving in will get you a $1000 fine. But I think after the grand opening, the road will be open to vehicles. Just look for road signs to the bike park. It should be obvious if it’s OK to drive in or not.

What to Expect

What Is a Pump Track?

When I first saw the term “pump track”, I only knew what it was because there was a picture attached to it. But I didn’t really know what it meant. Though a quick Google search turned up lots of info. So what is it? According to several sources, including PARKITECT (www.parkitect.ch/blog/what-is-a-pumptrack), “A pumptrack is a track for wheeled sports equipment that, when ridden properly, does not require pedaling or pushing, but a ‘pumping’ action to maintain momentum”. You can read more about that here. Also here is a quick video to demonstrate what that means:

The Big Rock Quarry Pump Track

There are a lot of different styles of pump tracks and different ways to build them. The one we have now in NLR is a really nice (and expensive) asphalt one. The asphalt will prevent the berms, bumps and turns from eroding and wearing away. It also makes it possible for skateboards, razor scooters, and things like that to use it. In between the asphalt trails are sections of artificial turf, and gravel in the low spots for water drainage. One of the big turns has a wooden wall on top for anyone that can gain enough speed to go that high. From what I understand, more of those walls are being installed. The builders of this track did a superb job putting of this together. It’s a really great-looking track.

OK so the track looks great, but how does it perform? I took a few laps on my mountain bike, and it was a lot of fun. I did have to pedal in a few spots to pick up speed, but that’s because I’m a newbie at this pump technique. There are definitely lines to take that will help you gain or maintain speed on the track. Tip: if you’re using a full-suspension bike, lock out the suspension so it doesn’t absorb the energy of the pump motion. That energy should transmit through the bike frame to create movement, not be absorbed in your shocks.

Even though there is very little pedalling involved, I think you’ll find that it’s still pretty good exercise. It’s not like climbing a grueling uphill MTB trail. But it’s more tiring than you might expect. And it’s a great way to practice different cycling skills. For example, I’m a little timid on taking downhill switchback turns with steep berms. But I think practicing the turns on this track can help with that. Check out my own video below for some views of the track and a view from my bike as I take a lap.

Big Rock Quarry Bike Park Info

On my 12/31/21 visit to the pump track, I was fortunate enough to be there at time when the park ranger came by. He had a lot of good information about the future of the park that I was not aware of. I thought we were just getting a pump track here. But as I mentioned before, this is just Phase 1 of a multi-phase bike park. If this goes well, there is a possibility that the Walton Family Foundation might provide grant money for more phases. Possibilities include a kids track and new mountain bike trails around the Emerald Park area. And…are you ready for this? A new amphitheater between the Arkansas River and the Big Rock Quarry! According to the Ranger, this amphitheater would be bigger than the Riverfront Amphitheater downtown. It would be set up to accommodate some pretty big concert acts. How cool is that?! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this phase becomes a reality.

If you’ve never been to the Big Rock Quarry or Emerald Park, you may be surprised at the scenery there. It’s not the kind of place you would expect to see this close to downtown North Little Rock. The 200-ft high bluffs were the first major rock outcroppings that French explorers saw on their way up the Arkansas River. It is recognized as the end of the Arkansas Delta and the beginning of the Ouachita Mountain region. From the top are some great views up and down the Arkansas River.

Plan Your Visit

The official opening and ribbon cutting is Thursday, January 13, 2022. But it is currently open to bikes (no driving into the park yet) if you want a sneak peek. I didn’t see any lights, so I assume the park closes at dark. There are no restrooms as of the time of this writing, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that is in future plans. There are no water fountains either, so take your own water. No motorized vehicles are allowed. (Seems pretty obvious, but there’s always that one person). Please pack out any trash you might have and keep this place clean. I hope you enjoy the pump track. Let’s support it the right way and get those future phases built!