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Ride Loop de Loop to Build a New Green Trail in Bella Vista

“Sounds dumb, let’s do it!” That’s the official tagline on this year’s Loop de Loop, and it’s the most honest thing anyone has ever said about signing up to climb 6,400 feet on a mountain bike for fun.

THE DEETS

📆 Saturday, November 14, 2026
🕑 9 a.m.
📍 Pinion Creek Falls, Pinion Dr, Bella Vista
🎟️ Register at bikereg.com/loop-de-loop

Ride Loop de Loop to Build a New Green Trail in Bella Vista
Source: FAST News & Events - Friends of Arkansas Singletrack

Presented by Friends of Arkansas Singletrack (FAST), Loop de Loop is a ride, not a race. Nobody’s checking your split. The whole idea is to push yourself, cheer on the folks grinding up the switchback behind you, and share Bella Vista’s trails with a few hundred of your new best friends.

Six Loops, Pick Your Poison

You don’t have to tackle the Classic to get in the loop. There are several cycling distances, e-bike categories, and even a hike, so pick the one that matches your legs and your training (or lack thereof, we don’t judge):

  • Megaloop: The big one. About 65 miles, 6,400+ feet of climbing, and bonus technical mileage. This is for experienced, well-prepared riders only.
  • Classic Loop de Loop: The OG route. About 50 miles and 5,500 feet of climbing through Tunnel Vision and Back 40.
  • Tunnel Vision Loop: About 28 miles and 3,000+ feet of climbing, packed with punchy climbs, switchbacks, and descents.
  • Back 40 Loop: About 22 miles and 2,000+ feet of climbing. It’s classic NWA singletrack without the Classic’s mileage.
  • Mini Loop: About 16 miles and 1,500 feet of climbing. Heads up: there’s no aid station on this one, so pack every bit of your own water and snacks.

Ride Loop de Loop to Build a New Green Trail in Bella Vista
Source: FAST News & Events - Friends of Arkansas Singletrack

No Bike? Lace Up for Hike de Loop

Hike de Loop covers about 13.2 miles over It’ll Bluff Out, Blowing Springs, and Back 40, all on two feet. Hikers get the same trail community and the same finish-line festivities as the riders. Their registration funds the same trail project, too.

Your Entry Fee Builds a Green Trail

This one’s new. Loop de Loop has traditionally been a free FAST ride, but this year there’s a registration fee for the first time. The good news is that every single dollar goes to the professional construction budget for a new green trail on Bella Vista’s west side. FAST keeps none of it for operations.

Why green? The west side is short on beginner-rated mileage. Green trails are where newer riders and families build the confidence and skills that eventually land them on a Megaloop start line, sounding dumb and doing it anyway.

Ride Loop de Loop to Build a New Green Trail in Bella Vista
Source: FAST News & Events - Friends of Arkansas Singletrack

What Your Registration Buys at Lago Vista West

The proposed Lago Vista West extension includes:

  • About 5,000 linear feet: brand-new trail on the west side
  • Green beginner-tech-flow rating: approachable for riders just finding their groove
  • Professional design and construction: built right the first time
  • Sustainable grades and drainage: so it holds up after a good Ozark soaking
  • Predictable sightlines: friendly flow with no surprises around the bend
  • Creek bridges: professionally constructed, so nobody’s fording anything
  • A new progression step: a real on-ramp for west-side riders

Ride Loop de Loop to Build a New Green Trail in Bella Vista
Source: FAST News & Events - Friends of Arkansas Singletrack

Good green trail doesn’t happen by accident. It takes careful design, and your registration is what pays for it.

Want to follow along? The FAST News & Events listing for Loop de Loop on Facebook is public, so you don’t need an account to see it.

See you there, NWA.

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