A sprawling new trail system has opened on the south side of Lake Maumelle, giving hikers and bicyclists a continuous route from downtown Little Rock out to the water and up into the hills surrounding Pinnacle Mountain. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the opening of 13.5 miles of new natural-surface trails connecting Blue Mountain, Rattlesnake Ridge and Pinnacle Mountain.
According to KARK, Sanders said the opening marked the completion of some of the first major connector projects under the Maumelle Pinnacles Master Plan, telling residents that starting on opening day, people could hike or bike from downtown Little Rock to Lake Maumelle and beyond. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that the new South Lake Trails stretch runs from Pinnacle Mountain State Park to Bufflehead Bay on Lake Maumelle, part of a broader effort to stitch together trail networks across the region. The Arkansas River Trail already extends from downtown Little Rock, via Pinnacle Mountain State Park, to the south shores of Lake Maumelle, and the Ouachita National Recreation Trail connects the state park to the lake as well, per the same report.
Conflicting Mileage and Opening Dates
Exactly how the new mileage breaks down depends on who you ask. The outdoor guide site carkw.com describes the South Lake Trail segment between WestRock Landing and Pinnacle Mountain State Park as 10.1 miles long, while the Arkansas Times puts that same stretch, running from WestRock Landing Marina to the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor Center, at 9.8 miles. The two outlets also differ on the launch date itself: the Arkansas Times reported the pathways officially opened Oct. 19, while KARK reported the opening of the 13.5 miles of trail on October 23.
Despite the discrepancies in dates and distances, the broader geography is consistent across sources. Carkw.com describes the new 13.5-mile system as open for hiking and biking, connecting WestRock Landing Marina with Pinnacle Mountain State Park, Blue Mountain Natural Area and Rattlesnake Ridge Natural Area. Riders and walkers can enter the network from any of its trailheads and string together one-way routes, loops or lollipop routes, according to the same source, with one trailhead near WestRock Landing Marina located at 11800 Maumelle Harbour Road in Roland.
Who Built It, and Who's Next
The project came together fast. The Arkansas Times reports the trail system took less than a year to complete, funded through a federal grant with a match from the water utility and the state of Arkansas. The Nature Conservancy led the build, working with Central Arkansas Water, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas State Parks, the Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said the Maumelle Pinnacles Master Plan seeks to capitalize on outdoor recreation tourism in Central Arkansas and improve access to parks and outdoor areas, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Lewis added that the overall goal is connectivity among Central Arkansas's natural and recreational resources for a seamless experience. The master plan itself is described as a collaboration among the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the city of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Metroplan and Central Arkansas Water, with an eventual aim of connecting 24,000 acres of park lands, per KARK.
Food, Drinks and Future Amenities Planned
The build-out isn't finished. KARK reports that a Point Remove Brewing location will be added to the Pinnacle Mountain State Park Visitor Center, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the visitor center will offer pizza and local beers from Point Remove. Apple Seeds is opening a teaching farm at the park near the Butterfield House, which KARK reports will be operated as a hands-on garden and culinary education site using the Butterfield House and barn.
The master plan also calls for a kayak and bike share program at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, space for pop-up events and food trucks at Two Rivers Park, and a new fishing pier along with an improved boat ramp at WestRock Landing on Lake Maumelle, according to the Democrat-Gazette. A trail expansion linking Pinnacle Mountain to Rattlesnake Ridge and surrounding areas was announced back in September 2025 as an earlier phase of the same plan, KARK notes.
More Trails Already Nearby
The south shore network joins a growing list of trail options already surrounding the lake. The Ouachita National Hiking Trail runs 223 miles from Talimena State Park in Oklahoma all the way to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, according to carkw.com, while the nearby Sleepy Hollow Water Trail offers paddlers a five-mile loop along Bringle Creek, the Maumelle River and the open water of upper Lake Maumelle, per the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Pinnacle Mountain State Park also recently opened the roughly one-mile paved Owl Pass Trail, which The Outdoor Wire describes as part of the same Maumelle Pinnacles master plan prioritizing connectivity and expanded outdoor experiences across Central Arkansas.
