Fun Outdoor Activities around the Little Rock Area

[Jean-Paul]

Being a personal trainer, I love to work out with weights, and I find it to be the most effective method for keeping lean, muscular, and stress-free. But that is not the only way to get fit. It is simply a means to an end. If you don’t get outside and enjoy all of the activities that Arkansas has to offer you are really missing out. There is such an abundance of outdoor sports and recreation in this state that people come from surrounding states just to enjoy our lakes, our white water, and our mountains. Let’s look at some of the things that we can do in our fair city.
Running: Equipment needed: good pair of running shoes, comfortable socks, shorts or tights, tee-shirt (and sport bra for women).
Riverdale area has lots of level, paved trails. Very popular running, biking and rollerblading spot. Or, try a local track, like Forest Heights in the Hillcrest area. Some local schools give public access to their tracks after school hours or on weekends. This is a good place to do interval training on bleachers, or do sprint drills, or walk/run. Required fitness level: From beginner to excellent condition. You will give your legs and heart a workout if you run long distance.
Rollerblading: Equipment needed: Roller blades, knee and wrist pads, and a helmet is advisable, especially if you are just learning for the first time. Depending on the kind of blading you do you may need to get a pair of pants equipped with padding to protect your tailbone. If you are going to be doing half-pipe or stunt blading especially. If you are only doing it for fitness and on flat, smooth paved trails you should still keep wrist and knee pads on. Required fitness level: beginner to excellent condition
The best area for this is the Riverdale area, along Rebsamen golf course, all the way down to Murray Locke and Dam, with an additional trail leading down to the 430 Bridge. It is miles of smooth paved trails. Rollerblading easier on the joints than running, and an excellent cardiovascular exercise that focuses on thighs and glutes.
Cycling: Equipment needed: You will need a decent bike, a helmet, water bottle, and may choose to wear some of the specialized riding clothes which do make riding a bit more comfortable, such as a padded pair of riding shorts. If you are going to be doing some long distances make sure you have enough water and you know where you are going first. Required fitness level for road biking: intermediate to excellent condition. For Mountain biking on trails you need to be in excellent condition.
For mountain biking the best two local places to go are Boyle Park or Camp Robinson. You will need to pay a one time fee of $10 to join CARP which will allow you to ride all you want at CR. Must sign in before going out on the trails. Allsop Park also has trails, but it is really rough and overgrown, and easy to crash on that trail. For Road biking the best places are out towards Pinnacle. The Roland Loop is a popular route with 10, 20, and 30 mile versions… Lots of hills! And keep your fingers crossed for the new proposed bike trail that will start at the Rivermarket area, go all the way out to Murray Dam where a bridge will connect to a new trail on the other side of the river, and then come all the way back to the rivermarket (a 24 mile loop!). This will supposedly be done in about a year. If you are an avid cyclist you should call City Hall and tell the Director that you support this plan… Put the pressure on for them to finish this!
Hiking: Equipment needed: Hiking boots or good ankle supporting running shoes, comfortable socks, and a water bottle or camel pack (expensive, but a good investment). Required fitness level: Beginner to excellent condition.
The most popular spot to hike in the Area is Pinnacle Mountain, Way out on HWY 10. Expect it to take anywhere from 30 min to 2 hours to make the round trip, depending on your fitness level. Also, there is a trail head for the Oachita trail on the back parking lot of Pinnacle Mountain (where you park if you are going to climb the steep side of Pinnacle). Another wonderful trail that is a little further out is in Petit Jean. Drive to the top of the mountain where there is a neat little lodge and some cabins. The trail starts at the lodge and goes for a few miles to a beautiful waterfall. There are signs posted down there now that say “no swimming”, but everyone does it anyway (myself included). Who is going to hike a grueling trail in Arkansas heat to an engulfed cathedral of cliffs and clean cool water and NOT reward themselves with a quick dip?
Rock Climbing: Equipment needed: You will need to climb with someone if you go because you need someone to “belay” for you. You will need a harness, climbing shoes, a chalk bag, and rope. You will also need to take lessons before starting for safety reasons. Required fitness level: you should be in excellent physical condition if you want to learn to climb. You may need to do some cardio conditioning and strength training before taking this on as a hobby.
Arkansas has a great deal of excellent climbing spots. The two closest local spots are West Pinnacle (on Rattlesnake Ridge), and Shinall Mountain. Shinall is the most popular. If you want to watch some good climbers at work, and / or pick up tips this is a good place to go. Take Chenal to Kanis, go west on Kanis until the road splits, go right and take the next right which is Denny Road. Follow this to the top and you will see the cliffs from the road. This is a FULL BODY workout, combining strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility. It is growing in popularity because of it’s cross gender appeal. Women tend to pick up this sport faster than men because it requires more grace than brute strength.
If you need better directions to any of the places I mentioned please feel free to contact me. The phone number at the gym is 501-399-9355. Now get outside!