Introducing the Oz Trails Bike Park with Gary Vernon and Brandon Kelly

A chairlift bike park in the Ozarks sounds like a wild idea until you hear how Oz Trails Bike Park was actually built: carefully, deliberately, and for everyone. We’re joined by Brandon Kelly, director of Bella Vista, and Gary Vernon, who runs the bike park day to day, to share the story behind the park’s long path from rumor to ribbon cutting, with the grand opening set for June 12.We get practical about what a day looks like at the park, from rolling into the base area to loading your bike on the lift, cruising to the top, and choosing trails by skill level. Gary explains how they focused on families and first-timers without watering down the experience for serious riders, including a standout beginner trail called Firestarter that’s designed to build confidence fast. We also talk about what makes this a true destination beyond riding: the Oz Trails HQ building, Ozzy’s Ride and Dine restaurant, and a full setup for bike rentals, retail, and bike school, so you can arrive with almost nothing and still have a great day.Not a rider? You’re still invited. We dig into lift rides for sightseeing, ADA accessibility, patio views of the action, and the way the park preserves the natural beauty of Bella Vista’s old-growth forest, limestone bluffs, and deep ravines. We also touch on the Whistler connection through Gravity Logic, why the trails will keep evolving, and how Bella Vista vacation rentals plus Bentonville’s downtown make trip planning easy across both towns.If you’re curious about Northwest Arkansas mountain biking, family-friendly bike parks, or the next big outdoor attraction in Bella Vista, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a riding buddy, and leave a review so more people can find the show! A New American Town is here to help you plan your trip to Bentonville, Arkansas. From guides, events, and restaurant highlights. Find all this and more at visitbentonville.com and subscribe to our newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.  You can listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, CastBox, Podcast Casts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and Podcast Addict.