Northwest Arkansas can be a beautiful place. The Eureka Springs area takes it to a whole other level, though. In that area, Lake Leatherwood is one of my favorite spots to visit.

Whenever I want an excellent hike, photo walk, or epic downhill mountain biking, I head to Lake Leatherwood near Eureka Springs. It’s close enough to the Bentonville area to be an easy day trip and offers some fantastic experiences.

Mountain Biking Lake Leatherwood

Lake Leatherwood is home to some of the best mountain biking trails in NWA. There are trails of all sorts for all types of riders. It features some techy XC trails that border the lake itself, providing excellent views and fun. The downhill area has everything from adrenaline-pumping black diamonds to flowing green trails suitable for almost any rider.

The video above features an XC trail in the downhill area called “Miner’s Rock” which I rode to access the downhill trail hub. That was my first time there and the blue downhill trails were a blast! I can’t wait to go back on my full-suspension bike. Also, if you are wanting to maximize the downhill fun, there are shuttle services available to get you back to the top!

Hiking at Lake Leatherwood

There’s more to Lake Leatherwood than mountain biking. There are miles of trails around the area that are great for hiking as well. In the summertime, the trails near the lake offer beautiful views. In the early morning, it isn’t uncommon to encounter fog banks rising off of the lake, lily pads with mercurial drops of water gathered, and an overall serenely quiet hiking experience.

The trails themselves are quite varied. The lakeside trails are pretty easygoing, with a lot of rock features. However, there are more strenuous trails with more climbs. The Overlook trail offers excellent views in the winter when the foliage gives way to beautiful sight lines of the lake.

It’s worth noting that there has been some structural damage to the walkway of the dam at Lake Leatherwood. It’s currently not possible to complete the loop entirely around the lake, so plan accordingly. Also, it is important to be prepared for the weather. In the summer, temps can reach near 100 degrees and the humidity here is often high. Be sure to bring plenty of water!

Other available activities

Lake Leatherwood also offers all of the traditional activities typical of a lake. It’s possible to rent kayaks, paddleboats, and rowboats to experience good times on the water. It’s also an excellent fishing lake as well. On our most recent trip, we had a great time watching some huge bass hit top.

Lake Leatherwood is also a great place for birding. According to the official website, there are around 120 different species that visit the lake. Also, there’s even a blind set up near the campground specifically for observing the birds near a lily pad heavy portion of the lake.

Speaking of camping, Lake Leatherwood has great offerings there as well. There are several different cabins that can be booked to accommodate your needs. In addition to the cabins, there are primitive campsites available, as well as RV sites. If I were looking to camp near Eureka Springs, Lake Leatherwood would be high on my list of potential stays.

Things to do nearby

Eureka Springs

Eureka Springs is only about a 10-minute drive away from Lake Leatherwood. The town of Eureka Springs is beautiful any time of year. There’s a ton of shopping, amazing places to eat, and tons of sights to see. A person could easily spend a day just wandering around town checking out all it has to offer.

For a day trip, my wife and I love to get an early morning hike in at Lake Leatherwood, then head into Eureka Springs for brunch at Oscar’s Cafe. After that, we spend some time wandering around town and enjoying all it has to offer. Also, be prepared to pay for parking. The town is pretty tight and can be difficult to navigate, so it’s worth grabbing a paid parking spot. They also run a neat little trolley bus around town if walking everywhere isn’t accessible to you.

Also, it’s pretty easy to find live music in Eureka. Whether in the form of buskers or bands playing at venues, music seems to be a part of the culture. You may even find some big names visiting town! Eureka Springs is certainly a worthwhile place to visit, and likely deserves its own blog post.

I love Lake Leatherwood, and you will too

Hopefully, at this point in this blog post, you can see why I love visiting Lake Leatherwood. It’s a beautiful place packed full of fun things to do. Also, being a city park in an awesome town like Eureka Springs has its perks as well. Do you think you’ll be planning a trip to Lake Leatherwood now? Let me know in the comments!

For more information on Eureka Springs parks, please check out their website here.

Disclaimer: I am in no way currently associated with the city of Eureka Springs or any other entity connected to the town or state of Arkansas. This is a personal blog and I enjoy sharing my favorite experiences in my area with you all.