About Markham Hill
Markham Hill is a quiet stretch of wooded singletrack just west of the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. It’s less a destination park and more a peaceful link in the city’s growing trail network, and a key piece of the Fayetteville Traverse.
Trail details
Markham Hill is natural-surface, hand-cut singletrack threading through a wooded hillside of a few dozen acres. It’s mellow, low-traffic and shaded, without the big berms or jump lines of a flow-trail park. That laid-back character is the appeal: it’s a calm, foresty ride that connects bigger destinations rather than a stop you drive to on its own.
The park / where it is
The trails sit on a preserved wooded ridge west of the University of Arkansas campus. Getting there is part of the fun: riders reach the hill through a roughly 500-foot cattle tunnel, originally built for livestock, that runs beneath Interstate 49 and links the campus-side trails to the ridge. Because it’s a natural area rather than a developed park, don’t expect big trailhead amenities here, so plan to start from campus or another Traverse access point.
Connected & nearby trails
Markham Hill is best experienced as a segment of the roughly 18-mile Fayetteville Traverse, which strings together Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain, Kessler Mountain Regional Park, the University of Arkansas campus and downtown. For more quiet, natural-surface riding close to town, Mt. Sequoyah Woods has a similar low-key feel on the east side of Fayetteville.
Know before you go
This is natural, wooded trail, so let it dry after rain and ride softly to protect it. There’s limited signage and few amenities, so it helps to have a map or the Traverse route loaded before you go. Keep dogs leashed, yield to hikers, and treat it as the quiet neighbor in the network, which is exactly what makes it worth riding.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Markham Hill in Fayetteville?
Markham Hill is a wooded ridge just west of the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. Its natural-surface trails are reached from the campus side, including a long cattle tunnel that passes beneath Interstate 49.
Is Markham Hill part of the Fayetteville Traverse?
Yes. The Markham Hill segment is a link in the roughly 18-mile Fayetteville Traverse loop, connecting the University of Arkansas campus and downtown with Centennial Park and Kessler Mountain.
What kind of trails are on Markham Hill?
Quiet, natural-surface singletrack through wooded hillside. It’s a hand-cut, low-key ridge ride rather than a big flow-trail park, which makes it a peaceful stretch of the Traverse.
How do I get to the Markham Hill trails?
Access is from the University of Arkansas side, west of campus. Riders reach the hill via a roughly 500-foot cattle tunnel originally built for livestock that runs under I-49, linking the campus trails to the ridge.
Is Markham Hill good for beginners?
It’s most rewarding as part of a longer Traverse ride and works best for riders with some singletrack experience. Newer riders can still enjoy it, but it’s natural, wooded trail rather than a groomed beginner loop.
