After a successful run at hosting the ultra-endurance 1,000-mile Arkansas High Country Race last year, Hot Springs will once again host the race in October.
Registration for the fifth annual biking event opens on April 7. Last year, it drew 75 participants from 17 states and Canada, 46 of which completed the race with Arkansan Ernie Lechuga finishing the 1,000-mile leg of the race in a record-setting time of four days, 14 hours and 13 minutes.
"We are stoked to have the Arkansas High Country Race returning to Hot Springs for the second year," Visit Hot Springs Northwoods Trails Coordinator Traci Berry said in a news release. "This event brings folks from all over the country and beyond to push themselves to the edge both physically and mentally. For some, it can be life-changing.
"Following them through their journey and hearing their stories afterwards is an experience that is hard to explain. Last year each racer raved about our town, the beauty, the hospitality, the spas, and more. We hope to make ARHC 2023 even better."
Competitors have three options for the race, the full 1,000-mile loop, the 487-mile south loop or the 185-mile Ouachita Triple Crown.
"The terrain, the community, the energy ... it's unreal how this event continually gets more exciting with each passing year," race director Andrew Onermaa said in the release. "I'm honored to be directing the pedal mania and can't wait to watch my friends ride their hearts out on some of the best roads in Arkansas again this October."
Sponsored by Russellville's Jackalope Cycling and hosted by Visit Hot Springs, the routes were developed by Arkansan Chuck Campbell in partnership with Adventure Cycling.
"Jackalope is stoked for another year of the Arkansas High Country Race," Johnny Brazil of Jackalope Cycling said in the release. "We are always thrilled to share the gnarly climbs, loose descents, and natural beauty of Arkansas with this unhinged group of cyclists. Cheers to ARHC 2023."
The full route consists of over 1,000 miles of terrain across the state, and it is made up of pavement and gravel roads, including single-track trails including two IMBA Epic Trails, the Womble Trail and the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) with over 75,000 feet of elevation gain that reaches both the Oklahoma and Missouri state lines.
The south loop is a 487-mile course that stays south of Russellville and goes as far west as the Oklahoma state line with over 32,000 feet of elevation gain. The Ouachita Triple Crown is a 187-mile trek that traverses the Ouachita, Womble and LOViT trails, all IMBA Epic Trails, and it has approximately 18,000 feet of elevation gain.
For more information, visit https://www.arkansashighcountry.com or https://www.hotsprings.org.