The downhill mountain biking trails at Lake Leatherwood Bike Park now have some burly character to their names.
The Eureka Springs Parks Commission recently approved renaming the seven trails from generic names such as “Downhill Trail 1” and “Downhill Trail 2” to names that reflect mythical creatures similar to Bigfoot, the character the park has become associated with since the placement of a large statue of the giant a handful of years ago.
“Ever since the downhill trails were created they’ve just been named DH1, DH2, DH3 … and that’s all well and good, and it’s easy to explain those, but it’s also hard to sell a T-shirt or something that says DH3,” parks director Sam Dudley said at the Nov. 19 regular meeting. “It’s kind of a little bit boring.”
Suggestions on themes were taken and mythical creatures won out, Dudley told commissioners.
The changes approved include DH1 changing to Yowie Rocks, DH2 becoming OGre Run (OG because it was the original downhill trail, Dudley said), DH3 to Troll Bridge, DH4 to Skunk Ape, DH5 to Swamp Stalker, DH6 to Shreddy Yeti and DH7 to Cyclops Drops.
“These are all actually different terms for Bigfoot,” Dudley said. “As you know, Bigfoot is kind of synonymous with Leatherwood now since we have that big statue down there, the Bigfoot statue. These are all just sort of like different terms and different cultures for Bigfoot.”
The parks department will have T-shirts made that reflect the new names.
“It’s a good way to make extra money and commemorative items for people who show up,” Dudley said.
Commissioners had some laughs at some of the names, particularly Swamp Stalker.
“You could come up with some really cool artwork for that one,” Dudley said.
“I can actually see the shirts already,” commission chair Mark Ingram later said.
Renaming the trails passed 5-0.
SHUTTLE OPERATIONS REMAIN EXTERNAL
The commission had recently discussed bringing the shuttle system used for the mountain biking trails back in-house and hiring a new staff member to oversee the operation.
Dudley, however, said he had recently rethought the idea and had a change of heart.
“After canceling the contract with our prior provider, I had several conversations with Nick Castro,” Dudley said. “He’s the owner and operator of Gravity Feed, which all of you know, just being transparent, was the former subcontractor working under the last provider.
“While I still like the idea of us running the operations in-house, it seems like that could be a risky endeavor given the inevitable changes in the economy … we’re about to see. In addition, we have several projects that we’d like to prioritize above shuttle operations …” The agreement with Gravity Feed includes Castro charging whatever fee he chooses for riders of the shuttle and paying the parks department a guarantee of $500 per month plus 10 percent of the gross revenues he earns, Dudley explained.
Gravity Feed will also have first right of refusal to operate shuttles during any event that has the trails reserved, Dudley said.
“Nick has the incentive because it’s his own business to bring as many people in as possible, but it also puts a little bit of skin in the game for us, too,” he said.
Commissioners liked the new proposal.
“I’m actually really happy because I was reluctant to get back into that business that we went to so much trouble to get out of,” Ingram said.
Castro has been working in some capacity with shuttles in the park for approximately the past five years and has been running the operations on a temporary basis the past few months.
“You already know how things work out there,” commissioner Ruth Hager said to Castro. “I have no reservations that you know what you’re doing. … This contract should say to let Nick do what he knows is best…” Castro said he hopes to bring more people to the park with additional events.
“I want to put on the events that helps bring more people in the park and helps bring in shuttles,” he said. “I have a summer series I really want to put on bad that I’ve been working on for three years now.”
Under the past shuttle provider, rates were $40 for shuttle riders but Castro said he’s considering lowering them to $30 and “see if that helps bring more people to the park.”
“I think it’ll bring more people in the long run,” he said.
The contract, which also states that the agreement will be automatically terminated if payments to the parks department are delayed by more than 30 days, goes into effect Jan. 1 and lasts until Dec. 31, 2025.
LEATHERWOOD NUMBERS ‘GREAT’ Numbers at Lake Leatherwood Park were high in October and early November, Dudley reported.
“Great months for us in terms of boat rentals and lodging,” he said. “We are well on track to surpass the $200,000 mark for lodging and the $150,000 mark for general sales. I don’t know if the general public knows what our budget is right off the top of their head, but we budgeted $150,000 for lodging and $100,000 for sales. So, we’re $100,000 above that.”
The department also recently refurbished the exterior of Cabin No. 1, replacing rotting siding and repainting.
“I’m really hoping it kind of freshens up the outside,” Dudley said. “The inside is really nice, but the outside [was] kind of rough…” Dudley also reported that renovations to the baseball fields have began in preparation for Eureka Springs High School to utilize the field when the season gets underway in early 2025.
“The [ESHS] team is still accumulating donations from local businesses to assist in funding for the remainder of the work,” he said. “The school district got us a check for $7,200 this week, so just a big shout out to all the local businesses and the kids, the team, for getting those and organizing them … also the local businesses for actually making the donations.”
Commissioners were also updated on the removal of “12 to 15 invasive mimosa trees” at Black Bass Lake.
“These are pretty aggressive trees and they’re not really native …,” Dudley said.
More projects at Basin Spring Park are on the horizon and Dudley said he recently submitted a request for proposals for things such as redoing the stairs from the gazebo to the Upper Bluff and planting trees. He’s also been working on an RFP for repairs to the park’s structure in regard to the fountain that is sinking, Dudley said.
The commission also unanimously approved modifications at trails at Lake Leatherwood to connect Overlook Trail and Miners Rock Trail via the usage of Mulladay Hollow and approving a connector trail that will link two portions of Miners Rock Trail and Miners Rock Loop.
