We had a chance to catch up with former professional mountain bike rider Rich Drew during his recent trip to Eureka Springs.

In addition to the great video footage of his time on the trails, he shared some insight into the other spots he checked out during his visit.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Rich Drew. I’m a former Professional MTB Rider. I was a factory Pivot athlete in 2018/19 and travelled the country racing at some of the most amazing resorts and trails in the country. We started The Ride Series MTB Skills Clinics in 2015 and this business grew rapidly. We’ve slowly grown our team so that we can provide world class instruction through a second to none customer experience. We’ve also been focusing on creating educational and entertaining content on our YouTube platform.

How did you spend your time in Eureka Springs?

Our main goal was to hit both the Passion Play and Lake Leatherwood trail systems to see which one our team preferred. Of course, we needed sustenance to make this possible and the plan was to start with a breakfast spot close to Passion Play, hit some lunch in between and wrap up with a tasty dinner after Leatherwood shuttles.

Breakfast was at Basecamp, just on the outskirts of the Passion Play property. We enjoyed some great coffee and pastries. We’re excited to visit again soon and enjoy their patio and pizza menu. Lunch was at Sauced Barbecue and EVERYONE was happy with this choice!

Dinner was at the Horseshoe Grill and it was an awesome way to wrap up an incredible day!

What surprised you the most about Eureka Springs and/or the trails?

I wasn’t too surprised at how great the trails were and how cool the town was, since I’ve visited many times, but our man Mason was very surprised by how fun both Passion Play and Eureka were. He wasn’t expecting the diversity of trails and the chunky, rugged aspect. He was also blown away at how eclectic the town was!

What will you add to your list the next time you visit?

We will DEFINITELY be making it an overnight trip so we can soak up more of both the trails and the town. We underestimated how much incredible trail there was to ride at both locations and we certainly would love to cruise around the town more and soak up the vibes.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about your experience in Eureka Springs and the trails?

Eureka Springs needs to be on everyone’s list when they come to visit Northwest Arkansas! The trails are super fun and great for the majority of riders, and the town provides all types of food, fun, and entertainment. I’m looking forward to doing an overnight soon with Mama Bear!