The Monument Trails, high quality mountain bike trails located in four Arkansas state parks, are Outside magazine’s pick in the Biking category of the magazine’s annual travel awards.
The construction of the trails, located in Devil’s Den, Hobbs, Mount Nebo and Pinnacle Mountain state parks, was funded by the Walton Family Foundation via the Arkansas Parks and Recreation Foundation.
The foundation’s former director Suzanne Grobmyer is now the chief of staff of the state Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Bryan Sanders, husband to Gov. Sarah Sanders, is reportedly the de facto head of the department. He’s the chairman of the Natural State Advisory Council.
Grobmyer hosted a forum discussion with Walmart heir Tom Walton, Murphy USA CFO Mindy West and Bryan Sanders at the Rotary Club of Little Rock last week. All four are members of the advisory council.
Sanders talked about how much he likes to mountain bike and said he wanted Arkansas to double the $3.5 billion tourism contributes to the state economy over the next decade. “Particularly in this region of the country, I think we can crush all neighboring states as a destination for outdoor recreation,” he said.
Walton said his favorite things to do outside were hunting morel mushrooms and wildflowers.
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