Two of the South's most significant cycling routes converge at Helena, Arkansas. One of them you may already know by name. The other is one of the best-kept secrets in Southern cycling, and Helena is where it starts.
The Great River Road runs from the headwaters of the Mississippi in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico -- a National Scenic Byway that follows the river for the full length of the country. Helena sits on it, at the point where the river bends east and Highway 49 crosses over into Mississippi via the Helena Bridge. For cyclists doing the river route, Helena is the natural stop: the last downtown on the Mississippi River for 300 miles between Memphis and Vicksburg, and the only one sitting on a high river bluff rather than the floodplain below.
The other route is Crowley's Ridge Gravel Trail. Two hundred and forty-nine miles, from the highlands of northeast Arkansas down to Helena-West Helena, where the trail ends -- or begins, depending on which direction you're riding. Helena is Mile Zero. The Mile Zero Delta Festival, held each April, takes its name from exactly this. The annual Mile Zero Ultra, a self-supported 300 and 600-mile gravel challenge, starts at the Spirit of the American Doughboy monument in town.
If you're a serious cyclist, you know what it means to be at the start of a 249-mile gravel trail through seven state parks. If you're a casual rider who wants to explore a stretch of the Mississippi on a flat road with almost no traffic, Helena is equally the right place. The routes don't overlap. The terrain is completely different. Both start here.
The Great River Road: Helena's Stretch
The Great River Road enters Helena from the north via Highway 20, which connects to US-49B coming into downtown. From downtown, the logical cycling route follows the levee road south -- elevated above the floodplain, with long sight lines east and west across the flat Delta interior.
The flatness is a feature, not a bug. The Delta's geography -- bottomland cotton fields, isolated farmsteads, empty two-lane roads -- is a landscape unlike anything in the American interior. The sight lines are enormous. The traffic on the levee roads is minimal. Cyclists who have done the full Mississippi River route describe this stretch as one of the quieter, more atmospheric sections of the entire journey.
Helena sits on a bluff, which is unusual. Most towns on the lower Mississippi are at river level and have been flooded repeatedly. Helena's elevation means the views from the levee are wider and the town has a different physical relationship with the river than its neighbors. You notice this when you're cycling -- the approach from the north drops down into the Delta interior, and then the land rises again as you enter town.
Route Note -- Saint Francis National Forest Segment: A gravel section runs through the forest between Marianna and Helena. A paved bypass exists for cyclists preferring road bike conditions. Both options are well-documented on Great River Road maps.
For cyclists continuing east into Mississippi, the Helena Bridge (US-49) is the only Mississippi River crossing for cyclists in this stretch -- approximately one mile across, connecting to Lula, MS and the Mississippi side of the Great River Road. The bridge is currently under a .9 million rehabilitation project (ongoing 2024-2026). It remains open to traffic, but check current status before routing across if crossing conditions are a concern.
Crowley's Ridge Gravel Trail and the Mile Zero Ultra
Crowley's Ridge is a geological anomaly -- a narrow spine of elevated loess hills running 200 miles through the otherwise flat Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The Crowley's Ridge Gravel Trail follows the ridge north from Helena to Piggott, Arkansas: 249 miles, 10,000 feet of elevation gain, through 18 communities and 7 state parks.
This is completely different riding from the Great River Road. The levee roads are flat, open, and contemplative. Crowley's Ridge is mixed terrain through forested highlands, with real elevation change and extended sections of gravel. The two routes draw different riders, which is part of what makes Helena an unusual cycling destination -- it can serve both in the same trip.
The trail is organized by studioDRIFT, a Helena-West Helena nonprofit that manages the route and the annual festival. In January 2026, Helena-West Helena was selected for the inaugural TrailNation accelerator cohort, with over million in grants secured to connect Helena's downtown directly to the Delta Heritage Trail and Crowley's Ridge trailhead via dedicated active transportation routes. That connection project is currently underway.
The Mile Zero Ultra is the endurance event version of this route: a self-supported 300-mile or 600-mile gravel challenge starting at the Spirit of the American Doughboy monument in Helena-West Helena. It draws serious gravel cyclists from around the country. If you're looking for a base for the challenge, the Edwardian Inn is within walking distance of the starting monument.
Rides Out of Helena
Helena Adventure Company operates e-bike rentals and guided tours out of 415 Ohio Street. It's run by Thrive Inc., the community development nonprofit, and it's the practical answer to the question of where to rent a bike and what routes to take if you're not arriving with your own setup.
Local Operator -- Helena Adventure Company: 415 Ohio St, Helena AR 72342 · 870-816-4844 · Online reservations required: 8 hours advance for rentals, 48 hours for group tours · Guided tours (2-4 riders): /2 hours + e-bike rental cost
Their suggested routes range from a one-mile introductory loop at the river park to a 37-mile gravel route connecting Mississippi River State Park to Delta Heritage Trail State Park. The routes worth knowing:
Harbor View Trail -- A one-mile loop in Helena River Park. Straightforward intro to the waterfront. Good option if you're arriving tired and want to orient yourself before committing to distance.
The Big River Loop -- Two miles, connecting downtown to the river park. The walking and cycling path that makes the most of Helena's position on the bluff.
The Low Road -- 22 miles of gravel paralleling the Mississippi River. Flat, remote, river views throughout. This is the ride for people who want the full Delta experience: long distances, minimal traffic, the river always nearby.
Helena Ridge Ride -- 37 miles of gravel connecting Mississippi River State Park to Delta Heritage Trail State Park. The longest dedicated local route. Plan accordingly on timing and water.
Delta Heritage Trail
The Delta Heritage Trail is the most significant cycling infrastructure in the region -- a rail-to-trail conversion running 84.5 miles (69.8 miles complete as of 2026) through the Arkansas Delta. Crushed limestone surface, approximately one percent grade, ADA-compliant. Ten trailheads with facilities including the visitor center at Barton, which has a gift shop, maps, restrooms, picnic sites, and bike rentals.
The trail is divided into northern and southern corridors. The northern corridor (Lexa to Snow Lake, 41.7 miles) and southern corridor (Yancopin to Arkansas City, 28.2 miles, including 15 miles on the Mississippi River Mainline Levee) are both complete.
Current closure notice: Approximately 2 miles of trail between Lexa and Barton have been closed for resurfacing since January 12, 2026. The closure was in effect as of early April 2026, with no announced reopening date. If you're planning to ride the northern corridor, contact the Barton visitor center for current trail status before arriving. The southern corridor and Barton facilities are unaffected.
Using Helena as a Base
Most cycling destinations require either camping or staying somewhere inconvenient to the route. Helena is the exception. The Edwardian Inn is a half mile from the levee road, two blocks from the historic downtown, and within easy range of the Cherry Street corridor, the Delta Cultural Center, and the starting point for the Crowley's Ridge Gravel Trail.
The inn is a working B&B in the William A. Short House, a 1904 Victorian that has been operating for 41 years. It's not a cycling-specific lodge -- it's a historic inn that happens to sit at the center of one of the better cycling destinations in the South. Breakfast is included. The parking situation is straightforward if you're arriving with a vehicle and a rack.
A note on timing: spring and fall are the better seasons for riding in the Delta. April has the advantage of the Mile Zero Delta Festival and the energy that comes with it; October has the King Biscuit Blues Festival, which draws around ten thousand people to Cherry Street the weekend before Columbus Day. Both are worth building a trip around. Summer is hot and humid in a way that demands early morning starts.