HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Registration opens today [May 14] at 7 a.m. for the Fifth Güdrun – Northwoods Mountain Bike Festival to be held November 10 – 12 at Hot Springs’ internationally acclaimed Northwoods Trail System.
Registration is at https://www.bikereg.com/gudrun.
The first 200 entrants will be entered automatically in a drawing for the third annual Güdrun Getaway Vacation Package, which includes a staggering amount of free stuff, including a free stay at The Hotel Hot Springs.
“We are excited to announce the registration opening for Güdrun – Northwoods MTB Festival 2023,” Visit Hot Springs Trails Coordinator Traci Berry said. “This will be the fifth year of our festival, celebrating five years of our world-class trail system in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.
“It is wild that we are approaching five years of Northwoods Trails. It feels like we have done so much in a very short time — are we sure it has only been five years? We have grown our trail system from 15.7 miles with Phase 1 to 21.5 miles on city property today, giving us 31.5 miles of awesome trail just five minutes from downtown.
“We have watched our community, our visitorship, and our festival grow each year. It’s so exciting. We hope more folks come join the excitement in helping us celebrate this amazing trail system in November.”
Berry said this year’s three-day Güdrun Festival includes:
Friday, November 10
• Spa City Running and Riding Expo — Noon to 7 p.m. Participants will join the Spa City Running Festival at the Hot Springs Convention Center to kick off a full weekend of running and riding in Hot Springs. Güdrun will have packet pickup for all participants and various vendor booths to visit.
• Güdrun Slow Roll Fun Ride — 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. “Put your Viking gear on, load up your bike, and join a slow roll, fun ride through downtown Hot Springs through the historic Arlington Hotel Lobby. The ride is four miles, beginning at Pleasant and Church Streets and ending at 420 Eats Food Truck Court
Saturday, November 11
• Gudrun Full Enduro — 9 a.m. start. The full enduro course will be 15-18 miles, taking racers through six downhill stages. The start and finish will be at the Cedar Glades Park hilltop.
• Gudrun Mini-Enduro — 10 a.m. start. The Mini-Enduro course will be approximately eight miles, taking racers through three downhill stages. Start and Finish will be at the Cedar Glades Park hilltop.
• Gudrun Waffles & Coffee Time Trial — 11 a.m. start. The Time Trial is a XC (Cross Country) short course race. Racers will ride the Waffles & Coffee Trail at Cedar Glades Park for one short 2.2-mile lap as fast as they can. The start and finish will be on the Cedar Glades Park hilltop.
• Güdrun Strider Race — 1 p.m. Spa City Cycling will once again design a fun course for the youngest cyclists. The course will be open for balance bike riders to ride all weekend with the race taking place Saturday afternoon. The race is free and will take walk-up registrations. It will be a timed race, seeing how many laps each rider can make in a given amount of time. The course and race location will be on the Cedar Glades Park hilltop.
• Güdrun Jump Jam — 2:30 p.m. The Jump Jam is a spectator favorite. Only open to 25 participants, the Jump Jam gives the participants a chance to show off their air-catching skills while being judged by their peers in the competition. This event will be at the Cedar Glades Park Jump Zone.
• Güdrun Dual Slalom — 5 p.m. The Dual Slalom has racers racing side by side on a double lane course designed to zigzag the racers back and forth down the hillside at Cedar Glades Park.
Sunday, November 12
• Attila the Hun XC Race – AMBCS — 8 a.m. Attila the Hun, now in its 31st year, is the final event of the festival and the last race of the Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series (AMBCS). The event has 42 categories with Novice, Cat 3, Cat 2, Cat 1, Clydesdale, EBike, and Single Speed options open to all. The start and finish will be located on the Cedar Glades Park hilltop.
“We will once again have a Güdrun Enduro Purse for the Pro and Expert categories of the Full Enduro,” Berry said. “Think you got what it takes to win your category in the Güdrun Full Enduro and Attila the Hun XC Race? Get registered and compete for the Güdrun Valkyrie (female) and the Güdrun Berserker (male) Awards. These awards will be given to the male and female with the best cumulative time in their Enduro and Attila Categories.”
“We are more than pleased to have so much free stuff to give away this year in our third Epic Güdrun Getaway Vacation Package,” Berry said. The first 200 entrants will be automatically entered in a drawing to win.”
She said this year’s package will include:
• Two nights stay at The Hotel Hot Springs
• Two passes to the Thermal Water Pools at Quapaw Baths and Spa LLC (ages 14 and up)
• Two day-passes Garvan Woodland Gardens
• Two passes to Mid-America Science Museum
• Gift card from Superior Bathhouse Brewery
• Gift card from Parkside Cycle
• Gift card from Spa City Cycling
• Gift package from Hot Springs Bicycle Touring Co.
• Merchandise from Red Light Roastery Coffee House
• Merchandise from TACO (Trail Advocacy Coalition of the Ouachitas)
• Merchandise from Northwoods Trails System
“The more events you enter, the more chances you have to win,” Berry said. “Meaning, for example, if you register for the Slow Roll, Enduro, Jump Jam and Dual Slalom your name goes in the hat four times, which ups your chances of winning the super dope Bike Hot Springs Vacation package.”
She said the 400 participants are guaranteed to receive race swag.
“Register now,” Berry said. “We can’t wait to see all those smiling faces in November.”
For more information call Traci Berry at 501-321-2027.
