Greg Smith River Trail — downtown paved riverfront return
Arkansas · Greenway
Join the main paved Greg Smith path at Harry E. Kelley River Park and follow Section I toward the former Rice Carden Levee trailhead for up to 1.6 miles, then retrace. Stay on the developed bicycle path; fishing steps, stone riverside footways, gravel spurs and Section III walking-trail extensions are excluded.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Fort Smith · Arkansas
- Ride length
- Up to 3.2 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved main downtown shared-use trail; gravel and walking-only extensions excluded
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers, slow at junctions and stop at road crossings. Do not bypass a trail barrier in traffic lanes.
- Elevation
- City identifies the paved river trail as easy. Ramps and levee transitions can require effort; no surveyed maximum grade.
- Starting location
- Harry E. Kelley River Park public trail access, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, AR
Selected outward cap and the same return. Parking walks are extra; turn earlier at an actual path end or barrier.
Approximate named public park/facility reference, not a surveyed entrance or parking stall.
Greg Smith River Trail — downtown paved riverfront return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle path. Use the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Harry E. Kelley River Park public trail access, 121 Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, AR.
Official tourism identifies free public parking at Harry E. Kelley River Park. Use open ordinary river-park visitor spaces under current event signs and walk to the trail.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 3.2 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Join the main paved Greg Smith path at Harry E. Kelley River Park and follow Section I toward the former Rice Carden Levee trailhead for up to 1.6 miles, then retrace. Stay on the developed bicycle path; fishing steps, stone riverside footways, gravel spurs and Section III walking-trail extensions are excluded.
Selected outward cap and the same return. Parking walks are extra; turn earlier at an actual path end or barrier.
Surface and effort
Paved main downtown shared-use trail; gravel and walking-only extensions excluded. City identifies the paved river trail as easy. Ramps and levee transitions can require effort; no surveyed maximum grade.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers, slow at junctions and stop at road crossings. Do not bypass a trail barrier in traffic lanes. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted park and trail hours. Obey posted public visitor-parking terms; event and reserved facilities have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. Current city directory specifically identifies the named route as paved, easy and suitable for cycling; other directory cards contain placeholders and are not borrowed as evidence. Tourism gives a 1.6-mile downtown section and free visitor parking. Its wider 6.3-mile total and older 6/7.5-mile versions are not this outing. Floods and event barriers can interrupt river access. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.