What is Wolf Pen Gap?
The Wolf Pen Gap Trail Complex is one of the most celebrated off-highway vehicle (OHV) destinations in the American South — roughly 40 miles of dedicated trails for ATVs, side-by-sides, and off-road motorcycles, carved through the ridges and hollows of the Ouachita National Forest near Mena, Arkansas. Riders come from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and far beyond for a simple reason: this is proper mountain riding. Twisting climbs, ridgeline runs with long forest views, rocky technical stretches, and the creek crossings that make Wolf Pen Gap famous.
Unlike private OHV parks, Wolf Pen Gap is national forest land managed by the U.S. Forest Service's Mena Ranger District. The trails connect with forest roads, so a day of riding can stretch as long as your fuel and daylight allow.
Riding Wolf Pen Gap from Arborium Cabins
Here's the part our guests love most: you can ride to the trail system directly from our property gate. No morning trailer loading, no staging-area shuffle — fire up the machines at the cabin, ride out, and come home muddy for dinner by the fire pit. Every cabin has ample parking for trucks, trailers, and rigs of all sizes.
No rig? No problem. We rent a small fleet of 2024 Yamahas — a 6-seat Viking VI, a Grizzly 700, and a Kodiak 700 — exclusively to cabin guests. See the rental fleet →
Know before you ride
- Check current conditions. Trail sections can close after heavy rain or for maintenance. The Mena Ranger District (Ouachita National Forest) is the authority on what's open, current vehicle rules, and any seasonal restrictions — call before you haul.
- Fuel up in Mena. There are no services in the forest. Top off tanks and grab supplies in town on the way in.
- No cell service. Coverage disappears in the forest — ride with a buddy, tell someone your route, and carry what you need. (Our cabins have fast Starlink Wi-Fi, so you're connected the moment you're back.)
- Creek crossings are real. Water levels change with the weather. Walk a crossing if you're unsure — the trails will still be there tomorrow.
- Ride it right. Stay on marked trails, pack out what you pack in, and respect quiet hours near camps. Riders' access to this forest depends on riders' behavior.
Best seasons to ride
Spring brings running creeks, green canopy, and mild temps — prime riding. Fall may be even better: October color in the Ouachitas is spectacular from a ridgeline, and the air is cool enough to ride all day. Summer works if you start early and treat the creek crossings as a feature, not an obstacle. Winter is the quiet season — crisp, empty trails for riders who come prepared for cold.
When the machines are parked
The same corner of the Ouachita that makes the riding great makes everything else great too. Off the trails, our guests fish for bass on the private pond, kayak and swim at Shady Lake, hunt quartz crystals at Board Camp Crystal Mine ten minutes from Mena, chase waterfalls at Little Missouri Falls, and end the day with a sunset at the vista or a truly dark sky full of stars.
Where to stay: the closest beds to the trails
Arborium Cabins is a family-run property minutes from the Wolf Pen Gap trail system — three handcrafted, pet-friendly cabins that together sleep up to 18:
- Sunset Cabin — 5.0★ Airbnb Guest Favorite, sleeps 6, stone fireplace, soaking tub, private bass pond.
- Stargazing Cabin — sleeps 8, positioned for dark-sky stargazing, direct ATV access.
- Nightfall Guest Cabin — sleeps 4, game room with video games and a frozen-drink machine.
Ride out from the gate in the morning, come home to a hot shower, a full kitchen, and a fire pit under the stars. That's the whole idea.