There are two ways to enter Kessler Mountain's trails.
The city of Fayetteville has built a trailhead on the east side of Kessler for the new 200-acre regional park: Take Exit 60 off Interstate 49, go a half mile south on Cato Springs Road and turn right on Judge Cummings Road (County Road 200). With plenty of parking, this trailhead connects to the multi-use trail system on the 435-acre Mount Kessler Reserve.
These trails are for hiking, biking and running and all are on public land, so no permission or waiver forms are required.
The trail that Walt Manger led his group over begins at a trailhead behind the former Ozark Mountain Smokehouse building on Martin Luther King Boulevard. Follow Smokehouse Trail, which is a paved road, 0.6 miles behind the smokehouse.
The Rock City Trailhead is on private property whose owners require that visitors sign a waiver of liability. Frank Sharp says, "There are waiver forms in a box at the Rock City Trailhead and it isn't necessary to call me on my cellphone."
I recommend the city's access for mountain bikers. The trail from the smokehouse location meanders uphill through Rock City. The combination of a steep incline and large rocks on this section will result in a great deal of hike-a-bike for most cyclists.
There are also plans for building trails on the southern slopes of the mountain. These will be less challenging paths suited more for beginning bicyclists and hikers. And for experienced bikers, this area will also include a pump track.
No new structures will be constructed on reserve land.
-- Bob Robinson
ActiveStyle on 12/08/2014