Things To Do on an eBike in Crittenden County
Crittenden County's best-known ride is a bridge. Big River Crossing carries cyclists and walkers across the Mississippi River between West Memphis and Memphis, with long views of the river and the delta.
The county has one listing and only two sourced routes, so this guide stays short and is held back for an owner decision rather than filled out. The bike share is on the eBike shops in Memphis page.
Where to ride in Crittenden County
The delta is flat, but the bridge climbs to the middle of the river and drops again. Wind and exposure matter more than hills.
Crittenden County riding country: the Mississippi River floodplain near West Memphis.
Lengths come from the conservancy and TrailLink, which round differently. A nearly one-mile figure and a 4,973-foot figure are the same thing in different units.
1. Big River Crossing
The bridge opened in 2016 and runs along the north side of the Harahan Bridge, a railroad and road bridge from 1916. The climb is steady to the middle of the river, then drops slightly to the Memphis side.
Distance: Nearly a mile; 4,973 feet by TrailLink; start: Dacus Lake Road dirt lot at the Arkansas end, West Memphis; surface: Concrete and perforated metal.
eBike access: The conservancy and TrailLink page offers no eBike guidance, so follow the bridge signs. Etiquette and planning: The metal surface may be slippery when wet and the span is exposed to wind. Managing source: Big River Crossing.
2. Big River Trail levee system
The trail group describes a levee trail that will eventually run from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The site says the finished system will total 1,607 miles.
Distance: 1,607 miles when complete; the Crittenden County parts are not itemized; start: Check the Big River Trail site for current access points; surface: Levee trail; surface not stated.
eBike access: No eBike rule was found on the trail site. Etiquette and planning: Check which sections are open before you plan a ride, since the system is not complete. Managing source: Big River Trail.
Planning a Crittenden County ride
Call Explore Bike Share to ask whether electric bikes are available, then ride to the bridge and across to Memphis and back. The bridge is open from 6 in the morning to 10 at night.
The Arkansas end has a dirt parking lot at the end of Dacus Lake Road, per a TrailLink reviewer, so you can drive and park there and ride out.
Big River Crossing, Tom Lee Park, Delta Regional Park, and the Harahan Bridge are the named landmarks, according to TrailLink. The bridge approach starts near Dacus Lake Road, and the Big River Trail levee system is the long-term plan for the Mississippi River floodplain.
Half-day and full-day eBike plans
Bridge round trip: Ride across Big River Crossing and back.
Rental first: Call Explore Bike Share and ask about electric bikes.
What not to ride
Windy days on the bridge: The span is exposed.
Wet metal decking: It may be slippery.
Incomplete levee sections: The Big River Trail is not finished.
When to ride Crittenden County
Plan a Crittenden ride for the cooler months, and keep summer rides short, early, and well supplied with water.
Shop hubs
The directory lists one town, Memphis. Phone numbers and addresses are on the town page.
Rental and tour operators
Rental listings follow. A card cannot show which bikes are free, so ask about electric models and helmets.
Explore Bike Share🚲 Rentals
Arkansas eBike rules snapshot
Arkansas defines an electric bicycle in Arkansas Code § 27-51-1702, as enacted by Act 956 of 2017, as a bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts. It sorts them into three classes. Class 1 assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 20 mph. Class 2 may move the bike on its own and cannot assist at 20 mph. Class 3 assists only while you pedal and stops assisting at 28 mph.
Under § 27-51-1703 an electric bicycle gets the rights and duties of a bicycle, is not a motor vehicle, and is not subject to the title's insurance, licensing, registration, operator's license, or certificate-of-title rules. Under § 27-51-1705, a Class 1 or Class 2 bike may use a bicycle path or multi-use path where bicycles are permitted, but the local authority in charge of the path may prohibit them. A Class 3 may not use a bicycle path or multi-use path unless it is within or adjacent to a highway or roadway, or the local authority permits it.
Under § 27-51-1706, nobody under 16 may operate a Class 3 eBike, though a child under 16 may ride as a passenger on a Class 3 built to carry one. Any operator or passenger under 21 on a Class 3 must wear a helmet that meets 16 CFR part 1203, and a Class 3 must have a speedometer that shows miles per hour. The statute sets no helmet duty for Class 1 or Class 2, so read our Arkansas eBike laws guide, then the sign at the trailhead, because city and park rules can go further.
Section 27-51-1704 adds equipment duties for anyone buying or renting. An eBike must meet the federal bicycle standard at 16 CFR part 1512, and since January 1, 2018, manufacturers and distributors must permanently label each bike with its class, top assisted speed, and motor wattage. Nobody may tamper with a bike to change its class unless the label is replaced to match. A Class 2 motor must disengage when the brakes are applied, and Class 1 and Class 3 motors must stop assisting when the rider stops pedaling.
Arkansas State Parks has its own rule, 22 CAR § 50-122. It allows Class 1 eBikes on state park trails designated for bicycles, allows Class 1, 2, and 3 on state park roads, and prohibits Class 2 and Class 3 on mountain-bike and multi-use bicycle trails.
We found no eBike rule for the bridge or the levee trail. Arkansas law applies, and signs at the bridge entrance may add limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is worth riding on an eBike in Crittenden County?
Big River Crossing over the Mississippi River.
Who manages the bridge?
The Big River Park Conservancy, a nonprofit, manages Big River Crossing.
Where is the Arkansas parking lot?
A TrailLink reviewer describes a dirt lot at the end of Dacus Lake Road in West Memphis.
Is the bridge open at night?
The website says it is open from 6 in the morning to 10 at night.
Is there a bike share in Crittenden County?
The directory lists Explore Bike Share in Memphis, Arkansas.
Do Arkansas eBikes need helmets?
The state sets a helmet duty for Class 3 eBikes only, in § 27-51-1706, and only for operators and passengers under 21. Local and park rules may add more. See the Arkansas eBike laws guide.
All shops in Crittenden County
The county directory, 1 listing in 1 city, lives on the Crittenden County eBike shops page.