Bush Push Challenge - Slaughter Pen
The President Bush Push - Slaughter Pen's Most Famous Climb
There are trails in Bentonville that get ridden. And then there's the President Bush Push — a trail that gets attempted. Located in Slaughter Pen right off of the All American Trail, the Bush Push is one of the most talked-about challenges in all of Northwest Arkansas, and it has been since the morning of November 22, 2010, when President George W. Bush showed up to ride and decided to change the trail's history forever.
The sign at the bottom tells the story best. On that November morning, President Bush challenged the riders present to ascend the steep doubletrack climb directly behind the marker. He then promptly rode his bike to the top without stopping. The climb was christened The President Bush Push on the spot, and the challenge has been open to every rider who's passed through since.
It's a short trail — just 1,020 feet — but what it lacks in distance it makes up for entirely in pitch. At a 9.7% average grade with a black diamond physical rating and 99 feet of elevation gain, the Bush Push is steep, loose, and relentlessly direct. There are no switchbacks to give your legs a rest. No gradual warmup section to build momentum. Just doubletrack that goes straight up the hill from bottom to top with no apologies along the way.
The Challenge
What makes the Bush Push more than just a hard climb is the culture that's grown around it. On any given day at Slaughter Pen you'll find riders lined up at the bottom, watching each other go, cheering attempts, and quietly calculating whether they've got the legs — and the line — to make it clean. Most riders lose momentum within the first quarter of the climb. The combination of steep grade, loose surface, and sustained effort demands everything from both your fitness and your technique simultaneously.
Line choice is everything here. The doubletrack offers options, and picking the right line from the bottom — and committing to it — is the difference between a clean send and a foot down. Riders who've cleaned the Bush Push consistently will tell you it's less about raw power and more about reading the surface, staying seated to keep traction on the rear wheel, and never letting momentum bleed away in the middle section where the grade is most punishing.
Clean it and you've matched the former leader of the free world. The sign at the bottom says it best: Good luck.
Finding the Bush Push
The President Bush Push sits mid-route along the All American Trail of Slaughter Pen. Riders riding All American will cross it naturally — look for the green and white sign at the base of the doubletrack. At the top of the climb you will find a statue of a rhino. It's hard to miss once you know what you're looking for, and even harder to ride past without stopping to try it.
🎯 Why Ride the President Bush Push?
One of the most iconic and talked-about trail challenges in Northwest Arkansas
Named after President George W. Bush's clean ascent on November 22, 2010
Black diamond rated — 1,020 ft of steep doubletrack at 9.7% average grade
A genuine test of fitness, technique, and line choice in under a minute
Located on the All American Trail of Slaughter Pen
A bucket-list moment for any rider visiting Bentonville
🚴 Perfect For
Strong climbers looking for a benchmark challenge at Slaughter Pen
Riders who want a memorable, story-worthy moment on their Bentonville trip
Experienced riders testing fitness and technique on a short, hard effort
Groups who want a natural gathering point and crowd-pleasing challenge
