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Jude Gaillot with Sam Dudley
Jude Gaillot, right, with Eureka Springs Parks Director Sam Dudley at the Parks Department headquarters in Eureka Springs on April 20, 2023.

Talking trails with Parks

Interviews

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sam Dudley, the new executive director of the Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Department, for my upcoming book, Welcome to Eureka Springs: The I-Sh*t-You-Not History of America’s Quirkiest Town.

I wanted to talk to Sam about the Waltons. Not the cheesy but lovable 1970s TV show – the billionaire heirs of Walmart founder Sam Walton. They hail from nearby Bentonville, which is still Walmart’s world headquarters.

The Waltons have been frequent visitors to Eureka Springs, but I wanted to talk with Dudley about the family’s involvement in local mountain biking trails. In the past 5 years, the Waltons’ monetary muscle has launched northwest Arkansas as one of the top mountain biking destinations east of the Rockies. The trails in Eureka Springs are a big part of that.

Dudley is an avid mountain biker himself. Before starting in his new role last month, he maintained 20 miles of trails at Lake Leatherwood and the Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs. Before that, he was part of an International Mountain Biking Association trail crew.

We also talked about other key figures in the local mountain biking scene, such as Dave Renko, Kent Butler, and Alex Scott.

Thanks to my chat with Sam, I was able to get some great quotes and wrap up another chapter. 54 down, 6 to go!

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