DOOM – The High Watch

DOOM The High Watch is a 200-mile (approximately 320-kilometre) event through the Ouachita Mountains with over 16,000 feet (4,875 metres) of elevation gain on approximately 65% unpaved terrain — the middle distance of the DOOM series. Starting on the same day as the Ouachita Doom in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the High Watch shares the character of the flagship event but covers a more compact loop through the most scenic and rideable sections of the national forest. The name suggests both the altitude of the high ridgelines the route traverses and the watchful quality of the ancient Ouachita Mountains themselves. The terrain is a mix of rocky singletrack, gravel forest service roads, and mountain trail sections with sustained climbing through forest that changes character from pine-dominated ridgelines to hardwood cove forests in the valley bottoms. The 65% unpaved surface means a gravel bike with 42c or wider tyres is at the lower limit of appropriate setup — many riders prefer a hardtail or drop-bar MTB for the more technical sections. The March timing, combined with the mountain forest environment, means mud is likely after any recent rain.