With beautiful mountains, lakes, forests, and parks, Northwest Arkansas has plenty of excellent offerings if you want to enjoy the great outdoors. I’ve already talked about some of the best places to hike and bike in NWA. Here’s Part 2!
Part 2 of the best places to hike and bike in Northwest Arkansas include:
- Razorback Greenway
- Lake Atalanta
- Lake Fayetteville
- Lake Fort Smith
- Mount Sequoyah
Below, I’ll describe each of these places in more detail and give you an idea of what makes them special. Also, don’t forget to download my 3-day itinerary of Northwest Arkansas to find out more about this part of The Natural State. All right, let’s get started!
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Razorback Greenway
The Razorback Greenway (a.k.a. Pathway) is a 40-mile (64 km) trail that goes all the way from Mount Kessler to Bella Vista, which is practically on the border with Missouri. You can walk, run, or bike on the pathway. I especially like the Razorback Greenway because a lot of it is well lit.
So, if you like to run, walk, or bike at night or in the early morning, or if the dawn or dusk hours are the most convenient for you to get your scheduled work out, the Razorback Greenway is an excellent option for you.
Another thing you’ll notice if you use the Razorback Greenway is that people use it all the time, because it’s kind of the major hub for Northwest Arkansas, connecting many different places and trails.
While there are a lot of trail systems in the region, many of them are connected to the Razorback Greenway. So whether you’re in Springdale, Fayetteville, Rogers, or even Bentonville, you can still use the Razorback Greenway and get from one place to the next.
The trail is part of a bigger initiative to make NWA much more bike-friendly and encourage people to bike or walk to work where possible. So, the Razorback Greenway is also crucial to efforts to reduce Fayetteville’s dependence on cars.
Lake Atalanta
Lake Atalanta is a gorgeous body of water out in East Rogers. There’s a lot of kayaking and wakeboarding out on the lake and a park, making it a fun attraction for families with kids. There’s also a 5-7 mile (8-11 km) loop that’s paved and great to walk, bike, or run on.
The lakeside area has always been pretty, but it’s been done up in recent years and is now even better. It has new parks, trails, and other facilities that make it easier than ever to enjoy a whole day out by the lake if you’re in Rogers.
Like many of the trails in the region, Lake Atalanta is also connected to the Razorback Greenway. So, wherever you’re in the area, you can get to Lake Atalanta via the Razorback Greenway or return to it once you’re done enjoying the lake for the day.
Outdoorsy person? Here are 5 BEST Things To Do Outside in Northwest Arkansas
Also, I have a 3-day itinerary that can help you decide what activities to do if you’re overwhelmed by everything Northwest Arkansas has to offer.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a sports person, a sightseer, or want to spend quality time with your kids; I have something for you. Check out the link below to learn more:
https://www.allthingsnwa.com/3-day-itinerary-northwest-arkansas
Lake Fayetteville
Another great option for hiking and biking in the NWA region is around Lake Fayetteville. There are a lot of dirt trails that go off of the lake worth exploring. You’ll also find baseball and softball fields that are a big draw for families with kids. Plus, there’s an area reserved for food trucks. The food there is surprisingly good — not to mention convenient when you’re enjoying a day out by the lake.
The five-mile (8 km) loop around Lake Fayetteville beautifully incorporates the surrounding landscape. So, you get a wonderful experience of the lake and the nearby forests as you hike or bike this trail. That’s one of the things I particularly enjoy about this place.
Like many other trails in the region, the Lake Fayetteville trail is also connected to the Razorback Greenway. In fact, the Razorback Greenway goes through Lake Fayetteville, all the way to Bell Vista.
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Lake Fort Smith
There are designated campgrounds here, where you can camp out for the night. You can boat and fish, for starters. And if hiking is your thing, Lake Fort Smith is the starting point for the entire Ozark trail system.
Speaking of which, the Ozark trail system is made of many little loops that add up to 350 miles (563 km) in all. The trails from here are gorgeous. You’ll see a lot of waterfalls and do a lot of river crossings, so, if that’s something you like, Lake Fort Smith is a great option for you.
Lake Fort Smith is a relatively less well-known trail but another gem in the region for hiking and biking. I like the area around Lake Fort Smith because it’s kind of like a bowl surrounding the lake itself. The landscape gives you panoramic views of the lake in every direction. It also provides the area around the lake with a kind of serene atmosphere by cutting it off from the larger landscape.
And if you want to know more about how you can discover Northwest Arkansas, check out my article
Mount Sequoyah
Last but not the least, we have Mount Sequoyah, one of the best places to hike and bike in Northwest Arkansas. Located on the east side of Fayetteville, Mount Sequoyah lies opposite Mount Kessler. It’s a well-maintained trail system you can use year-round.
The Mount Sequoyah area has some of the most fantastic trails in all of Northwest Arkansas. It’s quite steep up the mountain, and the trails here aren’t too manicured. They’re full of rocks, roots, and other natural obstacles that can be challenging — but fun! — to bike or hike. So, a lot of runners and mountain bikers head out here to push themselves a little more than they can on the more paved trails elsewhere.
One aspect of Mount Sequoyah I particularly like is that the area has some of the most gorgeous homes you’ll ever see in your life. These are fantastic works of architecture that are never sold because their owners don’t want to part with them. And honestly? I don’t blame them!
There’s also a theater, pavilion, and an art center on this side of the mountain, which is separate from the trails. So, you can choose to hang out here or head out on the trails and wrap up your day here. The place has plenty of options, so I’m sure you’ll have a great time at Mount Sequoyah.
