When people discuss Northwest Arkansas, only a few popular towns come to mind, like Fayetteville, Rogers, and Bentonville. However, the region is much bigger than you think. There are many more areas to explore, especially if you are considering moving here.
Some of the smaller and unknown towns in Northwest Arkansas are Siloam Springs, Johnson, Elkins, West Fork, Decatur, and Cave Springs. Siloam Springs is a Christian college town, while Johnson has become a hub for many businesses. Elkins and the others are growing towns with amazing nature views.
Regardless of how small these NWA towns are, they have unique, likable features that generally improve the region. Check out my previous article, where I explained the complete map of Northwest Arkansas.
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1. Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is a great place to live for many reasons. Foremost is the fact that it’s where you’ll find John Brown University, a Christian educational institution founded in 1919, schooling a couple of thousand students yearly.
Another cool thing about Siloam Springs is that it’s on the border of Oklahoma. Hence, you can have the best of both worlds between Tulsa and here.
It takes 30 to 45 minutes to get from Siloam Springs to Tulsa. However, the distance to Northwest Arkansas is around 20 to 30 minutes, depending on where you want to go in NWA.
Moreover, Siloam Springs is a higher growth area because of the lower-priced homes there, and more people are buying and developing lands because there is more influx of residents.
Siloam Springs also has fantastic parks. Their trail systems are not as diverse as the “true Northwest Arkansas,” but there are many pathways around.
They have one incredible kayak park, which I fancy a lot. It’s not exactly like a raging Colorado River, but there is some white water to practice effectively and be safe. It’s not like you’ll be going down a master river, but just another place to have that whitewater experience.
So, if you want to practice your whitewater rapids, you don’t need to go to Colorado. You can do it right in Siloam Springs.
2. Johnson
Johnson is wedged between Springdale and Fayetteville. It’s a small town, but what the government has done to the city in the last couple of years is impressive.
The town has gone from nothing to a hub for many things; it’s been developed from arid land to one with hotels, apartment complexes, and businesses in a couple of years. I can’t overstate the improvement.
Now, Johnson has a bunch of brand-new firms. There are big plans to build an extensive downtown section of the town. They have Hail Fellow Well Met, a coffee shop/restaurant designed by Onyx Coffee in Bentonville and Rogers.
Hence, the area is a pleasant place to hang out.
Another notable fact about Johnson is that you can live in the apartments above it and hang out below with the cool stuff. Therefore, check out Johnson, a small town with a newer, younger vibe, maybe with younger families.
They are building homes in that area right up the Johnson, behind Hail Fellow Well Met, so it’s a fantastic place to inspect.
It leans a bit younger because of the general idea and presence of coffee shops, living homes, trail systems, I-49, businesses, and work.
3. Elkins
Elkins is a developed town on the eastern side of Fayetteville, so you don’t need to drive for too long from one to the other.
It’s an excellent place if you want closeness to Fayetteville but only need constant access to I-49 sometimes.
One cool thing I appreciate about Elkins is its real mountainous views because it’s at the top of Ozark mountains, the south end of Fayetteville. There are also a couple of elegant restaurants in the area.
There’s no massive growth around Elkins because the distance from Fayetteville and I-49 could be more favorable. However, it is close to Lake Sequoyah, which has an excellent trail system.
The water is suitable for fishing and all other water sports, so it’s a fantastic place to hang out.
Therefore, Elkins isn’t necessarily a big deal, but it’s a town worth checking out around Northwest Arkansas.
4. West Fork
I like West Fork because it’s starting to get tucked away in the mountains. It’s a small town that we can eagerly monitor its growth in the next couple of years.
If you want to get away and still be close to I-49, check out West Fork. It’s such a fun place.
What I genuinely love about West Fork is that it’s like a hidden gem. A river runs through, with a vast sheer play area that’s turned into a big park of about 30 to 40 acres (12 to 16 hectares).
There are pathways for avid hikers and play centers for kids. A cool rock sits near the river, which fun-seekers jump off (not recommended) into the water.
The whole city hangs out in this fun park, so definitely check out West Fork if you’re around.
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
5. Decatur
On the west side of Northwest Arkansas is Decatur, another small town. It is wedged between I-49 and US 412.
Will it grow in the next 5 to 10 years? I think so—if they start expanding the highways around there.
Just know that Decatur is a great place to be part of in Northwest Arkansas if you want to be off the beaten path. Here, you’ll have to travel a little longer to get to Walmart, Harps, or a different grocery store, and you’ll go to Siloam Springs a lot more than you anticipated because it’s more accessible than Bentonville.
Hence, if you are okay with driving a little bit and want more affordable housing in a rural area, definitely check out Decatur. It’s well worth it.
There is a more extensive road I wouldn’t call a highway that runs through Decatur, but it makes easy access to I-49 and Siloam Springs.
Expect spending around 30 minutes to significant locations like Siloam Springs, which takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Cave Springs
I hesitate to call Cave Springs a city because it’s like a small area next to XNA airport.
The best part of Cave Springs is Joy House Coffee, which I’ve discussed. It is a fantastic coffee shop.
However, the town is genuinely a more residential area despite its name. It is gorgeous with beautiful homes.
Many people, including Fayetteville residents and those from south NWA, pass through Caves Springs to get to XNA.
The town is growing and becoming a primarily residential section. As I’ve mentioned, the homes are stunning and somewhat tucked away in the hills.
They will divert a lot of traffic from Caves Springs when XNA is eventually connected to US 612 and US 412. Hence, remember that most of the traffic will dissipate in the next few years, so don’t write the town off.
It will be even more gorgeous in the next couple of years.
And that pretty much wraps up this quick overview of the smaller and relatively unknown places in NWA. Now, if you’re looking for more information on the larger areas, you can begin with my starter video of Fayetteville to get an idea of what NWA has to offer, particularly in the happening places. Find article here