When I researched places to relocate to from Chicago, I looked at Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and of course, Northwest Arkansas. But why did I choose NWA over all of the other states?
I chose the Northwest Arkansas trail system over Colorado because I can use the trails in NWA all year round. The area is safer here, and it’s affordable compared to Colorado, Idaho, or Utah. NWA’s economy is better, and there are more jobs available.
Are you looking for a great place to move to? Then let’s talk about why I chose this area instead of Colorado.
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Why I Chose NWA Trail System
So if you weren’t aware of my story, I grew up in the Chicago area. But I wanted to move to an area with a great trail system, better housing, lower taxes, and amazing outdoor spaces. When I started looking at other areas to move to, I realized there were plenty of choices.
But what made me choose Northwest Arkansas over other places like Colorado or Utah?
Can Use the Trails All Year
One of the main reasons I chose the NWA trail system over Colorado or Idaho is that it’s possible to use the trails all year round. I mean, you can be on the trails in Colorado in the winter, but it gets bitterly cold there.
Coming from Chicago, I was done with the winter extremes. I wanted to be able to use the trails all year long, so going south was the obvious choice.
It’s a little humorous to think the Olympic Mountain biking team moved their headquarters from Colorado to here so that they could train the entire year rather than only part of the year. They have an extra 4-5 months of training here because of our temperate weather.
But this is the reason I chose Northwest Arkansas. Even in the middle of winter, when it gets down to 30℉ or 40℉, it’s still fine for me to go out. Of course, that’s spring weather where I came from.
The Area Is Safer
Northwest Arkansas is safer, and I don’t necessarily mean from people. It’s safer from things such as the following:
- Rattlesnakes
- Scorpions
- Mines
- Bears
- Mountain lions
- Oh my!
In other places, such as Arizona and Colorado, there are several things there that might attack me when I’m hiking or running, and I didn’t want to face that. I like to wear earbuds when I’m outdoors, and if I can’t hear something waiting to attack me, I could be in danger.
I also didn’t want to be seen as a chicken, so I chose the Northwest Arkansas trail system. Now, there are black bears to contend with, but they’re more in central Arkansas and a good three hours away from here.
The entire trail system around here is pretty safe. You might run into the occasional snake on the trail, but they’re rare.
I can put my music on and just enjoy nature without worrying about being attacked by wild animals. That’s actually a big deal for me because I didn’t want to carry around bear spray or be attacked by a mountain lion.
Easy On, Easy Off
The trail systems here are very easy to get on and off, meaning that there aren’t hundreds of miles to go through to get to the highway. Some of the trail systems in Colorado have hundreds of miles to them, so it makes it very difficult to get on and off. So you’re going to devote a few days to exploring the trails there.
To get to the start of the trails or leave the trails, you might need to drive 5 or 10 miles off the highway. This can take a little while.
However, in this area, you can get to one of the trailheads quickly and then loop around and end up where you started. I like that you can take maybe an hour or less, depending on how much time you have, to explore the trails.
The trails were built for all abilities and not just the professional hiker or runner. Families can go out to the trails, spend an hour or so, and then zip back to town.
The Area Is Very Lush
When I say that this area is very lush, I’m talking about the trees and foliage in the area. Colorado might have a lot of trees, but Phoenix and other trail systems lack the trees that this area has.
Now obviously, Colorado and Idaho have trees. But they’re more sparse, and in higher elevations, it can be more desert-like, and of course, in Arizona, it’s also a desert. So the trees there aren’t so green or lush.
Northwest Arkansas sits around 2,000 feet above sea level, so we get the greenery and trees. The trail systems around this area are great, but combined with the lush trees, it’s paradise.
So you have a forest and trails. I haven’t experienced that much anywhere else, except for maybe Wisconsin. But I wouldn’t live in Wisconsin, as it’s terribly cold up there. I mean, unless you want to go hiking in the snow, I would recommend the Northwest Arkansas trail systems.
Affordability and Job Availabilities
While this last point has less to do with the trail systems and more to do with the economic system, I chose this area because of how affordable it is, matched with the many job opportunities here.
Colorado and other places didn’t have robust job growth, nor are they as affordable as it is here.
Now, there are several places in Colorado to live near the trail systems, but you won’t always find a job to support your standard of living. You can find jobs in Denver or Boulder, but those cities are quite a long distance from the trails.
The trailheads in Northwest Arkansas are located in the cities or right outside of the cities, so you don’t need to travel a long distance to get to them.
Conclusion
This area is really interesting in that there are several trails, a lot of outdoor stuff, and all the other stuff going on here. The jobs, the affordable housing, the many events, and the medical system make this area very attractive to many people.
I chose this area for all of that and more.
If you love hiking or being outdoors in a green and lush area, you may want to consider this area for your next move. And if you’re coming to the area, let me know, and I can give you the $10 tour.
