Mountain bike capital of the world
Bentonville: Mountain Biking Capital of the World
For many years, Bentonville has been known internationally as the home to Walmart, where Sam Walton first launched his global chain of stores. Recently, Bentonville has been shifting that emphasize to new areas. When Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened in 2011, it set Bentonville on the international blueprint for renowned art and for the museum’s unique design. In recent years, Bentonville is seeing an explosion of interest in mountain biking, which prompted the city to declare itself the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World.”
The landscape in Northwest Arkansas naturally lends itself to mountain biking. With the steep hills that make up the Ozark mountain landscape, even a swift jaunt on a paved bike path can leave you breathless. For a long time, the area had very few trails for mountain bikers, but that started to change when Tom and Steuart Walton took an interest in developing MTB trails in Bentonville. The brothers are the grandsons of Sam Walton, and both are mountain biking enthusiasts who helped lead the challenge to build trails through grants from the Walton Family Foundation.
Trail Maps
Known as “the mountain bike capital of the word,” Bentonville includes world-class mountain biking trails, paved pathways, and on-road routes. Look at any of our PDFs of our trail maps to start planning your biking adventure!
DOWNLOAD > MTBProjects here
DOWNLOAD > TRAILFORKS here
Or, skip the maps and download the TrailPilot App on the iOS App Store. They provide free audio tours of the local mountain bike trails that ride at your pace, and guide you through the turns and features on the best routes in the region.
Contact: Kalene Griffith
Kalene@visitbentonville.com
©2024 by Bike Bentonville
People for Bikes
Twenty years ago, the small, Northwest Arkansas city was relatively unknown. Today, it’s the mountain biking capital of the world.
Bentonville, Arkansas, tucked in the heart of the Ozarks in the northwest corner of the state, is probably most well known as the birthplace of Walmart. Over the last 15 years, however, thanks in large part to investments made by the Walmart-founding Walton family, the city has dubbed itself the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World.”
Some die-hard mountain bike enthusiasts may throw up their arms at that statement and say, “What about Moab, Whistler or (insert said enthusiast’s favorite local trails here)?!,” but those who have visited Bentonville can attest that the city has truly done an incredible job of growing a strong community of dedicated cyclists, all within recent memory.
For 2022, Bentonville ranked #1 in Community Score in PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings. The program, which evaluates, identifies and compares great places for biking, determines a city’s score by combining its Network Score, measuring the quality of a city’s bike network, and its Community Score, measuring how people feel about biking in thei
Mountain Biking Capital of the World
About Bike Bentonville
Bike Bentonville was established in 2009 as a nonprofit organization whose mission was to enhance the local quality of life by creating a bicycle-friendly community guided and built by those living in it. In 2015, it merged with the City of Bentonville and the city's tourism bureau, Visit Bentonville, to enhance resources. Now, with a focus on trail development, youth initiatives, education, advocacy, and events, Bike Bentonville continues its mission, benefitting both residents and visitors.
OZ Trails delivers 550+ miles of world-class singletrack in Bentonville, Arkansas—The Mountain Biking Capital of the World.™
These trails are carefully crafted by world-class trail builders who understand flow, sustainable design, and what makes riding unforgettable. Built through deep community investment from local businesses, volunteers, and riding enthusiasts, our trail network represents years of passionate collaboration between people who live and breathe this sport. From flowy beginner loops to technical challenges that’ll test your skills, every mile reflects the expertise of builders who know how to read terrain and create experiences that keep you coming back.
The upcoming OZ Trails Bike Park, opening in 2026, will serve as our showcase amenity—a purpose-built facility that takes our trail-building expertise to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to push your limits, OZ Trails is where riders come to get better, surrounded by a community that celebrates progression and shares the stoke of mountain biking.