This Southern Town Is the ‘Mountain Biking Capital of the World’—and It Has Access to 400 Miles of Trails

Calling yourself the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World” is a bold move—one that might raise eyebrows in places like Aspen, Duluth, or Park City. But Bentonville, Arkansas, makes a convincing case for the crown.

The city has nearly 70 miles of trails—an amenity unmatched by other marquee biking destinations—with seamless connections to a 400-mile, award-winning network across Northwest Arkansas. Along the way, riders can encounter everything from public art installations to bike bars that double as popular gathering spots. Bentonville is also an International Mountain Biking Association Silver Level Ride Center (a recognition shared by only a handful of destinations worldwide) and it’s home to the U.S. National Mountain Bike Team.

Bentonville is particularly appealing in the fall, when the temperatures and humidity drop and the autumn colors arrive—the perfect conditions for biking. In October, mountain bikers come out in droves to compete in the Life Time Big Sugar Classic, a mountain bike and gravel race on the city’s famous trail systems.

In addition to a renowned biking scene, Bentonville is a growing hub for the arts and for dining. This year, it was the only city with two finalists in the James Beard Best Chef: South category, and it welcomed two new eateries in June 2025: Wu Zhao, an elevated Chinese restaurant, and Ryn, a farm-to-table restaurant serving eight to 10-course meals on a farm outside the city.

Bentonville is also home to the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. In addition to housing five centuries of American art, Crystal Bridges is located on 120 acres of Ozark forest (a must-visit in the fall) and offers tours of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, the Bachman-Wilson House. Entrance to the museum is free, though you will need a reservation to see certain special exhibitions, such as the Bachman-Wilson House.

Visitors can stay in the beloved 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Bentonville, which is filled with art throughout, or the soon-to-open lifestyle hotel The Compton, which opens in fall 2025 on Bentonville’s historic square.

Bentonville may have made its name on singletrack, but its appeal now stretches well beyond the trails. Its vibrancy is due, at least in part, to the Walton Family Foundation, which was created by Walmart founder Sam Walton, who lived in Bentonville for many years. 

Whether you come for the fall foliage, the Big Sugar Classic, or simply to see what all the buzz is about, one thing is certain: Bentonville has more than earned its title as the Mountain Biking Capital of the World.