Mostly day hiking. The trails in and around town are purpose-built systems that start just minutes from your door, perfect for anything from a 30-minute stroll to an all-day adventure—you hike, and you’re home for dinner. That said, if you’re itching for an overnight, a couple of nearby state parks offer real backpacking—Devil’s Den’s Butterfield Hiking Trail is a classic overnight loop, while Hobbs State Park has primitive backcountry campsites along its trails. If you’re brand new, Getting Started on NWA Trails is the place to begin.

Mostly yes—and yes! NWA’s trails were largely built with mountain bikes in mind, but nearly every trail is multi-use, and hikers are welcome. Only a handful of downhill, bike-only trails are off-limits on foot, and our What Trails are Hikeable? page points out exactly which trails hikers should skip.

A trail system is a connected network of trails that share a general area, a set of trailheads, and a name. Instead of one path from A to B, a system is more like a web—dozens of individual trails that link together—which means you can often string together a short stroll or an all-day hike from the same starting point. Each system has its own personality, and locals often talk in systems. Instead of just saying, “I’m going for a hike,” they might say, “I’m hiking at Wonderland.” A trailhead is simply the spot where you park and step onto the trail. Get to know both on our Trail Systems and Trailheads pages.

Completely free. No permits, no passes, no fees—every trail we cover is open to the public at no cost. Worth knowing if you’re new to Bella Vista—while many of the city’s recreational facilities are for POA members only, the trails aren’t among them. They’re free and open to everyone. Just show up and hike.

The trails are open year-round, and there’s no “off season.” When individual trails close occasionally for maintenance, races, or extremely wet trail conditions, the trail maintainer’s social media and trailforks.com are often the best places to check if you want to confirm a trail is open before you go. Official daily opening hours can vary. For example, the City of Bentonville trails are officially open sunrise to sunset, while Coler is open sunrise to 11 p.m. But as a general rule for hikers, sunrise to sunset is probably the best guideline to follow for when to hike.

Not at all. NWA has some of the most beginner-friendly trails anywhere—flat paved greenways, boardwalk loops like Osage Park, and gentle natural-surface loops that make a perfect first hike. Start small, see how it feels, and work your way up. Even better, check out our Beginner’s Hiking Guide, which is built exactly for hikers like you. The guide starts you on paved hikes under 3 miles and steps up the trail difficulty (not necessarily the distance) until you’re comfortably taking on challenging hikes. See what our trail surfaces look like.

We rate every route as Paved, Easy, Moderate, or Challenging, based on the terrain and how sharply it climbs and drops—not on distance. The best way to understand the levels is to see them—our Difficulty Examples page shows photos and videos of what each level actually looks like underfoot, so you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

Every route on the site uses the same card layout. Here is a quick tour of what each part means.

Moderate 1

Scotsdale to the Bridge

2.19 mi 2 · 125 ft gain 3 · 57 ft/mi 4 · Lollipop 5

View Trailhead 6 View Route on Komoot 7

• 1Difficulty → the badge color and label show the route’s level
• 2Distance → how far the whole hike is
• 3Gain → the total feet of climbing across the hike
• 4Steepness → feet of climbing per mile. Bigger numbers mean a steeper, tougher hike
• 5Route shape → a loop returns to where it started, an out & back turns around and retraces the same path, and a lollipop is a loop with a there-and-back stretch at one end
• 6View Trailhead → opens the trailhead page with parking details and directions
• 7View Route on Komoot → opens the route in the free Komoot app so you can follow it as you hike

That depends less on the distance and more on why you’re hiking—leisure, scenery, socialization, or exercise. On Bella Vista Walks & Hikes, we assign each pace an animal name to help organize our hiking groups—each with a little wiggle room (give or take 0.3 mph). A Tortoise pace is about 2.5 mph—roughly 24 minutes per mile, which is a great pace for soaking in the scenery and good conversation. A Raccoon pace is around 3 mph (20 minutes per mile), and a Hare pace is around 3.5 mph (about 17 minutes per mile), which is great for those who hike primarily for exercise. And Cheetahs are the trail runners, whose pace can be anywhere from 4 mph or higher. Terrain matters too when it comes to how long a hike takes. Rocky, hilly terrain slows everyone down, while paved greenway trails allow for a much brisker pace. So a 3-mile loop might be a brisk 45-minute workout for a Hare or a relaxed hour and a half for a Tortoise. Every route in our Route Library lists its distance, so pick your pace, do the math, or just wander and let the trail decide.

For starting out, a good tennis shoe is just fine. A lot of NWA’s trails do cross some really rocky terrain, though—that’s when you might want a trail shoe with a sturdier sole for some hikes. Water comes next, whether a water bottle or a hydration backpack—especially in the summer. The longer the hike and the hotter the temps, the more it matters. Bring your phone too—it’s your map, your camera, and your lifeline if you ever need help. In the warmer months, a little bug spray goes a long way against ticks and mosquitoes. Add a snack and weather-appropriate layers, and you’re set—don’t let gear stop you from getting out there this weekend. There’s a little more in-depth information in the What to Bring section of our Getting Started page.

You park at a trailhead. Check out our trailhead map for the best starting spots and details about each trailhead—and since popular lots can fill up by mid-morning, it never hurts to have a backup in mind.

Yes—dogs are welcome on nearly every trail we cover, as long as they’re on a leash. Bring water for them in warmer months, keep the leash short when bikes pass, and pack out what they leave behind. Just note that dogs aren’t allowed on organized Bella Vista Walks & Hikes group hikes.

As a general rule, bikes are supposed to yield to people on foot—but in practice they don’t always, so it’s best that whoever can step aside most easily does, and that’s usually the hiker. Step to the side, say hello, and let them roll by. That small courtesy keeps NWA’s shared trails friendly for everyone.

It’s hard to stay lost here for long. Most systems are compact, signed at intersections, and bordered by neighborhoods and roads. Bring your phone, snap a photo of the map at the trailhead kiosk, or follow a route from our Route Library, and you’ll always know where you are.

Generally, yes. These are busy community trails, not remote backcountry, and on popular systems you’re rarely more than a few minutes from other trail users or a neighborhood. But make sure to practice the usual good habits—tell someone where you’re going, carry your phone, and hike only in daylight. If you’d rather have company, join a group hike, like one with Bella Vista Walks & Hikes.

Usually, yes. Most of NWA’s natural-surface trails drain well, so many are good to hike right after a rain (or even during one), and the paved greenways are always an option. If a trail feels like soft, sticky mud that holds your footprint, turn around and pick a paved route instead. Hiking through soft mud damages the trail.

All three live in the Ozarks, but they’re easy to manage. Stay on the trail, wear tick repellent, and do a quick tick check after summer hikes, and learn to spot poison ivy’s “leaves of three.” Venomous snakes usually want nothing to do with you and are rarely seen on busy trails—the vibration of all those footsteps usually sends them off long before you arrive.

Some of the bigger trailheads have restrooms, but most don’t—and water fountains are rare once you’re on the trail. Top off your water bottle and plan a bathroom stop before you head out. Our trailhead pages note the facilities you’ll find at each one.

Yes! Group hikes are one of the best ways to learn the trails and meet people. Join the Bella Vista Walks & Hikes Facebook group to find hiking partners and hear about upcoming organized hikes, workshops, and trail workdays.

A mix of cities, nonprofits, and foundations—the City of Bella Vista, the Trailblazers, the Peel Compton Foundation, and others—along with a small army of volunteers. Hike NWA’s mission is to help more people confidently enjoy and care for these trails. Want to pitch in? Watch for trail workdays in the Bella Vista Walks & Hikes group.