May 3, 2025 - Bentonville in Northern Arkansas touts itself as the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World” and cycling is one of the city’s major platforms.

In 2019, Connecting Bentonville was formed as an essential step to advancing a more connected, safe and convenient active transportation network.

Boasting nearly 70 miles of off-road trails running through the city, an additional 15 miles of beginner soft-surface trails are currently in development.

Some of the city’s off-road network is part of the nearby OZ Trails, a world-class network of more than 550 miles of soft-surface shared-use trails. This network allows Bentonville residents and visitors to enjoy truly unique urban mountain biking experiences on nearby Slaughter Pen trails, Coler Mountain Bike Preserve and Hand Cut Hollow.

There are also 40 miles of on-road bikeways in the city with another seven miles of side path trails currently under construction and an additional 14 miles of cycling infrastructure planned, including two miles of on-street bike lanes.

The city plans to create a network so that 81% of residents are within half a mile of the bike trails, up from the current 41%.

The short term 5-year goal is to increase bicycle and walking mode share for short trips to 2% and during the next five-year period up to 10%.

Arkansas’s 40-mile Razorback Regional Greenway, which includes Fayetteville, Johnson, Springdale, Lowell, Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista, accounts for 25% (9 miles) of Bentonville’s bikeway network.

The new 23.2-mile Bentonville Boot Loop builds upon the existing Razorback Regional Greenways and Applegate Trail to connect the eastern and western sides of the community. This allows locals and visitors to tour many of the local destinations that the city has to offer.

Bentonville allows Class 1 e-bikes on most of its trails and is also adopting a “Safe Systems” or Vision Zero approach, along with a Safe Routes to School program. The city hopes to expand the Walmart Associates bikeshare program to include the greater Bentonville community. Known as the birthplace of Walmart, the downtown Walmart Museum includes founder Sam Walton’s original five-and-dime store.

In 2020, the Bentonville Bike Fest was founded by renowned Kenny Belaey, a Belgian mountain bike trials cyclist who holds the UCI record for the most podium spots at a world championship in that discipline.

The fastest-growing cycling festival in the US, the 2025 event runs May 19–25 and is commemorating its fifth anniversary by introducing its first-ever E-Mobility Day on May 22nd in downtown Bentonville, a free event that will highlight and celebrate all types of e-bikes.

For more information please visit here.