Bella Vista combines natural mountain biking trails with hiking trails, a historical museum and an annual arts and crafts festival. Two questions are especially helpful when planning: How do the trails differ in length, and when can you fit the museum or festival into your stay? The different trail areas and set museum hours offer concrete points of reference.
Nature and Trails
At Blowing Springs Park, the Blowing Springs Biking Trails cover 6.3 miles of natural trails; hiking is also permitted. The park’s natural setting includes rocky bluffs, springs and caves, as well as an established natural habitat. Because trail conditions can change seasonally, it is a good idea to check them before your visit.
The Back 40 is on the east side of Bella Vista and forms a 40-mile natural mountain biking trail system. The area is open to the public, and hiking is permitted here as well. Trail conditions and access points can change. Compared with the 6.3 miles at Blowing Springs, the designated trail mileage is considerably greater; if you are comparing trail lengths, you therefore have two clearly different options, while hiking is permitted at both.
Bella Vista’s mountain biking and hiking trails also take you past lakes, springs, streams and waterfalls. These natural features offer another point of reference, alongside trail length, when choosing an outdoor excursion.
For the Little Sugar Trails, their development status is an important consideration: planned as a purpose-built mountain biking trail system with varying difficulty levels, the system is still being developed; the first 12 miles opened in late 2019.
Museum and Festival
The Bella Vista Historical Museum is open year-round Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.; admission is free. Outside regular opening hours, the museum offers private tours and programs on Bella Vista history. The set afternoon hours provide a clear window for a regular visit; tours and programs are another option outside those hours.
The Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Festival takes place annually on the third weekend in October. More than 225 artisans showcase handmade works there. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, confirm the specific event dates before your visit. This lets you weigh a stay around this annual event against planning around the museum’s year-round hours.
Regional Connections and Access Requirements
The more than 40-mile Razorback Regional Greenway connects Bella Vista with Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville. This means you can also consider Bella Vista as part of a regional trail route, while the Blowing Springs Trails and the Back 40 offer different trail lengths within Bella Vista.
To use the lakes and other POA facilities, you must be registered as a guest of a POA member or a Bella Vista vacation rental provider. If you want to use these facilities, check the registration requirements before you arrive.
Discover more destinations: Gentry, Garfield, Pea Ridge, Siloam Springs, Rogers, Bentonville.
Go to the main travel overview: Benton.
