Bentonville gets called a mountain bike town, and for once the marketing is not lying. The trails run right up to downtown. You can rent a bike two minutes from the square, ride real singletrack, and be back for a beer before dinner. Here is where to actually go, sorted by how much you already know how to ride.

Bentonville earned the hype

The local numbers back the national lists. Coler Mountain Bike Preserve holds a 4.9 across almost 400 Google reviews. Phat Tire Bike Shop downtown sits at 4.9 across more than 1,400. The people who actually ride here rate it high, not just the tourism board.

New to it? Start on the green trails

If you have never ridden singletrack, do not drop into the hard stuff first. The Cub Trail and Cub Trail Loop are marked beginner and run near downtown Bentonville. Over in Bella Vista, Taylor Homestead is another beginner line. Green trails here are flowy and forgiving, so you can sort out your brakes before anything gets steep.

Not into dirt at all? The North Bentonville Trail is paved, so a cruiser or a kid's bike works fine on it.

Coler is the one everyone means

When people say they rode Bentonville, they usually mean Coler Mountain Bike Preserve. It is a full preserve of trails on the northwest side of town, rated 4.9 by the people who ride it. You can reach a range of difficulty from the same trailhead, which is why it works for a mixed group where one person rides hard and another is still learning.

Ready to get scared? Go advanced

Lor-Axe is marked advanced and sits in the Bentonville system. For a bigger day, the Back 40 over in Bella Vista is a long intermediate loop locals ride for hours. Summit School in Bella Vista is another advanced line. Know your limit. These are not paved greenways.

No bike? Rent one