Fayetteville Is an Outdoor Playland. Here’s Your Itinerary.

No longer a sleepy college town, Fayetteville, Arkansas, is now a bustling city and a hotbed of outdoor adventure. Here’s your must-do list.

 

1. HIT THE TRAILS

Located in the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, Fayetteville has everything a hiker or trail runner could want: natural beauty, solid elevation, a temperate climate, and a thriving outdoor community. (Part of the booming Northwest Arkansas metro area, Fayetteville’s population has doubled in the past 30 years.) Head to Kessler Mountain in southwest Fayetteville for stellar views and 10 hiking trails with fun names like “Egg Beater” and “Crazy Mary.” Have more time? Travel 24 miles south of town to Devil’s Den State Park and its Yellow Rock Trail for even better views.

 

2. BIKE!

Imagine you died and went to cycling heaven. That’s Fayetteville. Whether your passion is mountain biking, gravel riding, or road cycling, this town has you covered like a Trek-adorned blanket. In addition to Kessler Mountain and Devil’s Den, mountain bikers will want to check out Gregory Park — complete with a pump track, skills course, and two downhill trails — and Centennial Park at Millsap Mountain, arguably the best mountain-bike event venue in the South. In total, Northwest Arkansas is home to over 600 miles of singletrack trails, many of which are included in the recently launched Fayetteville Bikepacking Route Network.

 

3. KEEP BIKING!

For lovers of gravel riding, there are hundreds of miles of gravel roads accessible from Fayetteville. For starters, try the 22-mile Battlelands route near Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. If road cycling is your thing, you’ll have access to over 400 miles of scenic paved roads that connect to Fayetteville. Plus, there’s the 40-mile Razorback Greenway that winds through town, never straying too far from cyclist-friendly restaurants and pubs. In short: Bring multiple bikes.

 

4. PADDLE ON

Looking for water activities? Go to Lake Fayetteville, where you can canoe, kayak, and fish. (Don’t worry if you didn’t bring equipment. You can rent canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, and more at Lake Fayetteville Boat, Bike & Bistro.) For longer paddling trips, drive an hour east to Buffalo National River. Here, you can cruise through the bluffs-laden Ozark Mountains for 135 miles, encountering everything from quiet pools to running rapids.

 

5. AIM HIGH

If you enjoy climbing — or just sipping coffee while watching others do it — head to Boulders and Brews near the University of Arkansas campus. Buy a day pass and explore the slabs, vertical faces, and overhangs of this bouldering gym and java joint. Want to get higher? Make the 68-mile drive to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for rock climbing on over 900 routes and boulder problems, as well as zip-lining and via ferrata (a type of protected climbing that’s big in Europe).

 

6. UNWIND

Fayetteville knows how to blow off steam. (It is still a college town, after all.) So when you’re ready to kick back, venture to the basement restaurant Hugo’s for a cheeseburger, homemade fries, and grasshopper crepes. Next, stop by one of eight breweries in town that comprise the Fayetteville Ale Trail, like Fossil Cove Brewing Co. Then, soak up the local acoustics at George’s Majestic Lounge, Arkansas’ oldest live-music venue. When it’s time for bed, check in at Mount Sequoyah, an artsy lodging community overlooking the city. Or, for something more collegiate, opt for Graduate by Hilton, a campus-adjacent hotel that drips with Razorback traditions. (Thankfully, you don’t have to perform the Hog Call to stay here.)

Author: Shawn Donnelly is the managing editor of Terrain.

Top image: Courtesy of Experience Fayetteville.