Northwest Arkansas, USA, has added a new chapter to its mountain biking story with the opening of OZ Trails Bike Park, the state's first lift-served bike park. Located on the border of Bentonville and Bella Vista, the park opened on 12 June 2026 during Bentonville Bike Fest, unveiling a high-speed quad chairlift and more than 20 miles of gravity-flow trails. The opening came less than two weeks after Outside Magazine named Bentonville the second-best mountain bike town in the United States, recognizing its ride-anywhere culture, purpose-built trails, and a community that has organized itself around the bike.
Built for Riders of All Levels
Set across roughly 200 acres, the park's trails were designed and built by Gravity Logic and range from beginner-friendly green routes to expert black-diamond lines. The Leitner-Poma chairlift carries four riders per chair over roughly half a mile, and non-riders can ride it for sightseeing. A pump track, a bike school, rentals for adults and youth, and a kids zone with a Strider course make the park welcoming for families and newer riders.
"We built OZ Trails Bike Park to welcome everyone in," said Tom Walton, whose vision helped bring the project to life.
Beyond the trails, the park's headquarters, plaza, retail shop, Ozzy's Ride + Dine restaurant, and large-scale art curated by OZ Art NWA are free and open to the public. Riding the lift and trails requires a lift ticket, day pass, or membership. The park is part of the broader OZ Trails network, which maintains more than 550 miles of trails across Northwest Arkansas.
Investing in the Next Generation of Riders
Bentonville is the official home of USA Cycling’s U.S. National Mountain Bike Team, and its permanent base for training camps, athlete development, and grassroots racing as the organization builds toward the LA 2028 Olympic Games. That investment reaches young riders too. In August, USA Cycling brought its Regional Development Camp and Education Summit to the city. Riders ages 13 to 18 got small-group coaching in cross-country, cyclocross, and downhill from USA Cycling-certified coaches, and riders, parents, and coaches attended classroom sessions on athlete development.
“Bentonville is proud to welcome USA Cycling and the next generation of riders and cycling leaders to our community,” said Kalene Griffith, President and CEO of Visit Bentonville.
A Full Calendar of Cycling in October
The new bike park has quickly become part of the region's event circuit. On 11 October, the Life Time Little Sugar MTB race started at OZ Trails Bike Park before winding through the Little Sugar and Back 40 trail systems to finish at the Momentary in Bentonville. The park also hosted a free meet and greet with Team USA, presented by Arkansas Tourism, on 14 October.
These events were part of a packed month that Visit Bentonville describes as a celebration of the bike. The Arkansaw High Country Race began a two-year stay in Bentonville on 3 October, and the Life Time Big Sugar Classic ran 10–18 October, culminating in Big Sugar Gravel on 17 October with 100-, 50-, and 25-mile routes through the Ozarks. Community rides, weekly group rides at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, family outings, and kids' racing rounded out a calendar designed for riders of every age and ability. As Griffith noted, these events "bring visitors from across the country who stay in our hotels," underscoring cycling's role in the local economy.
A Growing Destination for Adventure Travel
For the adventure travel community, OZ Trails Bike Park adds a new dimension to a region already known for its cross-country and flow trails, gravel routes, and welcoming riding culture. Together with a year-round event calendar and a growing focus on youth development, the park gives operators and travelers another reason to plan multi-day cycling trips to Northwest Arkansas.
Experience Bentonville at AdventureELEVATE North America 2027
The adventure travel community will gather in Bentonville for AdventureELEVATE North America, 20–22 April 2027. The three days bring together keynotes, educational sessions, networking, a pre-scheduled marketplace and a Day of Adventure that shows delegates the region’s trails firsthand. Register now to join us in Northwest Arkansas.
Learn more at oztrailsbikepark.com and visitbentonville.com.