TL;DR: Lake Bentonville is a City of Bentonville park at 2100 SW I St. with fishing docks, a boat ramp and open water for canoes and paddleboards (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026); the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lists it as a stocked fishing water for channel catfish and rainbow trout (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
What Lake Bentonville Is
Lake Bentonville is a small public lake and park in west Bentonville that is run by the City of Bentonville. The city describes the park as recently renovated, with a destination playground, a rental pavilion, added fishing opportunities and a new paved parking lot (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
The renovation was tied to a larger project. In April 2020 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) reported that the Walton Family Foundation was funding the City of Bentonville and the Bentonville Airport to expand the lake by 6 acres, adding several new shoreline fishing locations (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Jonathan Stein, the AGFC District Fisheries Supervisor in Rogers, said, "The lake is being expanded by 6 acres and this will lead to more fishing access on the lake" (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
The lake's park is designed to connect with the neighboring Osage Park, so visitors can move between the two as one continuous area (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). For details on the wetland boardwalks, pickleball courts and dog park next door, see MCG's guide to Osage Park in Bentonville. This post focuses on the lake itself.
Where Lake Bentonville Is Located and How to Get There
The City of Bentonville lists the park's address as 2100 SW I St. and its hours as sunrise to 11 p.m. (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). The Osage Park main parking lot, which sits beside the lake, is at 700 SW 16th Street, and the area can also be reached from Thaden Field or the Bentonville Brewing Company parking lot (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026). Other Osage Park entrances listed by a regional travel guide include the Thaden Fieldhouse off I Street and 701 SW F St. (nwatravelguide.com, accessed October 2026).
Plan for limited facilities. The City of Bentonville's amenity list for the lake includes parking, picnic tables, a pavilion, a playground, electricity, two dog stations and a bike fix station, but it does not list restrooms or water fountains (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). The park's own page does not describe public transit service, so visitors should plan to arrive by car or bicycle.
Fishing at Lake Bentonville
Fishing docks are available at the lake, and the renovation added fishing opportunities (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). The 2020 expansion plan called for multiple piers and platforms (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Visit Bentonville lists carp, sunfish, channel catfish, blue catfish and largemouth bass as species found at the lake (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
The AGFC includes Lake Bentonville in its Family and Community Fishing Program, which stocks small urban waters. Its current listing shows channel catfish and rainbow trout, with catfish stocked April through June and September through October and trout stocked November through February (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). The same page shows the lake's last catfish stocking as September 25, 2026 and its last trout stocking as December 11, 2025 (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
Several rules apply. The AGFC states that anglers 16 and older need a valid fishing license, and a trout permit is required to keep trout (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Pond rules call for rod or pole only, immediate release of largemouth bass, and daily limits of 3 catfish, 5 trout and 25 bream (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). The AGFC also marks Lake Bentonville as a bonus catfish water, and its page says that designation limits fishing to people 15 and younger, 65 and older, or disability license holders, with anglers aged 16 to 64 allowed only while assisting a youth or disabled angler (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Check the AGFC listing for current conditions before you go.
Paddling, Walking and Nearby Trails
The City of Bentonville states that water recreation such as canoeing and paddle boarding is allowed on the lake, that a boat ramp is available, and that gas motors are not allowed on the water (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). The AGFC's expansion announcement said the added acreage was expected to improve kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Visit Bentonville notes that visitors can rent a kayak or paddleboard, fish, or simply enjoy the views (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
A regional travel guide describes a paved walking path that loops the lake, with views of planes taking off and landing at the nearby airport (nwatravelguide.com, accessed October 2026). Visit Bentonville adds that a walkway leads from The Quiver Archery Range to the lake and that Osage Park, with its wetland boardwalks and art-inspired trails, is just steps away (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026). Osage Park's wetlands cover 12 acres and are open to visitors on floating boardwalks, according to the Peel Compton Foundation (Peel Compton Foundation, accessed October 2026).
Why Lake Bentonville Matters to Residents and Nearby Property Owners
The lake adds free, close-to-home green space on the city's west side. The AGFC reported that the Osage Park project was meant to meet demand for recreational greenspace west of Walton Boulevard, where 58 percent of Bentonville residents live (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). Steuart Walton of the Walton Family Foundation said the park "will preserve additional greenspace and improve water quality in the Illinois River Watershed" (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
For households, the lake offers fishing, paddling and walking within one park. For property owners and investors weighing the area, public amenities like this are one of several factors buyers consider, alongside price, school boundaries and commute. This post does not draw conclusions about values near the lake, and MCG can discuss specific parcels and properties on request.
Discover Bentonville, Arkansas for more on the city's parks, trails and neighborhoods.
Bentonville Market Snapshot
As of July 2026, the median home sale price in Bentonville was $415,000, with 766 active listings representing 2.64 months of inventory supply (Houzeo) — a market with meaningful buyer competition but not extreme scarcity. If you're considering a move to Bentonville, you can list your home with us.
Working With Mason Capital Group in Bentonville
Mason Capital Group has maintained a presence in Northwest Arkansas for over 30 years, with more than $2.4 billion in cumulative transaction activity. Our office is at 609 SW 8th Street, 6th Floor, Bentonville, AR 72712, and we can be reached at 479-925-3333. Current inventory is on our featured listings page.
Where is Lake Bentonville?
Lake Bentonville is a City of Bentonville park at 2100 SW I St., open sunrise to 11 p.m. (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). Its park is designed to connect with the adjoining Osage Park (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
What fish are in Lake Bentonville?
Visit Bentonville lists carp, sunfish, channel catfish, blue catfish and largemouth bass (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026). The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocks channel catfish and rainbow trout through its Family and Community Fishing Program (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
Do you need a license to fish at Lake Bentonville?
Anglers 16 and older need a valid Arkansas fishing license, and a trout permit is also required to keep trout (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026). The AGFC also marks the lake as a bonus catfish water with age and disability access limits, so check its current listing before fishing (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, accessed October 2026).
Can you kayak or paddleboard on Lake Bentonville?
Yes. The City of Bentonville says canoeing and paddle boarding are allowed, a boat ramp is available, and gas motors are not allowed on the water (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026). Visit Bentonville notes that kayaks and paddleboards can be rented (Visit Bentonville, accessed October 2026).
Does Lake Bentonville have restrooms?
The City of Bentonville's amenity list for the park does not include restrooms or water fountains. It does list parking, picnic tables, a pavilion, a playground and fishing docks (City of Bentonville, accessed October 2026).