TL;DR: In August 2025 the Walton Family Foundation awarded $3.53 million to rebuild a flood-severed stretch of the Razorback Greenway between Bella Vista and Bentonville, with construction scheduled from October 2025 to an expected completion in October 2026 (Talk Business & Politics).
Razorback Greenway Connects Seven Cities
The Razorback Greenway is a 40-mile paved trail connecting seven Northwest Arkansas communities: Bella Vista, Bentonville, Rogers, Lowell, Springdale, Johnson and Fayetteville (Razorback Greenway). For a Bentonville resident, the greenway functions less like a single trail and more like a paved spine that reaches a neighboring town without a car, running through the city rather than around it and linking residential streets to downtown and to the parks system described below. A house near any stretch of the greenway effectively sits on a car-free route to six other cities, not just to the park at the end of the block.
Slaughter Pen Adds 30 Miles Of Singletrack
Riders looking for technical terrain use a separate system entirely. The Slaughter Pen mountain-bike system in Bentonville was established in 2013 and contains more than 30 miles of singletrack, starting at Compton Gardens and extending north toward Bella Vista (OZ Trails Northwest Arkansas). It sits inside city limits, close enough to downtown that a resident can start a ride from Compton Gardens without first driving to a trailhead. The system has been in place since 2013, long enough that neighborhoods built up around it already treat trail access as a standard feature rather than a bonus.
Coler Preserve Covers 300 Acres
Coler Mountain Bike Preserve is a 300-acre preserve in Bentonville with more than 20 miles of mountain-biking trails, opened in 2020 and operated by the Peel Compton Foundation. Where Slaughter Pen sits close to downtown on land adapted for riding, Coler occupies a larger, dedicated footprint built specifically for mountain biking. The Peel Compton Foundation's operation of the preserve means maintenance and trail additions are managed separately from the city parks department that runs the other systems described here.
16 City Parks Anchor Daily Life
Bentonville maintains 16 city parks connected by more than 40 miles of mountain-bike trails, pedestrian pathways and bikeways (Visit Bentonville). Each park inside that system serves a different purpose. Orchard Park hosts the city's 4th of July fireworks and its summer concert series (Visit Bentonville). Lawrence Plaza in downtown Bentonville hosts First Friday movies, becomes a splash pad in summer and an ice rink in winter (Visit Bentonville). Memorial Park is part of Bentonville's looped-trail network within the city parks system (Visit Bentonville). A buyer comparing two houses a few blocks apart may find one sits within walking distance of Lawrence Plaza's seasonal programming and the other backs directly onto Memorial Park's loop, a difference worth asking about before signing anything. Neither house is better on paper; they simply serve different routines, and that distinction is easy to miss on a listing sheet. If you are weighing that kind of comparison, our featured listings page lets you check proximity to specific parks before you tour.
A $3.53 Million Bridge To Bella Vista
The Razorback Greenway's connection between Bella Vista and Bentonville has not always stayed intact. Flooding in April 2022 severed that link, and in August 2025 the Walton Family Foundation awarded $3.53 million to relocate a 2,500-foot segment of the greenway in north Bentonville and build two flood-resilient pedestrian bridges (Talk Business & Politics). Construction runs from October 2025 to an expected completion in October 2026 (Talk Business & Politics). The project is specifically designed to withstand the kind of flooding that closed the route in 2022, which matters for anyone buying near a low-lying stretch of the corridor. Anyone weighing a purchase near that corridor should track the project directly rather than assume the connection is already back in place.
Bentonville's Population Keeps Climbing
The trail and parks system serves a growing number of residents every year. Bentonville had an estimated population of 63,057 as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts), after ranking as Arkansas's second-fastest-growing city between 2023 and 2024, when it grew 3.5% to 61,791 residents as of July 1, 2024 (Talk Business & Politics). Over the longer stretch from 2020 to 2024, the city added 7,575 residents, a 14% increase (Talk Business & Politics). That pace of arrival puts more households within reach of the greenway, Slaughter Pen, Coler and the 16-park system in the same few years the Bella Vista bridge project is under construction. Discover Bentonville, Arkansas covers more of what draws people to a city built around this much outdoor infrastructure.
Working With Mason Capital Group in Bentonville
Mason Capital Group has advised on Northwest Arkansas real estate for 30+ years, with $2.4B+ in cumulative transaction activity. We work from 609 SW 8th Street, 6th Floor, Bentonville, AR 72712, and can be reached at 479-925-3333. When a client asks for the best real estate agent in Bentonville, part of the job is knowing which properties sit closest to Slaughter Pen, Coler or a specific city park, and which are simply near a road named after one. If you are ready to sell a property near the trail network, list your home with us and we will help you position it correctly for buyers who care about that distinction.
How long is the Razorback Greenway?
The Razorback Greenway is a 40-mile paved trail connecting seven Northwest Arkansas communities: Bella Vista, Bentonville, Rogers, Lowell, Springdale, Johnson and Fayetteville (Razorback Greenway).
How many miles of singletrack does Slaughter Pen have?
The Slaughter Pen mountain-bike system in Bentonville contains more than 30 miles of singletrack and was established in 2013, starting at Compton Gardens and extending north toward Bella Vista (OZ Trails Northwest Arkansas).
How big is Coler Mountain Bike Preserve?
Coler Mountain Bike Preserve is a 300-acre preserve in Bentonville with more than 20 miles of mountain-biking trails, opened in 2020 and operated by the Peel Compton Foundation.
How many parks does Bentonville maintain?
Bentonville maintains 16 city parks connected by more than 40 miles of mountain-bike trails, pedestrian pathways and bikeways (Visit Bentonville).
What is being done to reconnect Bella Vista and Bentonville's trail?
In August 2025 the Walton Family Foundation awarded $3.53 million to relocate a 2,500-foot segment of the Razorback Greenway in north Bentonville and build two flood-resilient pedestrian bridges, restoring a connection severed by flooding in April 2022, with construction scheduled from October 2025 to an expected completion in October 2026 (Talk Business & Politics).