Bentonville, the "Mountain Bike Capital of the World," climbed to Arkansas' No. 1 spot on PeopleForBikes' annual best place to bike list, but NWA has ground to cover under a tougher new national standard.

Why it matters: The rankings track whether people can realistically use bikes for everyday transportation, not just as recreation.

• There are more than 200 miles of paved trails in NWA, and local governments have spent heavily on trail connections and bike infrastructure for years.

State of play: This year's ratings use a stricter methodology tied to the 2025 NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, with tighter expectations for speed limits, lane design and network connectivity.

• PeopleForBikes scored each census block on whether residents can use low-stress streets and paths to reach daily destinations like jobs, grocery stores, hospitals and recreation spots, then rolled those scores into a citywide rating weighted by population.
• The group says its updated methodology is meant to better capture what biking feels like in real life.

What they're saying: "We know that more than 60% of Americans would ride bikes more often if they were separated from cars and felt safer riding a bike," Martina Haggerty, PeopleForBikes' vice president of infrastructure, said in early June.

By the numbers: PeopleForBikes' 2026 City Ratings gave Bentonville a score of 50, followed by Bella Vista and Fayetteville at 49, Rogers at 42 and Springdale at 38.

• That put Bentonville first in the state and 392nd nationally, with the other cities rounding out the state's top five.

Flashback: Last year, and in years before, Bentonville followed Fayetteville as the top city in the Natural State.

Zoom out: National leaders included Mackinac Island, Michigan (100); Old Orchard, Pennsylvania (100); Crested Butte, Colorado (100); Washburn, Wisconsin (98); and Kent Narrows, Maryland (97).

Follow the money: A University of Arkansas study estimated bicycling generated about $159 million in economic impact in NWA in 2022, underscoring why local leaders view bikeability as both a transportation and an economic development issue.

The bottom line: NWA's cycling push is not just about quality-of-life amenities and tourism. The next phase is about mobility — how to make everyday riding feel safer and more practical, and how e-bikes can help close transportation gaps.

Share this

If you're the only soccer fan in the house and don't want to celebrate alone, there are plenty of watch parties happening around NWA.

• "Yes, Worth, but how do I find the ones with the biggest screens, coldest beer and loudest crowds?" you ask.

🍺 Well, I can't answer all those questions, but I can help you find more parties to check out, thanks to super fans who created Watchpartyradar.com.

NWA still doesn't show up on the main map, but the creators were Johnny-on-the-spot and provided links to our four largest towns.

• Bentonville — 11 locations
• Fayetteville — 14 locations
• Rogers — 14 locations
• Springdale — 9 locations

😉 With 48 spots, I'm pretty sure you can find one you'll like.

• 🚕 But if your team wins and you overdo it, please don't forget to call an Uber.

Share

👨‍💻 Fayetteville adopted new rules restricting data centers to general industrial zones and requiring reporting on water and electricity use, setbacks and landscape buffers, with city leaders signaling more regulations could follow. (Fayetteville Flyer)

💰 Arkansas lawmakers approved a $19.29 million, three-year advertising and marketing contract between the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and Little Rock-based Cranford Co. beginning July 1. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

🎨 The Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange (CACHE) launched a $130,000 grant program to help NWA artists and organizations pay for business and operational support such as marketing, legal services and financial planning. (Northwest Arkansas Business Journal)

Juneteenth is tomorrow. It became a federal holiday in 2021 and commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier. Here's how to learn more about the holiday and celebrate in NWA.

🎉 Fayetteville Juneteenth Jubilee — The fifth annual celebration at Festival Park runs Friday from 5-11pm and features food trucks, local vendors, artists, history programming and family-friendly activities.

🎶 Freedom Festival — Celebrate Juneteenth with music, food and games starting at 3pm on Saturday at Luther George Park in Springdale.

🎊 NWA Juneteenth Celebration — The University of Arkansas and the NWA Juneteenth Planning Committee will host a free event with live music, games and activities from 11am-3pm Saturday at the Upper Ramble in downtown Fayetteville.

Share