Slaughter Pen Trails in Bentonville

Slaughter Pen

I was fortunate enough to be able to stop in Bentonville, Arkansas, on my two-week-long epic road trip. So naturally, I wanted to pass through this area for its world-renowned mountain bike trails. Even though I was only here for a hot minute, it did not disappoint. The terrain was engineered for every skill level and is very well maintained. So if you visit here, you will be in for a mountain bike ride.

The incredible thing about this place is that it’s completely embedded into the city’s downtown district. It’s a mountain biker’s dreamland.

Location and Trails

Trail Forks, MTP Project, All Trails, and the like are fantastic apps for finding trails. However, I feel they are missing a few key elements. For one, they don’t show how to get to the trailheads! I can’t stand that. Perhaps it’s something I don’t know how to use on the apps. But I digress; here is a link using Google Maps.

You can find the Slaughter Pen map on Trail Forks here. Trail Forks shows over 15 trails for this system. Not too bad for downtown. You can ride and then grab a beer or a burger afterward.

My Experience

For context, I am a beginner with an athletic background. I found this little drop after not riding for almost 2.5 months due to a knee injury. It was not the best photo extract from my GoPro video, but finding a drop in downtown Bentonville was a thrill.

I only rode for about an hour but found incredible terrain. The trails were very well kept – best in class. It’s a mixture of urban and wood and trails. The urban parts are blended so gracefully into the wooded areas. I would love to live in this area.

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After Hours Beer

Without hesitation, the Bentonville Dive Bar for the after-ride beer is the place to go. I went during a quiet time, but the Google Reviews are pretty awesome. Live music, great staff, affordable drinks, and social. I wish I could have stayed during a busier time to feel it out myself. I ended up having a few craft beers and enjoyed my time there. Check it out.