Bella Vista’s Back 40 Trails: A Guide For Mountain Bikers
The Back 40 trails in Bella Vista are some of my favorite in Arkansas. Learn what to love about them, best trails to ride, and my top route suggestions.
Quick tips on Mountain biking the Back 40
It’s no secret that I love Bentonville. I first visited this Northwest Arkansas town in 2020 and have made it a priority to swing through every year since. As a mountain biker, there’s really no other place like it. One of the things I love most about riding here is that there are trails and terrain for every level and style of rider from huge jumps I’ll never hit to never-ending cross-country routes.
The Back 40 trails in Bella Vista – which is just a short drive north of Bentonville – is one of my favorite trail networks. There’s the 22-mile Back 40 Loop for those who want to go the distance, but there are also plenty of ways to link up shorter (and in my opinion, more interesting) rides. Things get even more interesting when you add in the Blowing Springs trails and the newer Wonderland Trails.
If you’re new to the Back 40 Trails, in this post I share everything you need to know about exploring them on your mountain bike.
Back 40 Trails Facts & FAQs
Q: Where are the Back 40 Trails?
A: The Back 40 trail network is located a short drive northeast of Bentonville. The trails cover a big chunk of land and they interweave in and out of neighborhoods. One minute you’ll feel like you’re in suburbia and the next you’ll feel like bigfoot could walk out of the trees!
Q: Where should I park?
A: There are lots of parking areas around the Back 40, so it really depends on what your ride plans are. For the first route I recommend below, I like to park at the Metfields Skills Park, which has bathrooms, a water fountain, and a fun little bike skills area.
Q: Are the trails open year-round?
A: Yes, although it’s highly recommended/expected to not ride them when they’re super wet.
Q: Is there water available along the trails?
A: Yes, but I still recommend bringing water with you. There are several potable water stations located throughout the Back 40 trails. These are marked on TrailForks with a little water sign. The Back 40 also has ‘trail angels’ who leave out coolers filled with water and sometimes other goodies!
Q: Do I need to pay to ride the Back 40 trails?
A: Nope! They’re free to ride.
Q: How hard are the Back 40 Trails?
A: In the grand scheme of Bentonville mountain biking, the Back 40 trails (along with Little Sugar) are considered the cross-country network in town. There isn’t much tech (aside from Ledges), but you probably are in for a 15+ mile ride.
Q: Are the trails well-signed?
A: For the most part, yes. There are usually trail maps at each major intersection, but individual trails themselves are not typically signed.
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Back 40 Trail Map
My Honest Review
Overall rating
Overall, I really love the Back 40 Trails and that’s kind of surprising because I wouldn’t call myself a cross-country mountain biker. I like tech and engaging terrain! But what the Back 40 trails lack in tech, it makes up for in well-built xc trails that are fast, fun, and flowy. There’s even a tiny bit of tech thrown in if you know where to find it as well as some opportunities to get air on built-up jumps.
Whenever I find myself back in Bentonville, the Back 40 is usually the first place I ride because it’s a great warm-up and welcome to NWA mountain biking.
Average difficulty
The thing that makes the Back 40 most challenging is the mileage. It’s hard to put together a short (and still fun) ride here. Instead, you’re probably looking at a ride that is at least 15 miles. The nice thing is that the terrain is rolling, so while there is climbing, the hills are never too long or arduous.
As for tech, Ledges is the hardest trail in the Back 40 and definitely a must if you enjoy technical riding and don’t mind a bit of exposure. See my route recommendation #2 below for how to incorporate Ledges into your ride.
Trail variety
The Back 40 consists mainly of rolling cross-country terrain that weaves in and out of ravines and up and down ridges. But, there is a little bit of variety if you know where to find it. As I mentioned above, Ledges is a great tech trail while Taylor’s Homestead and Go Ride have some super fun jumps and drops. But for the most part, the Back 40 is cross-country at its best.
Should you ride The Back 40?
What to love about it
What to not
Read next
Planning a mountain bike trip to Northwest Arkansas? Check out these guides, too:
Best Trails to Ride
Alright, let’s talk trails! The Back 40 has over 100 miles of trails, but like most trail networks, not all those miles are fun miles. If you’re just looking to hit the highlights, here are (what I consider to be) the best trails in the Back 40.
Note: This list doesn’t include the nearby Blowing Springs or Alice in Wonderland Trails. If you’re looking for trail and route recommendations in those areas, check out my Blowing Springs guide.
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Route Recommendations
Back 40 Fun & Flow
This is my go-to loop in the Back 40. It’s a good mix of cross-country pedaling and downhill flow. Don’t skip the little out-and-back loop up Flo Ride and down Go Ride. It’s a blast and may even be worth doing twice…
Trail Basics
Ride it for:
- A good intro to the Back 40
- Beautiful pedaling through the woods
- Fun descents down Go Ride and Taylor’s Homestead
Need to know:
- You can get going fast on downhill sections of the Back 40. Watch out for riders and hikers coming the other way!
- Ride within your skill level on Tayor’s Homestead
- While the mileage is high, the route does roll really well, so don’t let the 18 miles scare you off
Route directions: Metfield Skills Park Parking > Rago (or paved path) > the Back 40 Loop > Summit School > Pinion Creek > Flo Ride > Go Ride > Pinion Creek (optional What the Chuck) > SBAT > Taylor Homestead > Back 40 Loop > Paved path
Make it shorter: Take Mulligan back to the parking lot instead of doing the bonus miles on the Back 40
Make it longer: Add another lap on Go Ride. You could also add on the Blowing Springs Loop, but do this at the end to make sure you have enough juice in your legs.
Back 40 Variety Loop
This is another one of my go-to loops in the Back 40, especially if I want a more technical ride. Both Ledges and Boom Diggity are very unique trails that will test your balance, slow-speed skills, and comfort with exposure.
Trail Basics
Ride it for:
- Unique rock ledge riding on The Ledges
- Tricky rock gardens on Boom Diggity
Need to know:
- Both The Ledges and Boom Diggity have a bit of exposure. You won’t die if you fall, but it could send you to the ER
- Ride The Ledges south to north
Route directions: Blowing Springs Parking > Blowing Spring Loop > The Back 40 > Ledges (south to north) > The Back 40 > Mulligan > Rago > The Back 40 > Boom Diggity
Make it longer: Check out the Alice in Wonderland trails before heading up to the Ledges. See my guide on Blowing Springs for more info about these trails.
Post-ride Fun & Food
Bella Vista isn’t like Bentonville where there are cute shops and restaurants to hang out at post-ride. Instead, I recommend packing a lunch or snacks and heading down to Blowing Springs where you can set up a picnic on the lawn or at the picnic area. There’s even a little ‘swimming hole’ where you can cool off (it’s very shallow, but you can dunk yourself).
Here are a few things I like to do after finishing up a ride in Bella Vista:
Have you ridden the Back 40 trails? What’s your take on them? Do you have a favorite way to link up the trails? Leave a comment below!
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