Experience the Bentonville Bike Playground

My favorite thing about living in The Mountain Biking Capital of the World is that there are plenty of opportunities for riders of ALL AGES and SKILL LEVELS.

The little kids were begging to go on the trails. However, knowing they weren’t quite ready for big hills, twists, turns, and rugged terrain, we found a compromise–the bike skills playground designed just for beginners.

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Location: 2400 N Walton Blvd, Bentonville, AR

What is a Bike Skills Course?

It’s a loop with a variety of beginner-level obstacles to help younger kids build biking skills with confidence. Whether you plan to ride on the street or on trails, the skills course is a good place to start.

This beginner-friendly bike skills course is outfitted with tunnels, bumps, curves, cones, and planked sidewalks with gentle curbs.

It’s great for little ones on balance bikes and those just learning to pedal. This park, in particular, is designed for younger riders. It features a small pump track to provide a place to practice ups and downs and gentler berms.

What is a Pump Track?

As you begin looking into bike playgrounds and skills courses, you’ll find some unfamiliar terminology. Most of these courses include some variation of a pump track, or a series of banked corners and smooth rollers.

The design of the circuit enables riders to complete the circuit by pumping through the downhill momentum rather than pedaling.

While there’s some common history between pump tracks and BMX bikers, these courses are incredibly useful for mountain bikers–which is why you’ll find so many of them designed for building skills here in The Mountain Biking Capital of the World.

Pump tracks offer loops of repetition for building muscle memory which can be a great conditioning tool for mountain bikers of all skill and ability levels.

Are you looking for something for the whole family? Try the All American Trail for riders of all ages and abilities.

The Experience

We visited the course with two little kids, ages 4 and 5, who are both beginners. We have found great success teaching these littles to ride bikes using Strider balance bikes. These bikes are designed for toddlers and small children. They’re available in two sizes–the 12 inch model and the 14 inch model.

Both of our riders use the 14 inch model. The four year old is newer to biking and was just learning to glide, but he thought riding on the ‘trails’ like his big brother was pretty cool. In fact, he showed little interest in the bike until we took them to the bike skills course.

The five year old has been riding her balance bike for about a year and she has pedals now. Yep, the Strider balance bikes are convertible with a pedal kit that attaches to the same familiar bike that your little is already comfortable with.

Both kids needed help on the pump track but aside from that they rode the other obstacles independently and without fear. The thing that I thought was the most impressive was that, even though they needed help, both littles were eager to try the pump track.

We rode here for about an hour before exploring the adjacent bike trails. I think riding the skills course gave the little kids some confidence to try a beginner bike trail.

If you’re looking for a way to add biking to your Ozarks family vacation, check out this guide to NWA mountain biking today.

What the Bike Park Has to Offer

The actual bike park is designed for younger kids, probably beginner riders under the age of 12. The pump track is compact. Full size riders might find it challenging, but that’s okay because just behind the tree line is a larger course as well as access to the Slaughter Pen trail system.

The bike playground is just over one acre and includes dirt paths, wood plank bridges with gentle slopes, cones, a tunnel, and a small asphalt pump track. Nearby, you’ll also find picnic tables, a bark park, ample free parking, a larger bike course for more advanced riders, and multipurpose trails (both paved and natural).

Keep Kids Entertained with Plenty of Variety

The Bentonville Bike Playground is just one of many skills courses available in the area. If your kiddos get bored with the course here, try one of these other nearby options:

Metfield Skills Park | Commonwealth Rd, Bella Vista, AR

Features a kid-friendly outdoor pump track and skills area with wooden features and paved trail.

8th Street Gateway Park | SE 8th Street, Bentonville, AR

New “Mama Bear” skills course suitable for all ages and skill levels.

Thaden School Pump Track & Skills Course | 891 SE C St., Bentonville, AR

Features an asphalt pump track and newly added pump track with wooden features. Suitable for balance bike riders.

Wolf Creek Park | South Bright Ave., Bentonville, AR

Cub trail offers a good flow trail for beginners and balance bike riders on a short loop. Wolf Creek trail is a longer distance for more confident riders.