2024 Viewing Guide: Fall Leaves in Northwest Arkansas

Fall in Northwest Arkansas is one of the most popular times of year for outdoor recreation. With the mild weather and cooler temps also come all sorts of Fall activities like pumpkin patches, cycling and mountain biking, along with the beautiful colors. One of our favorite ways at the Walton College to enjoy this season is getting outdoors and seeing all the leaves changing colors. So, we compiled a list of some of our favorite spots with incredible colors, spectacular views, and awe-inspiring scenery. 

Hiking Trails

Yellow Rock Trail (Winslow): The Yellow Rock Trail located at Devils Den State Park in West Fork, Arkansas, is about a 30-minute drive south of campus at the University of Arkansas. This 3.1-mile loop is rated moderate to challenging, and hikers should expect to spend about an hour and a half hiking without stops. The trail can get busy on weekends because it offers spectacular views of the Lee Creek Valley and all of the vibrant colors. We recommend this trail early to mid-morning during the fall for the least amount of people and the best views. 

Mt. Sequoyah Woods (Fayetteville): Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the Mt.Sequoyah Woods Trail is only 10 minutes east of campus and is an excellent spot for a short or long hike, depending on what trails you decide to use. The main loop around the woods is around 2.7 miles and will take on average about an hour to complete. The beautiful wooded area in the autmn is a great place to see all the vibrant colors because of the variety of tree species in the park. The maple trees turn a beautiful shade of red while the oaks and ferns turn yellow making for the perfect season activity, whether that's a hike, family photos, or even mountain biking. We recommend morning and evening hikes here during the fall and if you have time head east to the Mt.Sequoyah Gardens which is a great overlook and spot to view a sunset. 

Pigeon Roost Trail (Rogers): The Pigeon Roost Trail in Hobbs State Park in Rogers, Arkansas, which is a 45-minute drive from the campus at the University of Arkansas, is one of the more popular trails in the park and that's for a good reason. Hikers can expect spectacular fall foliage and a great view of Beaver Lake. The trail does have two different loops one that is meant more for day hikes called the Dry Creek Loop and the other is the Huckleberry Loop. The Dry Creek Loop is around 4 miles long and will take 1.5 to two hours to complete. The trail is rated moderate to challenging but is more on the mild side with minimal elevation gain and a nice spot to rest at the lake with benches to split the hike up. The trail is busy in the late afternoon and early morning so a great time to be on this trail without crowds is mid to late morning. Both loops are foot traffic only so no mountain bikes will be allowed. 

Tip : The trailhead has recently been reworked so be sure to follow the well-marked signs as GPS may have an outdated trail layout. 

Historic Van Winkle Trail (Rogers): The Historic Van Winkle Trail is also located within Hobbs State Park. This is a great short hike for families and dogs as it is relatively flat with little to no elevation gain. Along the half-mile trail, there are historic landmarks where the Van Winkle community and mill were more than 100 years ago. After your hike, you can also visit the nearby War Eagle Cavern, War Eagle Mill, and Hobbs State Park Visitor Center, where you can visit a cavern and learn all about the history of Hobbs State Park. This trail is tranquil on weekdays and moderately trafficked on weekends. We enjoy this trail mid to late morning through early afternoon. 

Tanyard Creek Nature Trail (Bella Vista): Tanyard Creek Nature Trail in Bella Vista, Arkansas, is a popular choice in several of our blogs on outdoor recreation. That's becauseTanyard Creek has a little bit of everything from cool suspension bridges and creek crossings to waterfalls and views of Lake Windsor from the top of the dam. During the fall the trees around the nature trail turn all shades of orange, yellow, and red making for stunning scenery and images. The trail has several loops and branches but the main Tanyard Loop is 2.2 miles and rated easy to moderate, so expect it to take around an hour to complete. We recommend this trail at all times of the day as it is spectacular and not very crowded. 

Lost Valley Trail (Buffalo National River): The 2.3-mile-long Lost Valley Trail near the Buffalo National River is a great way to experience the breathtaking fall colors of Arkansas. The Lost Valley Trail is one of the most popular trails at the Buffalo and that's for good reason. The tapestry of red, oranges, and yellows paints the trail during the fall season and visitors get a magical experience soaking in the serene beauty of the changing foliage. Since this trail can get busy, we recommend an early morning or late afternoon trip. 

Walking/Paved

Perhaps you aren't sure if you want to take a hike but you still want to get out and explore the greenway or other paved trail systems, if so these are a few of our favorite areas: 

Coler Mountain Bike Preserve (Bentonville): Traditionally, this is the go-to place for mountain biking in Bentonville, but Coler Mountain Bike Preserve is also a great place to take a walk and explore the fall colors. If you park at the South Gateway, we recommend walking along the greenway and stopping at some bridges and boardwalks that overlook creeks. Be sure to stop by Airship Coffee in the middle of the preserve for coffee and food, for a shorter walk to reach Airship you will want to park and start at the North Gateway. 

Lake Atalanta (Rogers): Quoted by Visit Rogers as the "leisure hub of Northwest Arkansas," Lake Atalanta made this list because of its fantastic fall colors along its 4 miles of hard surface trails. Most of the trail is along the lake shore and borders the surrounding forests. Lake Atalanta is a 30-minute drive from campus but is near Downtown Rogers, where you have a lot of options for food and drinks as well as opportunities to explore other cool areas like the Railyard Bike Park. 

Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks (Fayetteville): Located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, only a 15-minute drive from the University of Arkansas is the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks. Featured in our other blog, "Our Favorite Natural Gardens & Springs in Northwest Arkansas," this beautiful location is also great to visit during the fall and walk around the twelve themed gardens as they change color throughout early to late fall. 

Old Main at the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville): A true staple of Fayetteville, Arkansas, is Old Main at the University of Arkansas Campus. The surrounding grassy area has rows of irrigated trees all of which are native to Arkansas. Every year these trees turn shades of orange, red, and yellow making for the perfect backdrop on a walk across campus. We love to visit this area in the morning before classes start or in the evening once the campus has become quieter. However, if you are a student this is a great place to relax and sit on one of the many park benches nearby between classes. 

Blue Spring Heritage Center (Eureka Springs): A great place to experience the magic of fall is at the Blue Spring Heritage Center in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. As the Ozark Mountains don their vibrant autumn colors the heritage center becomes a great place to relax, take in the fall colors, and take some photos. We recommend exploring the walking trails, viewing the stunning reflections in the crystal-clear spring, and enjoying your nature-guided walk. 

Drives & Overlooks

If you are looking to soak in your fall colors and foliage from your car or stop at cool overlooks of the valleys below, we recommend you check out these fantastic views and scenery in Northwest Arkansas.

Mt. Sequoyah Gardens Overlook: Dedicated as a city park in 1998 to provide an overlook of the City of Fayetteville, Mt Sequoyah Gardens is a great place to see all of the fall colors. What draws a lot of people to this lookout is the cross that sits on top of Mt Seqyoah just east of this overlook, and is often touted as one of the best places to see a sunset in Fayetteville. Parking is limited at the overlook so we recommend visiting for a sunset on a weekday. 

War Eagle Mill: The Historic War Eagle Mill in Rogers, Arkansas, is the only working Mill in the state. Still to this day the mill is powered by an 18-foot waterwheel along War Eagle Creek. The mill has a shop inside where they sell all kinds of flour and cornmeal and a restaurant on the top floor of the mill. However, in the fall the surrounding area near the mill makes for an amazing sight as the bright red paint of the mill stands out amongst the yellow leaves of the oak trees. 

Inspiration Point: Located off Highway 62 between Rogers and Eureka Springs is Inspiration Point. This small pull-off next to Castle Antiques offers viewers a fantastic view on the top of a 550-foot cliff that overlooks the White River below. During the fall, all the trees that wind along the banks of the White River  turn and the valley below explodes in beautiful fall color. 

Pea Ridge National Military Park: Near the small town of Pea Ridge in Northwest Arkansas is Pea Ridge National Military Park. The park is run by the National Park Service and is there to remember the soldiers who fought and died on March 7-8th in 1862. This somber yet beautiful park has a drivable loop that winds through all of the historic battlefield sites. During the fall this loop is an amazing way to experience the fall colors since the loop goes from forested woods to big open grass fields to even mountain-top overlooks. Some of the park's best views of fall color are at the East Overlook and Elkhorn Tavern. 

Pig Trail Scenic Byway: If you are looking for a longer day drive to enjoy the amazing fall colors then we highly recommend taking the Pig Trail Scenic Byway that runs from Eureka Springs all the way to Clarksville, Arkansas. The road winds up and down through the Boston Mountains with beautiful fall colors and leaves all along the road.