Tucked into the Ozarks, surrounded by hundreds of miles of accessible, custom-built mountain bike trails, Bentonville, Arkansas, isn’t just another mountain bike town: it’s the official home of the U.S. National Mountain Bike Team.
Recognized as the Mountain Biking Capital of the World, Bentonville is the hub of the legendary OZ Trails and serves as the foundation for USA Cycling’s long-term vision heading into the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. USA Cycling has established a permanent base for training camps, athlete development, and grassroots racing growth.
Already in 2025, USA Cycling has hosted multiple athlete camps, thanks to the support of the local community. One of the most impactful experiences came in March, when USA Cycling hosted a camp for nearly 20 rising junior riders. Over the course of several days, athletes honed their skills on the trails at Slaughter Pen, tested themselves in mock races at Handcut Hollow, and bonded with teammates and coaches at the team house in Bentonville’s Third Street Historic District. The camp offered not only elite-level training, but also the opportunity to build lasting relationships with peers and coaches, learning directly from top pros like Riley Amos, Gwendalyn Gibson, and Madigan Munro.
USA Cycling has deepened its commitment to the Bentonville community by opening a satellite office at the Ledger, the world’s first bikeable building. In 2023, Alec Pasqualina, USA Cycling’s Director of Mountain Bike, relocated to Arkansas to help lead and expand the organization’s growing investment in the region. “Northwest Arkansas truly has trails for every skill level,” said Pasqualina. “I think from the outside, Olympic and top-tier athletes can seem a lot different from the average person. But in reality, we ride the exact same trails as everyone else,” added Pasqualina.
Whether you're a serious cyclist or a casual enthusiast, Bentonville has something for everyone. “We've been coming to Northwest Arkansas for a handful of years now, and we’ve seen real progression, not just in the number of trails built, but in the sense of community and opportunity. This past year, I saw more kids on bikes and more youth programming, which is amazing. And there are so many opportunities for beginners to enter the sport alongside top-level pros and all the elite races in this region,” said Christopher Blevins, two-time Olympian and World Champion.
Speaking on the qualities of the Bentonville trails, Haley Batten, silver medalist said Bentonville, “not only provides a full landscape of different terrain for you to explore, you know fun natural terrain...but then they also have the man-made rock gardens, they also have the jump features, [and] when you put all that together you're building the full skill set of what it takes to win world cups or perform at the highest level."
“If you're thinking about planning a trip here, don’t hesitate. There’s an unbelievable number of things to do, great food, museums, and off-the-bike activities. You can ride straight from town and find a new trail every day. You could spend days and days riding the singletrack,” said Olympian and U23 World Champion Riley Amos.
While in town, athletes have their go-to spots:
ON THE BIKE: USA Cycling athletes will ride for hours on end, covering most of Northwest Arkansas. They start in Bentonville hitting some of their favorite trails like The Masterpiece and Handcut Hollow, then they back their way into Bella Vista to hit the Back 40. With how demanding World Cup racing has become, it's always important to keep their skills sharp, and they always focus on progression sessions hitting the drops at Slaughter Pen and working their way up to some of the extreme features on Drop the Hammer at Coler.
OFF THE BIKE: Cyclists never miss a chance to get ice cream, let alone the local flavor Ford F-150 at the Spark Cafe located inside of the Walmart Museum in Bentonville’s City Square. Afterwards, they stop in and catch up on the town’s history with free admission to the museum galleries next door.
Photo By: Sara Reeves | Arkansas Tourism | CJRW
