This small town in Arkansas is surrounded by natural beauty and close to a great university and giants in retail and food.
Find small-town living at its best in West Fork, Arkansas. Founded along the White River in the 1880s to serve the logging industry, the area developed mills and rail commerce. Today visit this cosy town in Northwestern Arkansas to enjoy the modern community it has become.
See historic homes and enjoy the town’s parks. Bring gear to Riverside Park for picnicking, sunbathing, swimming, fishing or flying a kite. Watch members of the community playing baseball at Carter Park or organise your own game. Ride the bike trails throughout the town and beyond. Visit the West Fork Public Library and the summer farmers market.
Drive about 10 miles (16 kilometres) north of West Fork to the college town of FayettevilleOpens in a new window. Join up to 80,000 other Razorback fans watching the University of Arkansas football team roar to a victory in the huge Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Explore the scenic hilltop campus and wander along Dickson Street to appreciate the town’s historic buildings and modern entertainment options.
Continue another 20 miles (32 kilometres) north to BentonvilleOpens in a new window. One highlight of the town is the Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtOpens in a new window, with works from five centuries. The free museum stands in a wilderness setting surrounded by trails offering peaceful hiking. Tour the very different Walmart Museum, which chronicles the history of one of the world’s largest retail giants, Walmart, and its early start in Bentonville and nearby Rogers. Springdale’s Tyson Foods shares its own history of the growth of its huge chicken industry in the Founder’s Room museum.
Outside the towns and cities of Northwest Arkansas are areas of beautiful scenery, with mountains, lakes, rivers and forests. Hike on the trails of Devil’s Den State Park. Fish on the White River or Beaver Lake. West Fork is near the western boundary of the 1.2-million-acre (480,000-hectare) Ozark National Forest. View wildlife, hunt, fish, boat, swim and picnic in this massive green space.
