And just like that, our time in Bentonville has come to an end. After a month here, we experienced all there is to do in Northwest Arkansas… or, more accurately, we lightly scratched the surface and pretended that counted. There is so much packed into this area that it feels impossible to fully take it all in during one stay.
But per usual nomad protocol, as we packed up and started reflecting on our time here, we found ourselves asking the same question we ask everywhere: Could we live here?
And this time, the answer came surprisingly easy.
Yeah. We could absolutely see ourselves living here.
Bentonville Gets the Outdoors Thing Right
One of the things we loved most about Bentonville is the way recreation and nature are woven into everyday life here.
When we moved to Boulder, we thought, This is THE place where nature and recreation collide. And look, Boulder is obviously incredible. But let me be the first to say something that might get my Colorado card revoked: Bentonville does it better.
Not because the mountains are bigger. They are not.
Not because the views are more dramatic. They are not.
But because the entire community seems built around the idea that everyone should have access to the outdoors. There are biking programs, hiking groups, boating, fishing, art, ecological programs, preservation work, and community events that invite people to actually engage with the place they live.
It does not feel like recreation here is reserved for the hardcore, the wealthy, or the people who already know what they are doing. It feels open. Intentional. Sustainable. Like the whole town is quietly asking, How do we help more people get outside and enjoy this?
That part really stuck with us.
And Then There’s the Mountain Biking
During our stay, I logged just under 400 miles of mountain biking.
There are trails for everyone. Tiny strider bike trails for little kids just learning how to roll. Green trails that gently introduce new riders to skills and small features without terrifying them into selling their bikes. Blue trails that increase the size, speed, consequence, and complexity. And then, yes, there are black and double-black lines with big jumps, chunk, gaps, and features that make you pause at the top and quietly wonder whether your insurance is up to date.
The progression here is incredible. It is not just a pile of random trails thrown into the woods. It feels designed. Thoughtful. Built to help people grow.
But what stood out even more than the trails was the culture around them.
Everyone seems to coexist in a way that feels almost foreign coming from the Front Range of Colorado. E-bikers, analog bikers, beginners, shredders, families, locals, visitors, kids, retirees, somehow everyone is out there sharing the same spaces and mostly just having a damn good time.
There is a real sense that the community has bought into this thing together. People are not just using the trails. They are supporting them, maintaining them, celebrating them, and welcoming more people into the sport.
Bentonville raised the bar for me on what an inclusive biking community can look like.
So… About the Waltons
Now, let’s address the giant Walton-shaped elephant in the room.
When we first got to Bentonville, I was skeptical. My initial reaction was somewhere around, Wow, I am not sure I can do this.
Because yes, it is impossible to talk about Bentonville without talking about the Walton family and Walmart. Their influence is everywhere. The art, the trails, the public spaces, the development, the events, the polish, so much of what makes Bentonville exceptional is tied, directly or indirectly, to Walton money and Walton-backed foundations.
And that comes with some complicated feelings.
I am not suddenly here to write a love letter to the Walmart enterprise. I still have plenty of concerns about what Walmart represents, especially when it comes to working-class communities, labor, and the way massive corporations shape the world around them.
But after a month here, I also have to admit something, Bentonville has benefited enormously from that investment.
The community events are active and engaging. The art scene is beautiful and accessible. The trail systems are world-class. The connection to nature is not just encouraged, it is expected. The town feels like it has been given resources, vision, and momentum that most places could only dream of.
So do I have some hesitation about how much influence one family has over a community? Absolutely.
Do I also think Bentonville is an exceptional place to live? Also absolutely.
Two things can be true. Annoying, but true.
So now you may be wondering, are Kyle and Katie moving to Arkansas? Nope. Not yet.
We are still very much continuing this weird little nomadic adventure of ours. There is too much out there to see, and we are not ready to trade the unknown for a permanent address just yet.
Next up, we have our sights set on Park City, Utah and Bend, Oregon. After that, maybe more of the Pacific Northwest. Maybe the East Coast. Maybe we eventually find a way to take this whole thing international.
Who knows?
That is kind of the point.
We are not quite ready to settle down. But Bentonville did something few places have done so far: it made us seriously pause and say, Yeah, this could work.
So for now, we keep exploring. But we are leaving Northwest Arkansas with a lot of appreciation for what this place is building.
Bentonville is officially near the top of the list of places we could see ourselves living someday.
Assuming, of course, this nomadic journey ever ends.
