@DestinationRogersAR
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Things to Do · Outdoors
Four seasons. No off-season.
Rogers is a city of about 78,000 people with a bike park downtown, a lake two miles out, and 12,000 acres of Ozark state park fifteen minutes past that. None of it closes for the winter. Anglers chase Beaver Lake’s stripers when the temperature drops, deer season opens as the leaves turn, the trails stay open through a mild Ozark winter, and the lake’s swim beaches fill back up every summer. Whatever month you show up, something here is in season.
760+
miles of paved, soft-surface and multi-use trail across Northwest Arkansas
miles of paved, soft-surface and multi-use trail across Northwest Arkansas
487mi
of shoreline around Beaver Lake
of shoreline around Beaver Lake
12,056
acres at Hobbs State Park, the largest in Arkansas
acres at Hobbs State Park, the largest in Arkansas
2mi
from downtown to the first trailhead
from downtown to the first trailhead
A regional network, and Rogers sits in the middle of it
Not everything on this page is inside the Rogers city limits, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. Slaughter Pen, Coler and OZ Trails Bike Park sit in neighboring Bentonville and Bella Vista; Hobbs State Park and Beaver Lake stretch across the county line. What’s true: The Railyard Bike Park and Lake Atalanta’s trail system start inside Rogers itself, and everything else here is a short drive out, not a day trip. The Walton Family Foundation, the region’s cities and Arkansas State Parks have spent millions of dollars over the past decade building the trail network that ties it all together.
Spring bass. Summer swimming. Fall colors. Winter stripers. One downtown for all of it.
Four seasons of outdoors in Rogers
Something is always in season here. Four quarters, four different reasons to be outside.
01 · Spring
The spawn moves shallow
Bass move into Beaver Lake’s shallows to spawn, a run that can start as early as January in a few warm-discharge coves and builds through March. It’s also the best stretch of the year to be on a trail: Lake Atalanta’s paved loop and Hobbs State Park’s Pigeon Roost and Karst Loop trails green up early, and mild temperatures make for good riding and hiking alike. See the full Beaver Lake fishing guide for where to start.
02 · Summer
Deep bass and open water
Bass slide out to deeper ledges and brush piles right as Beaver Lake’s marinas and swim beaches open for the season, Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Railyard Bike Park and Lake Atalanta’s trails stay rideable and hikeable in the early morning and evening, before the heat sets in, and War Eagle Cavern’s steady 58 degrees make for a good midday break.
03 · Fall
The Ozarks catch fire
Not an emergency, just the calendar doing its thing: color starts showing on the hillsides along the Karst Loop and Pigeon Roost trails as early as late September, peaks late October into early November, and the ride or hike looks lit from within. It’s also when bass chase shad back into Beaver Lake’s shallows, putting on weight before winter, and deer season opens, with archery leading into muzzleloader and modern gun. Hobbs State Park is the only Arkansas state park with regulated hunting, and the ranges at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center make it easy to sight in beforehand. Read the full hunter’s guide to Rogers for season dates and license requirements.
04 · Winter
Trophy stripers, and trails that don’t close
Striped bass fishing peaks on Beaver Lake, with fish well past 40 pounds pulling anglers in from out of state chasing a personal best. Waterfowl season runs into January, and War Eagle Cavern holds that same 58 degrees no matter how cold it gets outside. And while the Rockies are shutting down lifts for ski season, Rogers’ trails don’t close at all: mild Ozark winters keep the Railyard, Lake Atalanta and Hobbs State Park’s singletrack rideable and hikeable straight through.
Six trailheads within 20 minutes
Drawn from a 760-mile regional network, these six span a downtown skills park, backcountry singletrack and Arkansas’ newest lift-served bike park.
Downtown · Free
Railyard Bike Park
Rail-car features, wall rides and skills lines, lit for night riding.
2 miles
Lake Atalanta
14 combined miles of paved and soft-surface trail around a reservoir park.
11 miles
Slaughter Pen Bike Park
20-plus miles, freeride area and downhill runs, beginner to expert.
13 miles
Coler Mountain Bike Preserve
Hub-style trail design with optional 12-foot drops.
17 miles · Bella Vista
OZ Trails Bike Park
Arkansas’ first lift-served bike park, 20-plus miles of gravity trails.
14 miles
Hobbs State Park
54 miles of trail for hiking and mountain biking through Ozark forest.
Three ways to get outside
Pick your scale before you pick your trail. Rogers covers everything from a walkable downtown skills park to backcountry camping, inside one short drive.
Trail scale
Downtown & Lake Atalanta
Free to ride, easy to hike, and two miles or less from the center of Rogers.
Water scale
Beaver Lake
Fishing, boating, swimming and a cavern, with 487 miles of shoreline just minutes out.
Wild scale
Hobbs State Park
12,056 acres and 54 miles of trail for backcountry hiking, biking, hunting and camping.
A day outside in Rogers
One tank of gas, five stops, no two of them alike.
Morning
Cast for bass off a Beaver Lake dock, or walk the paved Lake Atalanta loop before it gets hot.
Midday
Ride the Railyard’s skills lines and pump track downtown, or keep hiking out at Hobbs State Park.
Afternoon
Rent a boat out of Prairie Creek Marina, or walk the 58-degree passage through War Eagle Cavern.
Evening
Hobbs State Park’s Pigeon Roost or Karst Loop trails as the light goes long, on foot or on two wheels.
Nightcap
Back downtown for dinner, gear still in the truck.
What to do, and where
A quick map of Rogers outdoors, by activity, the spot to try, and what to do when you get there.
| Activity | Where | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing | Beaver Lake | Bass off a pea-gravel point, or troll for trout below the dam |
| Hiking, easy | Lake Atalanta | The paved lake loop |
| Hiking, backcountry | Hobbs State Park | Pigeon Roost Trail, camp at the far end |
| Mountain biking | The Railyard Bike Park | The pump track and skills lines downtown |
| Mountain biking, lift-served | OZ Trails Bike Park | Green to double-black diamond, chairlift included |
| Paved cycling | Razorback Regional Greenway | The 40-mile spur toward Bentonville |
| Hunting | Hobbs State Park | Deer, turkey, bear and small game in season |
| Caving | War Eagle Cavern | The traditional walking tour, 58° year-round |
| Disc golf | Twin Creeks Disc Golf Course | Bring your own discs |
| Boating | Prairie Creek Marina | A rented pontoon for the afternoon |
Explore the Trail MapThe 760-mile OZ Trails network & Rogers greenway system
Plan Your WeekendWhere to stay, eat and refuel around your trip
Planning an outdoors trip
How many miles of trail are near Rogers?
More than 760 miles of connected paved, soft-surface and multi-use trail across Northwest Arkansas. The closest trailhead, Lake Atalanta, is two miles from downtown Rogers, and a free skills park, the Railyard Bike Park, sits right downtown itself.
Are all these trails inside Rogers?
Not all of them. The Railyard Bike Park and Lake Atalanta are inside the city. Slaughter Pen, Coler, OZ Trails Bike Park, Hobbs State Park and Beaver Lake are all within a short drive, in neighboring cities and across the county line.
Is Lake Atalanta good for beginners and kids?
Yes. Alongside its mountain bike trails, Lake Atalanta has about 4 miles of paved, flat trail circling the lake, a boardwalk for fishing, and a playground. No mountain bike required.
How far is Beaver Lake from downtown Rogers?
About 10 minutes to the nearest access points, with War Eagle Cavern and several marinas within a similar drive.
Can I rent a bike, boat or kayak in Rogers?
Yes. Local bike shops rent trail bikes for the Railyard and Lake Atalanta, and marinas including Prairie Creek Marina rent boats and PWCs on Beaver Lake.
Is there an off-season?
Not really. Outdoor recreation runs year-round in Rogers, from spring’s bass spawn to winter’s trophy stripers, with a fall-through-winter hunting season in between. The one fixed window is Beaver Lake’s swim season, Memorial Day through Labor Day, when marinas and swim beaches are fully open.