Whether you are a local, a newcomer, a visitor, or someone sizing us up from afar—you are bound to learn a new thing or two about our region below.
Cover photo by @arkitecture___ on Instagram
1. Did you know that an estimated 90,000-150,000 bicycle tourists have visited Northwest Arkansas in the past year?
“According to the study, cycling produces over $51 million in annual business for the region, including almost $27 million in tourism spending by out of state visitors. An approximated 90,000-150,000 bicycle tourists have visited Northwest Arkansas in the past year. The study also estimates that 55 percent of mountain bike riders on these trails were not residents of the region; originating either from other parts of Arkansas or from other states entirely.”
2. Did you know the Fly’s Eye Dome at Crystal Bridges, designed by Buckminster Fuller, is one of only three prototypes fabricated in Fuller’s lifetime?
“In Bentonville, a stone grotto made of boulders, ranging from 3,000-10,000 pounds, is covered in natural quartz crystals. Excavated in west central Arkansas, these quartz crystals were formed deep underground when two of the earth’s tectonic plates slowly collided 300 million years ago. The pressure caused an uplift that formed the Ouachita Mountains. Visitors walking along the 3.5 miles of trails through Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s 120-acre site can admire these ancient crystal-laden boulders near the upper pond.
Designed to spark the imagination, the trails help guests form connections to the Ozark landscape and to downtown Bentonville, while admiring exquisite art installations. The 50-foot-diameter Fly’s Eye Dome, designed by American architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller, was recently installed on the north lawn. One of only three prototypes fabricated in Fuller’s lifetime, the sculpture and focus exhibition opens in June.”
3. Did you know that Northwest Arkansas’ Ozark Highlands Trail is 270-miles long and one of the most impressive walking tracks in the Southern United States?
“The dominating natural feature of Northwest Arkansas – and some might argue, the entire state – is the Ozark Mountains. This extensive highland region – the largest between the Rockies and the Appalachians – is a wrinkled, forested dream of rock gulleys, flinty valleys, and ice cold springs. There are countless means of exploring the Arkansas side of the mountains (the region covers four states), but a good entry point is the Ozark Highlands Trail, which extends for some 270 miles and is simply one of the most impressive walking tracks in the Southern United States.”
4. Did you know Northwest Arkansas is home to one of the only 46 mountain biking trails on Earth with the IMBA Epic Designation?
“As it turns out, our national forests are home to most of the country’s most epic mountain-biking trails — and we’re not just using hyperbole here. Each year, the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) designates a list of trails as IMBA Epics. Using a host of criteria, these rides must be at least 80% singletrack (the trail is no wider than the bike), 20+ miles long, technically and physically demanding, and offer a true backcountry experience.”
5. Did you know one million guests have visited the Scott Family Amazeum in Northwest Arkansas?
“In nearly four years since opening, the Amazeum welcomed guests from every state in the United States and many foreign countries as a destination for families traveling to Northwest Arkansas. Of the 1,000,000 total guest visits, nearly 125,000 students and parent chaperones in public, private, charter, and homeschools attended Unfield trips, and Amazeum member visits account for over 375,000.”
6. Did you know Northwest Arkansas hosts a film festival that champions diversity and inclusion and is also the only one in the world to offer guaranteed distribution to its narrative feature film winner?
“The Bentonville Film Festival champions more diversity and inclusiveness in the film industry and beyond. This year’s competition selections includes 15 narrative films, 14 documentaries, and 9 episodic projects. Of the lineup, 81% are female directed and 68% of the selections include a POC director and/or cast/subject in the forefront.”
