Hikes for the Whole Family

One of the elements that makes Rogers so special is that its urban and outdoor spaces are seamlessly intertwined. Park in downtown Rogers amid shops and eateries, and then access a trail for a hike through the woods to Lake Atalanta. Or, while shopping at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade, an outdoor mall full of major retailers and restaurants, you can find a parking lot and trailhead for a paved trail.

Here are ideas for hikes the whole family can enjoy that are easy to get to.

In town, the Rogers Parks and Recreation Department offers great hiking in its city green spaces.

Mercy Trailhead, located behind Mercy Hospital and by the Pinnacle Hills Promenade, features a designated parking area, hammock station, rain garden, restrooms and bike fix-it station. It’s a great place to jump on the Razorback Regional Greenway, a 36-mile, paved, shared-use trail running through Northwest Arkansas.

Lake Atalanta is a public park located just east of downtown Rogers on Walnut Street that has numerous hiking options with 4 miles of hard surface trails and over 10 miles of soft surface multi-use trails.

Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area, a 12,056-acre natural area with limited development, has several family-friendly trails; Sinking Stream is an easy, half-mile trail with one small elevation increase. The trail follows old level road beds, paralleling the West Fork of Little Clifty Creek, which kids find fun to stop and play in. Also look for a hollowed-out Sycamore tree that kids can walk through and three elevated bridges to cross. It shares the same parking lot, restroom, and picnic area with the Historic Van Winkle Trail. This half-mile trail is accessed via a fun pedestrian tunnel under Highway 12. Interpretive panels along the 8-foot-wide, hard-surfaced trail describe the historic home, mill, spring and raised Antebellum garden of the Peter Van Winkle family during and after the Civil War. Shaddox Hollow Trail is a 1.5-mile loop best for kids 6 years and older because it contains some drop offs along the side of the trail. Still, it’s an easy to moderate hike for school children and beginning hikers as it winds through the Ozark forest with a spur to the Beaver Lake shoreline.

How about an urban hike through Rogers? Muralists are taking over the parks, brick buildings, and pretty much everything in between to resemble the thriving creative community in Northwest Arkansas. Over 10 murals are waiting to be discovered and admired by you and your family on your next outdoor adventure!

Be sure to snap some photos while on your hike and tag @visitrogersar on Instagram and @VisitRogers on Facebook and use #rogersrocks #rogersarkansas on social media platforms.