With cooler weather upon us, the fall season is in full swing. For visitors to Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas, one of the most popular activities to do during this time of year is enjoying the fall foliage. From mid-October to early November in the Ozarks, the leaves change color in spectacular fashion, making for breathtaking views throughout wooded paths, scenic overlooks and even inside the city, considering how green Fayetteville is during the spring and summer months.

The air is growing crisper, the nights are growing longer, and the Ozark foliage is bursting with the burnt oranges, blazing reds, and vivid yellows that frame our beautiful Fayetteville each fall. When the world looks like this, it’s the best time of all to explore the trails that Fayetteville has to offer! We’ve compiled a few of our favorite hikes with scenic views to get you started.

If you’ve ever considered visiting a castle, be sure to make space in your FayettePlans for a journey to Wilson Park! There, you’ll find the whimsical “Castle” sculpture that has drawn visitors to Fayetteville since its completion in 1981.

Thanks to its location in the Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville is surrounded by outdoor beauty, which makes for spectacular cycling, river floats, hiking trails and pretty much everything you like to do in nature. This also includes scenic car and motorcycle rides, as Northwest Arkansas is home to some of the most memorable backroads and highways in the country.

One of the most popular things to do in Fayetteville is to simply enjoy the natural beauty of the outdoors. To anyone who’s ever visited Fayetteville, that’s no surprise, as we’re a city nestled in the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, moments away from natural areas no matter where you are in town. The city overflows with nature preserves, parks, and natural wetlands which encompass 3,000 acres of land. Fayetteville alone has 70 parks with more than 40 miles of paved and natural trails, three lakes, and more - including the still-developing public outdoor space downtown, The Ramble.

Horseback riding feels like something you'd do on vacation in a movie. Add it to your bucket list for your next visit to Fayetteville and live out your dreams! Whether you're a seasoned equestrian or sitting in the saddle for the first time, you'll find a great spot to ride horseback in Fayetteville. Check out these popular spots to saddle up and explore the beautiful Ozark Mountain trails in a whole new way.