A Guide to All Things Fall in NWA

Northwest Arkansas is beautiful year-round, but you haven’t lived until you’ve seen it in the fall.

Gone are the humid days of an Arkansas summer where the sun decided your plans. Now it’s time to embrace sweater weather, warm drinks, and crackling fireplaces! Both you and your AC are no doubt ready for a break as the year winds down.

With beautiful views like this, Northwest Arkansas captures the spirit of small-town America. With harvest festivals, Halloween events, corn mazes, and more, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy autumn.

There’s so much to do, so the question remains: Where do you start?

We have put together a list to help you get started on your weekend planning in one of the best places to plant your roots.

This list is not full-scale, but it’s a great place to start if you want to spruce up your fall plans.

You know what they say: Variety is the spice of life! Our spice just so happens to be pumpkin-flavored.

 

Football and Tailgating

Do you love football? Does your family love to get together for a fun game of 7v7 (or maybe even 12v12 if you’ve got a big enough crew) during Thanksgiving? Here in Northwest Arkansas, we take our Razorback football seriously!

With the season in full swing, tailgating and attending games has never been more exciting. Their schedule is packed with nail-biting matchups that will have you on the edge of your seat. If you’re a Saturday Night Football fan, stay up to date on who our home team is playing every week!

Even if you prefer to cheer from the comfort of your couch, don’t forget to throw on your Razorback gear and cross your fingers for a winning session.

 

Scenic Strolls and Camping

In the fall, a drive through the Ozarks to enjoy a scenic overlook is a must. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also head to one of the many campgrounds to get in touch with nature.

If you prefer to stick closer to town, Northwest Arkansas has many parks that are fit for strolls just minutes off the interstate. This allows you to crunch a nice bed of leaves on a tree-lined sidewalk.

Scenic Drives

Thanks to a handy guide found on Experience Fayetteville, you have access to many beautiful drives around the 479. Two of our top picks are Fayetteville to Osage, Arkansas (or Jasper, Arkansas, if you’re interested in a longer drive) and NWA to Ozark, with the famed Pig Trail beginning at the halfway mark.

Here’s a little secret from us to you: take any backroad heading east out of NWA, and you’re guaranteed a picturesque drive. The landscapes will enchant you, but just remember how to get back!

 

Devils Den

Camping, Hiking

Devil’s Den is a true Arkansas staple and a must-visit for any hiking enthusiast. This place offers a variety of outdoor activities, including camping and cabin rentals.

If you’re a nature lover, you’ll want to mark this beautiful spot on your fall itinerary. Best of all, it’s just a quick 30-minute drive from NWA, making a day trip to Devil’s Den an essential fall adventure. Don’t miss out on the beauty of this park!

 

Kings River Overlook

Hiking

Just a short drive from Huntsville, this 1.2-mile trail is a perfect short hike for beautiful birds-eye views of the Kings River. It is perfect for those looking to soak in the beauty of nature without the long hike. If a recent rain has come through, Eagle’s Nest Falls is well worth the visit if you have sturdy boots!

 

Hobbs State Park

Camping, Hiking

As the largest state park in Arkansas, Hobbs offers a lot of outdoor activities, including camping spots, 54 miles of hiking trails, and overlooks. Plus, the park hosts educational events, giving you the opportunity to learn something new while enjoying the cool fall air.

 

City Parks

Walking

Do you prefer a nice pair of tennis shoes over rugged, ankle-supported hiking boots? Northwest Arkansas hosts countless parks in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Springdale, and more. It’s never been easier to enjoy a nice walk through a city park, as children play in their sweaters and excited dogs tug their owners along.

 

Craft Fairs, Harvest Festivals, Music Festivals, and Farmers markets

Craft fairs, harvest festivals, and farmer’s markets are plentiful. With the holiday season right around the corner, what better place to find unique gifts for your family and friends?

In addition, October brings a variety of harvest festivals to enjoy. It’s also the time when many farmers markets begin to close for the season, so be sure to stock up on fresh veggies while you still can!

Below is a non-exhaustive list of all the fun ways you can celebrate the closing of summer:

 

It’s Fall Y’all Craft Fair

October 17 – 20, Benton County

Local eats, local artists, local fun! “It’s Fall, Y’all, Craft Fair” has over 100 makers, artists, and more, paired with free entry; there’s no reason not to come and enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Patch Arts and Crafts Festival

October 17 – 19, 2024, Bella Vista

Indoor and outdoor shopping galore! This craft fair takes place in the beautiful Bella Vista, and drawings will be held every 30 minutes for trinkets that businesses have donated!

 

70th Annual War Eagle Fair

October 17 -19, Hindsville

Back for its 70th year, the War Eagle Fair hosts tons of pottery, jewelry, local dining favorites, and more! Beginning in 1954, the event allows crafters from all over to show their items.

 

Frisco Fall Festival

November 5, 2 – 4 PM, Eureka Springs

Taking place in the beautiful (and haunted… Allegedly…) Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, event-goers at the Frisco Fall Festival can enjoy a number of family fun events, such as pumpkin rolling, hatchet throwing, Target shooting, and so much more! Free to everyone, it’s worth the drive down!

 

Halloween Frights!

One of America’s favorite holidays, Halloween stands as an unofficial start of the holiday season, so if you enjoy to get frightened, here are some spooky ways you can enjoy your October:

 

Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl

Parade, October 26, 12 – 9 PM,  Eureka Springs

Native Americans once spoke of a miraculous healing spring located within the Ozarks, but it has never raised the dead… until now! Come to Eureka Springs to enjoy a spooky parade, dance with the undead, enter a raffle for prizes, and more!

 

Trunk or treats

Countless churches throughout the area participate in Trunk or Treats, a safer alternative to trick-or-treating! Events in Springdale, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and all the municipalities in between allow you to have peace of mind while your little ones show off their fun costumes!

 

Haunted houses

Getting the daylight scared out of you has never been easier than the haunted houses in Northwest Arkansas. When thinking about Haunted Houses, a few come to mind:

Swamp Walker’s Revenge: Lurking in Siloam Springs, there is a danger infesting the riverside swamp. Can you evade the undead until you reach the Save Zone?

Carpenter’s Mortuary: This award-winning haunted house takes place in an actual mortuary and has one goal: to scare you to death. Will you become their next cadaver?

Elk River Haunted Float: A mysterious bus ride spits you out on the water’s edge: no lights, no phones, just you, rows of haunted cabins, and your survival instincts. Don’t get caught up the creek without a paddle in this scary boat ride.

Nightmares in Bentonville: A short bus ride leads you to a spooky, unknown area. Will you be able to face your living nightmares?

 

Hay rides, Corn mazes

Perhaps you’re less of a shake-in-your-boots October Enjoyer and more of a “taken’-’er-easy” type. There’s no shame in enjoying the finer things in life, like a corn maze or enjoying a nice hayride. Here are a few we suggest:

Farmland Adventure Wagon rides and Corn Mazes

Enjoy a ride in a tractor around the farm! This 15-minute ride allows kids and adults to take in fresh air and enjoy the beautiful countryside. The best part? It’s free with admission! As for the corn maze, there’s a fun theme and a giant, 9-acre corn maze and mini corn mazes to boot.

McGarrah Farms, Rivercrest Orchard Hay Ride

A must-see fall destination, McGarrah Farms also offers a hayride option to enjoy the farm. There are also many more perks to general admissions, like the barn chute slide, bumper cars, a rope course, ziplines, and more!

 

Pumpkin patches, Apple orchards

Autumn fun isn’t complete without carving or painting a pumpkin and eating a buttery biscuit with a gob of apple butter! It isn’t fall without carved or painted pumpkins standing watch on porches. If you enjoy orchards and pumpkin patches, here are a few so you can get to carving:

Farmland Adventures Pumpkin Patch

Pick your own Pumpkin Patch, Orchard

As outlined above, Farmland Adventures is a great place to be! They also offer a pumpkin patch, so you can walk through and find the perfect one for you and your family!

McGarrah Farms, Pea Ridge

Pick your own Pumpkin Patch, Orchard

Not to be confused with the Rivercrest Orchard outlined above, McGarrah Farms provides NWA with fresh, quality-grown produce. Celebrate the bounty of the fall harvest! Also… don’t forget to mark this one down for the spring, too—they grow strawberries for you to pick!

Vanzant Fruit Farm

Orchard

A farm-to-table in Lowell, Arkansas, you can find and buy the perfect local pumpkin (or some of their famed jams and jellies) to compliment the fall decor that is beginning to get dusted off and placed around your house.

Appel Farms

Orchard

Veteran owned and operated, Appel farms grows a variety of things, such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, apples, gourds, and more! They also host many regular events, ensuring that you can be in touch with your agricultural side.

Edward Gay Family Farm

Orchard

Recently celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Gay family has proudly offered peaches, grapes, and apples. If you’re interested in home-baked goodies, fresh apple cider, and other in-season products, make sure you visit the Edward Gay Family Farm.

 

Conclusion

While it’s important to have fun in the fall, autumn is a time for reflection on the year before it winds to a close.

The greenness of summer is fading, replaced by a season of peace.

Moving into the fall is something that should be savored. The days are already getting shorter, and cool mornings are slowly beginning to get colder.

In NWA, it’s easy to embrace this transition. With every step on a trail, every sip of a warm drink, or every community event you attend, pause and soak in the season’s simple pleasures. Don’t forget to smell the damp bitterness after an autumn rainfall, listen to the crunch of leaves, and watch the frost melt from your windshield.

Here is a place where you can find a balance between activity and peaceful moments while focusing on what truly matters. Let this guide lead you through what NWA has to offer this season.

Fall in NWA is here, and it’s time to embrace it!