FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) marked Earth Day 2025 by beginning construction on its first-ever mountain biking trail on campus. The project is a collaboration between students in the college’s Trail and Bicycle Technician Programs.
Students from the Trail Technician Program explored three possible routes across the campus. After evaluating the paths, Bicycle Technician students tested them on bikes and helped select the final trail location.
The new trail will connect the Arkansas and Missouri trailhead with Water Tower Road, offering a new route for cyclists and pedestrians on campus.
Lori Greminger, Director of the Trail Technician Program, said the idea for the trail came after the launch of NWACC’s Cycling and Trail Education Center.
“We thought, why not connect the campus with singletrack and give our students a hands-on project to work on all term—and in future terms as well,” Greminger said.
Megan Bolinder, Executive Director of Trails Trade School, said this project could lead to more trails being built on campus in the future.
“NWACC has a long-term vision to become a pedestrian-focused campus. Walking, cycling, and riding are important to us, and I believe this is just the beginning,” Bolinder said.
Students and community members came together on Tuesday afternoon to help bring the project to life, demonstrating strong support for outdoor recreation and environmental sustainability on campus.