Looking for the perfect park getaway this summer? Shade makes a real difference in keeping playtime cool and comfortable. Here’s a list of my top 10 best shady parks in Northwest Arkansas!
Watch my latest reel with a behind-the-scenes look at all the locations listed below!
1. Austin–Baggett Park, Bentonville
801 SE E St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Austin-Baggett Park is a calm neighborhood park with modern playground zones and big trees! It has a nice toddler area as well, as well as a bigger kid area.
Photo credit: Christopher Deane
2. Rotary Adventure Park, Springdale
3173 S 48th St, Springdale, AR 72762
Rotary Adventure Park is a PARTIALLY shaded park featuring big shade canopies covering portions of the park. Don’t miss the short walk through the woods to Gerald Harp Treehouse Park!
Photo Credit: Ayla Schilling
3. Mt. Hebron Park, Rogers
6174 Mount Hebron Rd, Rogers, AR 72758
Home to Arkansas’s largest inclusive playground with colorful shaded structures, Mt. Hebron Park includes a splash pad, zip lines, tennis courts, walking trails and a dog park. It’s always one of our favorites!
Photo Credit: Nupur Goel
4. Gerald Harp Treehouse Park, Springdale
2002 S 48th St, Springdale, AR 72762
This is such a beautiful and unique treehouse! The trees provide lots of shade, making this a pleasant and cool experience for kids and adults! There is also a shaded structure with a picnic table as well.
5. Henry Sbanotto Park, Springdale/Tontitown
235 E Henri de Tonti Blvd, Springdale, AR 72762
We have gone to this park several times on a hot afternoon and the big, beautiful trees provide lots of shade. The actual playground isn’t as covered by the trees, but there are lots of other fun parts of the park that are. There are also two covered pavilions, a gazebo, sports courts, pickleball, and a walking trail.
Photo Credit: City of Tontitown
6. Citizens Park, Bentonville
1101 SW Citizens Cir, Bentonville, AR 72712
Just steps from the Bentonville Community Center, Citizens Park is fully fenced and has partial shade due to large shade covers.
Photo Credit: Kevin Hamski
7. K.J. Memorial Park, Lowell
307 Bellview St, Lowell, AR 72745, United States
This park is always a favorite of ours. While it did lose a big tree that use to make it much more shaded, it is still partially shaded due to shade covers and a few other surrounding trees. It’s fully fenced and bathrooms are right outside the park gate, and there’s always plenty of parking!
8. First Baptist Church – Olive Street Campus, Rogers
626 W Olive St, Rogers, AR 72756
This park is located on the First Baptist church campus in Rogers and they generously let the public use it. It has partial shade throughout and a covered picnic area that’s perfect for snack breaks. It’s also fully fenced and my kids always enjoy the play equipment here!
9. McKissic Springs Station Park, Centerton
301 Allen Rd, Centerton, AR 72719
Centerton’s largest park just got a refresh with HUGE shade covers over the playground AND splash pad. With a splash pad, pavilion, creekside trails, disc golf course, and fishing, it’s a great park to check out.
Photo Credit: Mayor Bill Edwards – Facebook
10. Old Town Park, Gravette
110 Park Drive, Gravette, AR 7273
This park has expansive shade covers that provide great relief from the sun! There is the fully gated toddler area, as well as the bigger kids play area! Restrooms are located next to the pavilion.
