Pea RidgeOutdoor Escape Game & Treasure Hunt

Early Settlement and the Trail of Tears

Pea Ridge, Arkansas, is named for the wild "hog peanuts" or "turkey peas" that grew on the Ozark Mountain ridges, a food source for Native American tribes and early European settlers. Before the late 1820s and through the 1850s, this region was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The town's official history began on August 6, 1850, with the establishment of its first post office. Robert Carroll Foster laid out the town near a spring, which provided a water supply. In the late 1830s, the area's Old Wire Road became part of the Trail of Tears, the forced migration route for many Cherokee and other tribes.

The Civil War and Post-War Development

The Old Wire Road played a role in the American Civil War. On March 7-8, 1862, the fields around Pea Ridge Mountain and Elkhorn Tavern were the site of the Battle of Pea Ridge. This engagement west of the Mississippi River involved approximately 16,000 Confederate troops and 10,500 Union soldiers, resulting in a Union victory that secured Missouri for the Union. The Pea Ridge National Military Park was established in 1956 to preserve this battlefield. After the war, the region's economy grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the apple industry, particularly after the railroad was built through nearby Garfield and Avoca in 1881. The town's downtown business district, with commercial structures from this period, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The population of Pea Ridge increased from 2,346 in 2000 to 6,559 in 2020, with many residents commuting to Rogers and Bentonville.

• —Pea Ridge National Military Park — This 4,300-acre park preserves a Civil War battlefield. Visitors can drive or bike the seven-mile self-guided auto tour road with ten stops, explore hiking and cycling paths, and visit the museum and visitor center for exhibits and artifacts about the 1862 battle.
• —Elkhorn Tavern — A restored two-story log structure that was central to the Battle of Pea Ridge, serving as a field hospital and Confederate headquarters. The current building is a reconstruction from 1865, built on the original foundations after the first tavern was burned in 1863. A segment of the Trail of Tears is visible here.
• —Old Wire Road — Sections of this road, which was part of the Trail of Tears, run through the Pea Ridge National Military Park. It was a stagecoach route and telegraph line in the mid-19th century, connecting St. Louis with northwestern Arkansas.
• —Downtown Pea Ridge Historic District — This area features commercial buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It shows the town's post-Civil War development and community life.
• —Beaver Lake — A short drive from Pea Ridge, this lake on the White River offers boating, fishing, paddleboarding, and swimming.
• —Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area — South of Beaver Lake, this forest is for hiking and wildlife viewing. It has a network of trails from easy nature walks to more challenging routes with overlooks.

The best times to visit Pea Ridge for outdoor activities are from late April to early June and from late August to mid-October. During these periods, temperatures are comfortable, and skies are generally clear, especially in September. May is the busiest month for the Pea Ridge National Military Park; January is the quietest. The hot season is from late May to late September, with July being the hottest month, averaging 88°F. Humidity is highest in July. Precipitation is highest in May. Winter, from November to early June, can be cloudier, with February being the cloudiest month. Avoid July and August if you prefer cooler weather.

Pea Ridge is accessible by car; no public transportation goes directly to the Pea Ridge National Military Park. The Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) is about 20 miles southwest of the park, with rental cars available. Arkansas Highway 94 and Highway 72 connect Pea Ridge to surrounding areas and U.S. Route 62, which leads to the military park. Within Pea Ridge and the military park, driving is the most common way to get around. The park has roads for cycling and walking trails. Parking is available at the Visitor Center and other designated stops within the park. The Pea Ridge Pop-Up market is held on the fourth Saturday of every month from April through September. The Downtown Pea Ridge Farmers Market operates on select Saturdays from August through October, offering produce, baked goods, and local meats.