Greenland, Arkansas is a small residential town tucked just south of Fayetteville, hard against Drake Field and the U.S. Highway 71 corridor. It’s an honest little bedroom community rather than a tourist stop — there’s not much to visit in Greenland itself — but it has a surprisingly tangled history of name changes and a fruit-farming past, and it sits within easy reach of Fayetteville’s trails, parks, and restaurants. Here’s an honest guide to Greenland: a little history, what it’s near, and how to get there.
Greenland lies along U.S. Highway 71 and Interstate 49 just a few minutes south of Fayetteville, with about 1,200 residents. Most travelers pass through it on the way somewhere else — but if you’re a history buff or you’re looking for the quieter edge of the Fayetteville metro, it’s worth knowing.
Things to do in and around Greenland
Greenland is small and residential, so most of the “things to do” are really just north of town in south Fayetteville. The two draws worth knowing:
Razorback Greenway and Kessler Mountain
The Razorback Regional Greenway — the 40-plus-mile paved trail that connects Fayetteville, Johnson, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville — has its southern endpoint just north of Greenland at Kessler Mountain Regional Park on the south edge of Fayetteville. That park is also the nearest trail hub, with a network of mountain-biking and hiking trails on Kessler Mountain. For Greenland residents and visitors, it’s the closest access point to both the Greenway and serious off-road riding. Trails are free and open daily; check trail-condition updates after heavy rain.
Drake Field
Greenland sits right beside Drake Field (Fayetteville Executive Airport), a general-aviation field first built as Drake Airfield in 1929. It’s not a visitor attraction in the usual sense, but it’s a piece of local aviation history and a landmark that defines the town’s northern edge.
A quick history of Greenland
Greenland’s story is mostly one of names. The area’s first recognized white landowners — Sutherland Mayfield, Alexander Scott, and Jacob Yoes — arrived in 1839, on land that had earlier been Osage hunting ground. After the Civil War a settlement here was called Frog Pond. When the St. Louis–San Francisco (Frisco) Railway built through in 1882, the depot was named Rugby; the name changed to Staunton in 1886, then to Greenland Station in 1909, before the town incorporated as Greenland on March 14, 1910. In the early 1900s the local economy leaned on fruit: businesses like the Johnson Pear Farm and Cook Orchard grew apples, pears, strawberries, and berries. Drake Airfield arrived in 1929. Today Greenland is a residential community of about 1,200 tied closely to Fayetteville’s economy.
Where to eat, drink, and stay
Greenland has very little in the way of restaurants, bars, or hotels — it’s a place people live, not a dining district — but you’re only a few minutes from south Fayetteville, which has everything. Fayetteville is the place to eat, drink, and find a room. For where to go nearby, browse our sister sites NWA Food and NWA Brew, or dive into our full guides to Fayetteville and Springdale.
Location & getting there
- Where: Southern Washington County, on U.S. Highway 71 and I-49, next to Drake Field.
- County: Washington County.
- Nearby cities: a few minutes south of Fayetteville; about 25 minutes to Springdale.
- From the airport: about 45 minutes from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).
- Nearest trail access: Kessler Mountain Regional Park in south Fayetteville, the Razorback Greenway’s southern endpoint.
Greenland FAQ
What is Greenland, Arkansas known for?
Greenland is a small residential town just south of Fayetteville, best known for its location beside Drake Field and its unusually tangled history of name changes — it was called Frog Pond, then Rugby, Staunton, and Greenland Station before incorporating as Greenland in 1910.
Is there much to do in Greenland?
Not within the town itself — Greenland is mostly residential. The nearest attractions are just north in south Fayetteville, including Kessler Mountain Regional Park, which has mountain-biking and hiking trails and marks the southern endpoint of the Razorback Greenway.
Does the Razorback Greenway go through Greenland?
Not quite. The Razorback Greenway’s southern endpoint is at Kessler Mountain Regional Park on the south edge of Fayetteville, just north of Greenland. That park is the closest place to get on the Greenway and connect north toward Fayetteville, Johnson, Springdale, and Bentonville.
How far is Greenland from Fayetteville?
Greenland is only a few minutes south of Fayetteville along U.S. Highway 71 and Interstate 49, and about 45 minutes from Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).
Explore more of Northwest Arkansas
Greenland is a quiet doorstep to the bigger towns nearby. Keep exploring with our guides to Fayetteville, Springdale, and the Northwest Arkansas outdoors, or head back to the WeKnowNWA home page to browse every town.