Williams Baptist University is in College City, a formerly separate community that merged into Walnut Ridge in 2017.

[6] Walnut Ridge was formally established in 1875 as a result of the railroad coming through the area.

[7] In 1964, the Beatles briefly stopped at Walnut Ridge Regional Airport on the way to and from a retreat in Missouri.

This visit inspired a monument, a plaza, and a music festival in Walnut Ridge.

Arkansas Highway 34 runs northeast out of the center of Walnut Ridge on Front Street, leading 17 miles (27 km) to Delaplaine.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Walnut Ridge has a total area of 16.4 square miles (42.4 km2), all of it recorded as land.

[5] Village Creek flows through the western side of the city, leading southwest to the White River near Newport.

Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year.