Arkansas Ride 2005 Route Plan
The Ride: Easyglide, Boots, Rocketman, Sarge, Ghostbuster and Aviator covered 1600 miles over 6 days through the beautiful roads of Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma and the Quachita and Ozark Mountain Ranges. Roads traveled included Scenic 7, AR 123, AR 21, AR 23 (the Pig Trail Scenic Byway) and AR 88 (Talihina Scenic Byway), and included stops in El Dorado, Hot Springs, Jasper, Diamond City, Eureka Springs and Mena. We met some wonderful folks that we will be seeing again on the Arkansas Grand Ride coming in 2008.
Sunday, Day 1 to Leigh, Tx; El Dorado, Ark. (398 Miles; 9.5 – 10 hrs)
- Depart 6:30 a.m., Gas Station, SE Corner of I 35 and Hwy 79
- Hwy 79 N to Marquez; 108 miles (Gas Stop)
- Joins 84/79 to Palestine
- Left on Loop 256
- Left on 79 N to Jacksonville, Henderson; 113 miles (Gas Stop)
- 79 to 259
- Right on 43 to New Prospect, Tatum
- Right on I 20 East; then,
- Exit # 624; Left on 2199
- Right on 1998
- Left on 134 to Leigh, Tx
- Right on 1999 to PR # 6; 65 miles
- POI: Shiloh Baptist Church: Huddie Leadbetter (Leadbelly) Gravesite
- Continue on PR # 6 to Alexander Rd; Pine Hill Rd
- Right on LA 1/71 South
- Left on Loop IH 220 East to I 20 East
- I 20 East; Exit 47 (Minden) to 371 N to 7; 46 miles (Gas Stop)
- Right on 79 to Homer (66 miles to El Dorado)
- Right on Hwy 9 to Antioch, Summerfield, Corney Lake
- To Junction City
- Left on Hwy 63 N to El Dorado (Gas Stop)
- El Dorado
- Lodging: Union Square Guest Quarters; 234 East Main
Monday, Day 2 to Hot Springs (122 mi.; + 134 mi. day loop; (255 mi., 6.5 - 7 hrs.)
- East on Main St.
- Left on Hwy 167 to Hwy 7 North
- Camden
- Left on 128 thru Dalark
- 4 miles from Dalark, stay on left to Hwy 7
- Arkadelphia; Bismark
- Hot Springs (Gas Stop) & Base for Day Ride
- To 239 Central Avenue (Arlington Hotel)
- POI: Mountain Tower; Bathhouse Row; Fordyce Bath House; Muscle Car Museum
Day 2: Afternoon Ride: 134 mile Day Loop thru Quachita Mtns from Hot Springs (3.5 – 4 hrs)
- Lucky Strike Rock Shop, South Fourche LaFave River, Fouche Mtn, Dutch Creek Mtn, Petit Jean River, Ola Mtn, Lake Nimrod.
- Hwy 7 North 31 miles toward Hollis
- Left on 314 West 17 miles
- Right on 27 North to Danville 19 miles
- Right on 10 East to Hwy 7; Ola
- Right on Hwy 7 South back to Hot Springs Village (Gas Stop, if needed)
- Hot Springs
Alternate Option:
180 mile Day Loop thru Quachita Mtns to Mt.Magazine from Hot Springs (4.5 – 5 hrs)
- Lucky Strike Rock Shop, South Fourche LaFave River, Fouche Mtn, Dutch Creek Mtn, Petit Jean River, Mt. Magazine (highest in Ark); Ola Mtn, Lake Nimrod.
- Hwy 7 North 31 miles toward Hollis
- Left on 314 West 17 miles
- Right on 27 North to Danville 19 miles
- Go AR 10 Northwest 9 miles to AR 309
- Right on AR 309 10 miles to Mt. Magazine Rd (Visit Mt. Magazine)
- Backtrack on AR 309 10 miles to AR 10;
- Left on AR 10 East 20 miles to AR 7; Ola
- Right on Hwy 7 South 51 miles back to Hot Springs
- Hot Springs Village (Gas Stop, if needed)
- Hot Springs (Hotel)
Tuesday, Day 3 to Diamond City/Jasper (228 miles) 6 hrs
- From Hot Springs, continue Hwy 7 North
- To Hollis 34 miles; Ola, Dardanelle, Russellville; 38 miles (Gas Stop; lunch at Feltner’s Whatta Burger; 1410 North Arkansas)
- Left on 164 Dover area; stay right to 7 North
- 7 to 123 to 16; keep left on 16 to 7 again.
- Booger Hollow; Jasper
- Harrison (Alternate Gas Stop; Best Small Town in U.S.)
- Left on 62 North; then;
- Quick Right on 7
- Keep right on 14E/7 toward Lead Hill
- Continue on 7 thru Lead Hill
- Diamond City
Back Track to Jasper for Lodging
- Hwy 7 South
- Left on 62 in Harrison (Gas Stop)
- Right on 7
- Lodging: Hwy 7, 6 mi. South of Jasper
- Cliff House Inn; Arkansas Grand Canyon
Wednesday, Day 4 to AR 123, Eureka Springs, + 77 mi. Beaver Creek Afternoon Loop
- Breakfast at Cliff House, or Ozark Café, Jasper
- Continue Hwy 7 South to 374; take left
Right on AR 123
- Right on Hwy 7 to Jasper
- West on Hwy 74; right on 43 to Boxley Valley
- Kingston
- North on 21 to Hwy 62 to Eureka Springs
- Crescent Hotel (75 Prospect Avenue)
- POI: St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church
Afternoon Loop: 77 mile, 2 hr loop to Beaver lake from Eureka Springs
- Hwy 23 South 11 miles
- Right on 12/127 west 1 mile
- Hwy 127 west 9 miles (POI; War Eagle Cavern, Beaver Lake)
- Right on 12 west 20 miles
- Cross Beaver Lake
- Rogers
- Backtrack on Walnut St.
- Left on North 2nd Avenue to Hwy 62 2 miles (Pea Ridge Nat’l Battlefield)
- Right on 62 35 miles loops east back to E.Springs
- To hotel
Thursday, Day 5 to Mena via Pig Trail Scenic Byway, 171 mi (4.5 hrs) + 120 mi. Talihina Scenic Run (4 hrs); Total 290 mi., 8 hrs.)
- South from Eureka Springs on Hwy 23/127/23/127/71/270/71
- Pig Trail Scenic Byway
- Forum, Willow Springs State Park , Aurora, Witter
- Cass, Paradise, Ozark, Webb City, Booneville
- I 40 Intersection, south of Paradise (Gas Stop)
- 23 to 71 South to Mena; Elm Park, Y City
- To Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge (3788 Hwy 88 West)
- POI: Talihina Scenic Byway
- From Lodge: SR 88 to SR 1 (Talihina loop)
Friday, Day 6 Mena to Austin; 420 Mi., 9.5 -10 hrs.
- Hwy 88 Southeast
- Right on 71 to De Queen
- Breakfast/Gas Stop
- To 41 to 8
- Right on IH 30 West (92 miles; Gas Stop)
- Exit 162 A to Hwy 271; Mt. Pleasant
- To Hwy 155
- 323 loop in Tyler; 110 Miles (Gas Stop)
Decision Point
Two options home from Tyler Loop 323:
Backroad Option:
Stay on Hwy 155 to Palestine
79 to Austin, or:
I 35 Option:
Hwy 31 West to I 35 (Waco, Gas Stop)
I 35 to Austin
Easyglide and Boots Split off at Mt. Pleasant to visit East Texas and the folks
POI: Stops in Jefferson, Carthage, and Center
Hwy 21 (Camino Real Road) back to Austin from Center |
