Great Arkansas Adventure Ride: Top Arkansas Routes Covered: Scenic 7; AR 123; AR 21 (Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway); AR 309 (Mt Magazine Scenic Byway); AR 23 (Pig Tail Scenic Byway), AR 88/OK 1 (Talimena Scenic Byway) and many more. This 2000 mile ride included scenic routes through the Quachita Mountains, the Ozarks, Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, Jasper, Harrison and Mena with stays at the historic Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs and the Cliff House Inn in Jasper.
Friday, Day 1: Austin to El Dorado, Ark (437 miles; 10 – 10 ½ hrs)
- Meet at 6:15 a.m.; depart 6:30 a.m., McDonalds, Hwy 79 Exit from I 35
- Hwy 79 N to Marquez; 108 miles (Gas Stop)
- Palestine
- Left on Loop 256
- Left on 79 N to Jacksonville, Henderson; 113 miles (Gas Stop)
- Henderson: Rendezvous with Boots & Lisa
- Continue 79/259
- Right on 43 to New Prospect, Tatum
- Right on I 20 East
- Left on Loop IH 220 East Bypass to I 20 East for 85 mi.
- Take Exit 61 to Athens/Gibsland
- Hwy 154 to Gibsland
- POI: Bonnie & Clyde Museum
- Continue Hwy 154 South 7 mi. to Ambush Marker
- POI: Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Marker
- Backtrack on Hwy 154 North
- Left on 805; right on Hwy 9 to Antioch, Summerfield, Corney Lake
- To Junction City
- Take 167 North to El Dorado (Gas Stop)
- Lodging: Union Square Guest Quarters; 234 East Main
Saturday, Day 2: El Dorado to Hot Springs (122 mi. + afternoon rides of North Mountain & West Mountain Scenic Loops; 6 ½ – 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; Home Base for Afternoon Rides
- Lodging: Arlington Hotel (Rm 442, Al Capone’s Suite)
- Afternoon Rides: North Mountain Tower Road; West Mountain Scenic Loop
- POI: Mountain Tower; Bathhouse Row; Fordyce Bathhouse; Muscle Car Museum
Sunday, Day 3: Hot Springs to Booger Hollow; Hog Heaven; Scenic Point; Jasper; Buffalo Nat’l River; Harrison; Dogpatch; AR 123; Cliff House Inn; 229 mi., 7 ½ - 8 hrs
- From Hot Springs, continue Hwy 7 North
- To Hollis 34 miles; Ola, Dardanelle, Russellville; 38 miles
- Left on 164 Dover area; stay right to 7 North
- Dover
- Booger Hollow (photo stop)
- Hog Heaven (Lunch/Snack Stop)
- Jasper (Gas Stop)
- Harrison (Alternate Gas Stop; Best Small Town in U.S.)
Back Track to Jasper
Go south on Scenic 7 for 8 mi. to Dogpatch Turnoff
Dogpatch
- Continue Hwy 7 South
- Left on 74 East
- Right on 123 south to Mt. Judea
- Right on Hwy 16/7 North to Lodging
- Cliff House Inn; Arkansas Grand Canyon
Monday, Day 4: Jasper to Eureka Springs; AR 123 to Hagarville, AR 21, Lost Valley, Boxley, Kingston; afternoon in Eureka Springs; Visit local sites; downtown; 140 mi., 7 – 7 ½ hrs
- Take Hwy 7 South
- Keep left onto Hwy 16/7
- Turn right onto Hwy 123
- FortcDouglas
- Hagarville
- Turn right onto Hwy 21
- Fallsville
- Get on Hwy 16 and drive northeast
- Turn left onto Hwy 21
- POI: Elk Lookout
- Optional if Time: Ponca Turnoff to Buffalo River (10 mi.)
- Boxley
- Kingston (Pie Stop)
- Turn right onto US 412
- Turn left onto Hwy 21
- Berryville
- Get on US 62 and drive northwest
- Turn right onto Hwy 23
- Keep left onto Center St
- Turn left onto Spring St
- Turn right onto Prospect Ave
- Crescent Hotel (75 Prospect Avenue)
- POI: St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church
- POI: Jesus of the Ozarks
Tuesday, Day 5: Day Ride From Eureka Springs; Beaver Lake Loop; Branson, Mo.
1st Stage: 89 mile, 2 hr. Beaver Lake loop from Eureka Springs
POIs: War Eagle Cavern, Rogers; Suspension Bridge; Beaver Lake;White River
- 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 for 2 miles
- Right on 62
- POI: Pea Ridge Nat’l Battlefield
- Right on 187 south
- Left on 62 north to Busch
- Right on 187 to Beaver
- POI: Beaver Suspension Bridge
- POI: White River
- Right onto 23
- Back To Eureka Springs
2nd Stage Option: Round Trip to Branson, Mo.
- From Beaver Lake Suspension Bridge to Hwy 23
- Get on Hwy 23 and drive south
- Turn left onto Mill Hollow Rd
- Turn left onto US 62
- Turn left onto Hwy 21
- Keep right onto Hwy 21 N
- Turn left onto Hwy 21
- Turn left onto US 65
- Take the Mo-76/76 Country Blvd/Main St ramp to the right
- Turn right onto W Main St
- Turn right onto S 2nd St
- Branson
- Get on US 65-Br and drive south
- Turn right onto US 65-Br
- Turn left onto US 65
- Turn right onto Hwy 86
- Turn right onto Hwy 21
- Turn left onto Hwy 21
- Turn right onto Hwy 21
- Turn right onto US 62
- Turn right onto Hwy 23
- Keep left onto Center St
- Turn left onto Spring St
- Turn right onto Prospect Ave
- Eureka Springs; Crescent Hotel
Wednesday, Day 6 – Hwy 23 Pig Trail Scenic Byway to Ozark; AR 309; Mt Nebo State Park
- Hwy 23/127/23/127/71/270/71
- Forum, Willow Springs State Park , Aurora, Witter
- Stop in Ozark—Oldest General Store
- Cass, Paradise, Ozark, Webb City, Booneville
- Mt Magazine Scenic Byway
- I 40 Intersection, south of Paradise (Gas Stop)
- Dardanelle
- Two Miles of Wild Up to Mt Nebo State Park
Thursday, Day 7 - Mt Nebo State Park to Mena, Ark; 105 mi., 3 hrs.
- From Dardanelle, get on Hwy 155 and drive east
- Turn right onto Ash Homestead Rd
- Turn right onto Hwy 27
- Keep left onto Hwy 10
- Turn right onto Hwy 80
- Turn left onto US 71
- Bear right onto US 270
- Turn left onto Hwy 272
- Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, Mena, Ark
- 3788 Hwy 88 West
Afternoon ride: Talimena Scenic Byway
SR 88 to SR 1 to Talihina, OK & back to Lodge
Friday, Day 8 Mena to Austin; 420 Mi., 9.5 -10 hrs.
- Hwy 88 Southeast
- Right on 71 to De Queen
- To 41 to 8
- Right on IH 30 West (92 miles; Gas Stop)
- POI: Optional Side trips to Linden, Marshall, Jefferson
- Exit 162 A to Hwy 271; Mt. Pleasant
- To Hwy 155
- 323 loop in Tyler; 110 Miles (Gas Stop)
- Stay on Hwy 155 to Palestine
- 79 to Austin
|
