Our first day we headed towards southeastern Oklahoma and the Ouchita (wah-sha-tah) Mountains. The Talimena Scenic Drive, Highway 1/88, is approximately 56 miles long, traveling
atop and along the Ouchita (wah-sha-tah) Mountains. There are many places to stop and enjoy the beautiful vistas, as the photo to the right clearly shows.Soon you will cross into Arkansas and reach Queen Wilhelmina State Park and Lodge. The lodge, while small and a bit dated, offers wonderful views on clear days. We stopped for lunch and enjoyed the views.
We then headed to what I consider the crown jewel state park in Arkansas, Mt. Magazine. Highway 309 is a beautiful ride with trees that form a canopy over the road. Some find that the way the light shines through the trees
creates a strobe effect, which can be a distraction, so be careful as you make your way around the bend. As with the Talimena drive, there are many locations to stop and enjoy the vistas. The photo to the left was taken at the south entrance of the park. There is also a new rustic style lodge atop Mt. Magazine that offers several rooms and cabins, with all the amenities of modern day hotels.
Hwy 16 west of Clinton is one of the best roads we traveled in Arkansas.
East of Clinton towards Mountain View, on Hwy 9, becomes a little more crowded, but still a very enjoyable ride. We stopped in Mountain View at Woods Pharmacy and Soda Fountain for some lunch. Woods is a very unique place, see the photo on the right. You can stop for lunch, enjoy an old fashioned ice cream float, or refill a prescription. For lunch each day they make one specialty item, or you can choose from their standard fare. Fortunately for us, the lunch special was lasagna, with salad and garlic toast. We continued north on Hwy 87 to Blanchard Springs Caverns.
Hwy 87 proved to be an unexpected surprise. A very nice road that kept a smile on our faces, and warted off the typical lull after a heavy lunch. It was short and sweet but a lot of fun.Blanchard Springs Caverns offers not only caverns you can explore, but a few waterfalls as well. I've been told by several people that the BSC's are some of the best the US has to offer.
Mirror Lake is located south of the caverns is a beautiful spot to see the largest waterfall and do some fishing. There were plenty of fisherman standing around the edges trying their luck.We then headed north towards Norfolk to catch Hwy 341. As we turned to start our trek southbound, I noticed a biker standing at the stop sign beside his bike. I stopped to ask if he was OK or needed anything. He said he was just waiting on his friends to catch up. With a big grin, he said "it was the best road he had ridden in Arkansas yet!". Not a bad endorsement for a state filled with awesome roads.
I must say that the road is filled with many elevation changes, sweeping turns, and even some tight turns though the mountains. I was a bit surprised that the pavement was not in better shape. I suspect that it's not a highly traveled road therefore it does not receive the same level of maintenance as the others. Don't get me wrong, it was still in good shape, but several areas had been patched a different color which always causes bikes to slow down and double check before heading into a curve.
We then headed west on Hwy 14 towards Harriet, then west on Hwy 27 towards Marshall. Due to a navigation error on my part, we headed southeast on Hwy 74. Hwy 74 ended up being a lot of fun, but it put us much further east that we had planned.
Petit Jean State Park, just southeast of Dardanelle off Hwy 154, offered a lot of hiking trails that lead to waterfalls, caves, etc. Cedar Creek waterfall is a signature of the park. The 90 foot water fall is surrounded by beautiful rock formations and trees that create a very picturesque setting. In the second photo, you can see a photographer who hiked down to the canyon floor to get a great view of the falls. To say I was jealous is an understatement!!!
Rock House cave is another interesting location within the park. I was expecting a small cave with some interesting formations.
Instead, it was a very large opening with images carved into the rock by Native Americans. It is a very unique place that proved challenging when trying to photograph.
Along the pathway leading towards the cave is another interesting rock formation that looks very similar to a turtle's shell. I did not see the same formations anywhere in the park, or at other parks for that matter.I begrudgingly left the park, to keep on schedule for the roads that lay ahead. We headed north on Scenic Hwy 7 to Hwy 164 westbound, then to Hwy 123. Hwy 123 was highly recommend in several magazines and websites for it's winding roads. We then headed north to Jasper for a quick lunch at Ozark Cafe. In the past, we would stop at The Cliffhouse Inn for a very scenic lunch, but apparently everyone else had the same idea.
After lunch, we headed west on Hwy 74 to catch the must anticipated Hwy 21. Hwy 21 is 30 miles that were seemingly built for motorcyclists. The Pigs Trail, Hwy 23, is the more popular for motorcyclist that want to head north/south. A very scenic, yet often busy road. Hwy 21 is a good alternative.
Mt. Nebo State Park, located west of Darndanelle approximately 10 miles via Hwy 155. Entrance into the park can be a challenge for cars and bikers alike. The last few miles offer many switchbacks, like the one shown on the left, with very steep 180 degree turns uphill and down. Travel trailers over 24 feet are not allowed.
The park itself is fairly small, especially when compared to a Petit Jean. However, the panoramic views of the Arkansas River Valley are great on a clear day. Anyone afraid of heights should stay in the parking lot. There are no guard rails or fences to keep you away from the rocks edge. The park is popular with hang gliders. The photo above shows one of the many places they can take their leaps of faith to descend towards the valley.
Arkansas is a beautiful state with a lot of great parks, tourist locations, hiking trails and roads for riding in a car or motorcycle. Bring your camera and big appetite and gas money. Then sit back and enjoy.
To see all of the photo's from this trip, please click here.
This trip is in memory of our friend, Jan "Dragon" Witkowski. A man who defined the phrase, "Live to Ride, and Ride to Live."
