In case you’ve ever pushed by way of the Ozarks, you’ll know the second it hits you: the hum of the freeway offers strategy to winding switchbacks, the bushes shut in, and all of a sudden you’re someplace that feels splendidly disconnected.
The highway journey by way of Arkansas Ozarks in the USA is a journey by way of one of many South’s most underrated landscapes.
A land of clear-running rivers, misty bluffs and quirky hill cities the place entrance porch rockers outnumber visitors lights.
This route threads collectively springs, swimming holes, forest hikes and high-up cabins.
It’s half small-town Americana, half big-nature journey, and it’s superb for anybody craving a highway journey with a slower rhythm, cool shade and the occasional elk sighting.
Route Overview
Eureka Springs → Ponca (Buffalo River) → Jasper → Mount Journal → Petit Jean State Park → Sizzling Springs
Splendid journey size: 5 – 7 days
Finest time to go: Late spring to early autumn – wildflowers in Might, full foliage by October
This publish incorporates affiliate hyperlinks.
Begin: Eureka Springs – the eccentric starter
Begin in Eureka Springs, a historic hillside city the place nothing appears to observe a grid.
Winding streets twist previous gingerbread homes, artwork galleries spill out into the pavement, and Victorian inns perch precariously on the slope.
A metropolis tour by golf cart is a enjoyable strategy to get your bearings and take within the quirky structure with out tackling the hills on foot.
It’s a city that leans into its weirdness; anticipate ghost excursions, therapeutic springs and a heavy dose of caprice.
Keep: Spend the evening on the iconic Crescent Lodge (haunted, after all), and wander by way of candlelit alleyways with stay music wafting out of saloons. It’s the right oddball begin.
Cease 1: Ponca – elk, canyons and the Buffalo River
Subsequent, wind your means south-east to Ponca, gateway to the higher Buffalo Nationwide River – America’s first nationwide river and nonetheless one in every of its wildest.
This a part of the Ozarks is for individuals who like their landscapes on the dramatic aspect: assume excessive limestone bluffs, deep-cut canyons and riverbanks fringed with sycamores.
Cease at Misplaced Valley Path for a brief hike to Eden Falls and its hidden cave.
Lease a kayak or canoe in Ponca if water ranges are proper, and paddle previous sheer cliffs whereas retaining a watch out for the resident elk herd.
This space has zero telephone sign and even much less fuss; it’s all gravel pull-outs, picket bridges and views that sneak up on you round each bend.
Keep: Tuck into the hills at Buffalo Lodge, a peaceable retreat simply outdoors Ponca.
Count on rustic cabins with fashionable comforts, surrounded by forest and simply minutes from river entry and trailheads; the perfect base earlier than heading deeper into the wild.
Cease 2: Jasper – small city, massive surroundings
Drive a bit additional to Jasper, an underrated mountain city surrounded by a few of Arkansas’ most dramatic drives – together with the well-known Arkansas Scenic Byway 7, which you’ll observe for a lot of this journey.
Eat: Jasper is tiny however charming – with a courthouse sq., retro gasoline pumps and the Ozark Café, which has been slinging plates of chicken-fried steak since 1909.
It’s the type of place the place everybody waves, pie is important, and the mountains appear to fold round you in each path.
Simply outdoors city, Sam’s Throne and Hawksbill Crag are epic mountain climbing and images spots.
Be ready for some tough highway to get to them – however the pay-off is big.
Keep: Chill out within the BRB Cozy Bungalow on the Prime of the Canyon, a serene one-bedroom retreat perched above the Arkansas Grand Canyon, full with a terrace, kitchenette, free Wi‑Fi and no distractions, simply beautiful views and complete tranquility.
Cease 3: Mount Journal – Arkansas at altitude
Proceed south to Mount Journal, Arkansas’ highest level and a part of a rugged state park the place you’ll be able to look out throughout a number of counties from the rim.
Even should you’re not a summit-seeker, this can be a place to decelerate.
The Mount Journal Lodge has panoramic views and a cracking sundown scene from the again patio.
There are trails for all skills and the air feels cooler and more energizing due to the altitude.
You can too strive one thing totally different right here: mountain climbing, hang-gliding (should you’re courageous), or just sitting with a morning espresso watching fog drift by way of the valley beneath.
Cease 4: Petit Jean State Park – waterfalls and historic artwork
Subsequent up is Petit Jean State Park, arguably essentially the most beloved park within the state.
Its trails wind by way of dense forest to canyons, caves and the spectacular Cedar Falls, which is particularly hanging after rain.
The park has a little bit of every little thing: mountain views, rock shelters, lakeside cabins and even prehistoric petroglyphs tucked into mossy overhangs.
The Bear Cave Path is a brief however dramatic stroll between boulders, whereas Seven Hollows Path rewards you with pure bridges and slot canyons.
Keep: Ebook into Tremendous 8 by Wyndham Morrilton, 21 miles from the park, with fashionable rooms, free Wi‑Fi, breakfast, and a pool, good after a day on the paths.
Ultimate cease: Sizzling Springs – spa city meets Nationwide Park
Finish your journey in Sizzling Springs, the one American city that’s additionally a nationwide park.
The principle draw right here isn’t peaks or rivers, however historic thermal springs that bubble beneath Bathhouse Row – a line of early Twentieth-century spas with marbled foyers and stained-glass ceilings.
You’ll be able to soak in classic glamour at Buckstaff Bathhouse, go fashionable at Quapaw Baths, or simply stroll the promenade path and sip spring water straight from the faucet.
For a bit extra adrenaline earlier than you unwind, strive a small-group zipline tour by way of the encompassing forest.
Past the spas, discover Sizzling Springs Mountain Tower for views over the Ouachita vary, or hit the native brewery inside a transformed bathhouse.
Keep: Settle into The Lodge Sizzling Springs, a captivating downtown choice with air-conditioned rooms, free Wi‑Fi, a solar terrace, and an on-site restaurant and bar. It’s superb for unwinding after a dip in Bathhouse Row or a stroll alongside the promenade
Elective add-on: Ozark People Heart State Park
In case you’re craving a contact of tradition in your means between Jasper and Mount Journal, swing by Mountain View and the Ozark People Heart State Park.
It’s all about retaining the area’s music, crafts and heritage alive; assume dulcimer workshops, weaving demos and mountain jam periods within the city sq.. Trustworthy, folksy and refreshingly low-fi.
Necessities
Driving time with out stops: Approx 6 – 7 hours
What to pack: Swimsuit, mountain climbing sneakers, bug spray, headlamp (for cave walks), and money for small-town diners.
Driving tip: Scenic Byway 7 is gorgeous however flexible. Drive rigorously, particularly in moist or foggy situations. Gasoline up earlier than getting into extra distant stretches.
Ultimate ideas
This rivers and forests highway journey by way of the Arkansas Ozarks is one for nature lovers, free-spirited travellers and anybody who prefers riverbanks to metropolis streets.
It’s a reminder that America’s magnificence isn’t all the time daring or well-known. Generally it’s quiet hikes by way of cedar woods, the bend of a transparent river, or the mushy glow of a porch gentle in a one-street city at nightfall.
Carry a map, a unfastened plan and an open window – the Ozarks don’t reveal themselves all of sudden, however should you’re affected person, they’ll stick with you.
