• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Routing advice needed across NW Arkansas

glenfiddich

TravelsWithBarley.com
The last couple of times we tried to explore Arkansas we were chased off by torrential storms. Gonna try again this year on our way to southern Utah in late April. Just me and the dog in a street-oriented sidecar rig looking to see as much as possible in three days. I prefer scenic rides with plenty of places for pulling over to let Glenlivet play and stretch. Trying to keep it low key - bordering on a layover - so he can relax after the long transit from Vermont. Also want to stay north of I-40.

The plan is to drop down from Mark Twain NF in MO on Hwy 19 to Mountain View, meander along interesting roads to Ozark, then take the Pig Trail north to Eureka Springs before continuing on our way across southern Kansas. (I might squeeze in Push Mtn when leaving Mountain View.) Good route, or are there roads/places we ought to add? As I recall there are plenty of decent roads in the area.

Pete

Screen Shot 2020-02-14 at 2.44.44 PM.png
 
I have not been on 66 west of Mountain view but it looks like a good road.
Several times I have gone west from Clinton on 16 and it's a great road.
66 will probably work better if you try to run Push Mountain.

That last stretch west of 21 over to Ozark is nothing special. We take those first county roads west of 21 when we want to get to 103 and go north to Oark.
You could go up to Oark on 103, west on 215 to the Pig Trail then south to Ozark. All of that is fun roads.
Edit: The county road west of 21 is 4400 then 3390 over to 103 just south of Harmony. It's easy to miss the 3390 road.

Good burgers and pie at Oark.
P1030832.JPG

South of Cass on 23 is a good gas stop at Turner Bend.
P1030834.JPG
 
Last edited:
I have ridden that area a few times, but was following my buddy that grew up in southern Missouri so I was pretty much lost! I can tell you that there is no bad roads through the area, just some better than others.

I will drop him an E-mail and ask if he can Google may the route we took last time through.

I realize you will have your co-pilot with, but if you can swing it, I would not miss Blanchard Spring Caverns for anything. Best kept secret as far as caverns are concerned!

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/osfnf/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5351305
 
Okay...so it sounds like I need to set aside the Arkansas state biker map where all the roads have names and focus on the smaller, lesser known roads without names. Sounds a lot like the Dragon. Here's the next iteration.

Screen Shot 2020-02-16 at 9.28.46 PM.png
 
Okay...so it sounds like I need to set aside the Arkansas state biker map where all the roads have names and focus on the smaller, lesser known roads without names. Sounds a lot like the Dragon. Here's the next iteration.
Now you're looking good. You do not want to miss Oark. Get the Coconut Pie !! :dance
IMG_1690.JPG
 
I've had the oppurtunity to run almost all these roads numerous times. Great area to ride. Looks to me that starting in Mt. View; 9 to 16 to 23 to Ozark would fill the bill very nicely. Grab a Ar. state map at the border welcome center. Ride and enjoy Ar. Roads and the local pie.:dance:thumb
 
You will notice, Lee, that Tim is guarding his pie very closely in that pic. He hasn't forgotten...just saying!: :)

I felt bad for getting the last piece of coconut cream that day, but not bad it to give it to Tim :)
 
Okay...so it sounds like I need to set aside the Arkansas state biker map where all the roads have names and focus on the smaller, lesser known roads without names. Sounds a lot like the Dragon. Here's the next iteration.

View attachment 77233

We have done various loops for years in the area and really no bad ones. Your first one is good as well. Fuel up as some of the backroad stations are long gone or non existent!

Adding 123 south at SandGap is another really nice less traveled stretch... stop at Haw Creek Falls maybe midway... there is a low water crossing just off 123 that is easily traversed with a hack...I have crossed the slab on two wheels many times if not rushing,typical less than 4” of water. Main falls at parking area, another close and another across 123 just a smidge north that are a short hike but nice when flowing

35DC9047-E48D-4599-92B7-F39383BBDEC5.jpeg

94EA0D1C-6108-4FD3-A321-B9FFBD4593A7.jpeg

4FDC2157-E31D-4909-9FE6-4CB37C4BEA81.jpeg

914F854D-E6E5-45C2-A27B-799BD5E84834.jpeg
 
Adding 123 south at SandGap is another really nice less traveled stretch... stop at Haw Creek Falls maybe midway... ]

That stretch of 123 is one of our favorites. Never noticed the signs for Haw's Creek or Pam's.
I'll try to find them in Oct. If the water crossing is bad it looks like we could walk in from the road.
I'll enter the coord into my GPS.

We usually stop and check out the Big Piney bridge on 123 about 1 mile past the falls.
P1040363.JPG
 
Another point of interest is Beaver Bridge. It's downstream of the Beaver Lake Dam north of Eureka Springs.

20171017_114811.jpg
 
We have done various loops for years in the area and really no bad ones. Your first one is good as well. Fuel up as some of the backroad stations are long gone or non existent!

Adding 123 south at SandGap is another really nice less traveled stretch... stop at Haw Creek Falls maybe midway... there is a low water crossing just off 123 that is easily traversed with a hack...I have crossed the slab on two wheels many times if not rushing,typical less than 4” of water.


Thanks, Steve! Haw Creek sounds like a really nice place to camp as well!

Pete
 
I would camp there for sure, the one time I had it planned on a solo pass thru there was a serious rain event and I bailed due to crossing volume. It's just far enough out that it isn't typically crowded.

Lee has a picture of that suspension bridge underwater from a few years back...crazy!

The Turner Bend store in post #2 on the Pig Trail (23) also has camping along the river...nice in average year without flood or extreme drought and zero flow. Last few years has had both!
 
Lee has a picture of that suspension bridge underwater from a few years back...crazy!

The Turner Bend store in post #2 on the Pig Trail (23) also has camping along the river...nice in average year without flood or extreme drought and zero flow. Last few years has had both!

Spring 2017
Beaver Bridge (3).JPG

Beaver Bridge (4).JPG

Here's the link for the Turner Bend campground which is across the road from the gas station and store.
Nice little store that makes fresh sandwiches.
https://turnerbend.com/1/
 
Back
Top