If you are ever in the area again, go up highway 71 just a few miles to hwy 23 towards Eureka Springs beautiful highway and Eureka Springs was great the time I was there, there is a big cat zoo there and anything else you might want to see. I just loved the openess of hwy 23 and the thousand acre pastures with three or four cows in them, yeah, that's right, looks like ants the cows in some of the pastures and at times miles between the houses. First time I was on OK #1, the Talimena trail I was in a car and it snowed or started snowing and I turned around, forgot the number of the hwy I turned on to get back to US 270, not a sign of snow but I do the Talimena at least twice a year just to get away from it all. Just north of Little Rock, again forgot the name of the town is the elephant farm, where retired circus elephants are sent, I haven't been there yet one of those things I will do tomorrow, and am still waiting on tomorrow after about ten years or so. But if rain goes away I'm gone there tomorrow.

 

Elephants... Guy, AR.... http://www.elephantsanctuary.org
Riddle's elephant sanctuary

 

You are right, just could not remember the name when I wrote that answer.

 

Two of us are off this morning for Arkansas, booked a cabin for three nights at Little Switzerland. Thanks to everyone who shared their ideas here on this thread it's been very helpful!

 

HI've lived in Arkansas my whole life but have never been to Oark, Arkansas, until this week. Made a special trip over there to check out the general store and cafe . . . well worth the trip. I highly recommend you making it a lunch time stop, great food.

 

I’ll second stopping at the Cafe Faulkner.

We just returned and had a nice ride down there on some wonderful roads. Rather than my Harley I was on a brand x bike for this ride but it allowed us to take some roads off the beaten path so to speak. We took the advice on this thread and rented a cabin just a couple miles north of Jasper on Rt 7 ($75 per night). It worked out well for two of us as there was two bedrooms (one upstairs) and it was close to town. In the evenings we’d sit on the front porch and watch vehicles negotiate a Rt 7 “S turn” while enjoying a beverage. :-) Here are a few pics from the ride.




Front view from our cabin.



After stopping at the Cafe referenced by Faulkner we explored some near by gravel roads which is always fun.










Another “Ozark Cafe”, this one was in Jasper and we ate there a few times.





On the return through Kentucky we toured the Makers Mark Distillery. Perfect timing as staying in a dry county in Arkansas I’d depleted my bottle. So I picked up another one at the Makers Mark gift shop. :-)






This turned out to be a nice trip because in addition to Arkansas we enjoyed pleasant roads in Missouri, Kentucky, south east Ohio, and WV on the ride there and back.

 

A friend from work and I are planning a trip to the Ozarks and I have read a lot of great info here. I think we are going to stay at the Hub. Is there anything I need to know that has changed since this thread was last updated?
We are still planning the trip but looks like a 4 day weekend Mid May.

 

I have several routes posted, including ride from Houston to Mena - which includes Talimena Byway. Several other rides around Arkansas too if you go to www.hog.com and search my publicly posted rides - "Tod P." From Texas. You can download to your GPS as well.

 

just bumping....
always the same old "what to in AR" questions

Pig trail 23 is out of business for a while. Plenty of great alternatives.

 

This here,

Pig trail is currently closed just north of the Oark road turn off the road slid off the hillside due to rains just a week after they repaired it from the last slide, which is too bad because the trail south from Hwy 16 down to Oark road is the best part. If you do get down it run over to Oark and eat at the general store, the pie is pure heaven. Check idrivearkansas.com for closure updates they have had a lot of flooding, 7 was closed down by Camden earlier this month. My personal favorites are 123, 341, and 16 from Crosses all the way over to 123.