My buddies and I are planning a 4 day trip from the St Louis area (255/270 & 55 vicinity) but want to keep off the major interstates and highways (44 to 65 then through Branson) and want to know other thoughts on what roads to take to get to that area that will be memorable. We riding dressers so no rock/gravel/dirt roads. We are expecting 7-9 hour ride and stops for fuel and walk about, lunch etc.. Any advice on some nice routes to take? Initial thoughts are to hit 21 off 55 south, and hit P in Petosi then rid that through Mark Twain Forest and hit 32 west down to 63 south and thats as far as I got then things go wonky.. LOL I am open to suggestions. Thanks!

 

Here are some ideas. This route is about 420 miles. You could cut some time out with a more direct route or see some of the roads on the way down and others on the way back. Route stops in Eureka Springs. Take AR23 south to Ozark to hit the Pig Trail and other nice sections of that road. I was on many of those roads last month and on other trips. There is a free ferry from MO to AR on MO125/AR125 (Peel, AR)

https://trips.furkot.com/ts/JntiZH

Great riding in MO and AR. Enjoy the trip!

 

Looks pretty close to what I had planned, there are so many ways to go I just wanted to try and get the most out of the to and from part as I expected to leave around 7 am, and since the days are long we could rid all the way up to say 7pm and then find a place to stop for the night. Considered camping but the group I am going with all but one has experience in that area so a pop up tent and a camp ground shower are out lol. Personally all I need is a place to drop my head and somewhere to get an AM shower and I am ready to roll. I see that the HUB is closed now, and I found a place called Heritage USA that seems to be in the exact same place, and I have read others have stayed there in the past so it seems like a good spot and its cheap. Thanks for the link, and I plan on playing with that tool to do some further planning. As it seems it looks like Eureka Springs is a good spot to go for sure, I have been there before with the wife many years ago to to the haunted house tours.

 

http://butlermaps.com I purchased the "Ozark area" butler map, these maps have the good motorcycle roads marked and they are made out of a very tough material

10 years ago your area had a big battle with the river, didn't it?

 

Yes, 1993 20 feet above flood stage....

 

https://www.arkansas.com/motorcycling/
lot of good roads there. Really, west of 65 and north of I 40 is good. 123, 7, 21 and 43 in the Jasper area some of my favs
Mt View/Blanchard area is great to me.... dry county if that is a factor. 14 and 341 (aka Push Mt)

hunt up the 'Arkansas bucket list' thread on here for all kinds of info and suggestions

 

Yes been reading that thread in detail thank you, at this point I am more interested in the travel from where I live (prety much convinced I am taking 255 to 55 south then somewhere come out of there and head toward the area, just want to optimize my ride experience getting there and the return home. We will spend two days in the ozark area. Also looking for accommodation options for spending the night, we may just land where we are then move on.Thanks again!

 

From the Litchfield area and we did a similar ride a couple years ago on our then Heritage. Went a roundabout way down to Mountain Home, Arkansas the first day staying off the highways as much s possible. Next day went down to Hot Springs on 27 to 7, 27 is a great road, scenery is great, few twisties and pretty smooth. The Pig Trail was closed from a mudslide that year when we were there so unfortunately we couldnt take it. Took 23 as far North the next day as could to about White Oak the ran over to 21 to Eureka Springs, Best Western of the Ozarks there was a great place to stay, can get your own lockable storage area to park in for a few bucks extra. We ended up coming back on 44 but would have preferred to stayed off the highway more. All in all was about 1,200 miles total with some great riding.