Hi All:

Wife and I did about 300 miles today. We decided to do something different than the Ozarks this weekend. It has been a few years since we've seriously ridden the Ouachita Mountains, so we thought we'd have a go and see how things went. When we left at about 9:45 this morning, the temps were on the "brisk" side (low 40's), but given the fairing/windshield, and dressed appropriately, it was actually very nice. Once it warmed up into the 60's... it was nigh perfect! The recent cool front w/rain had cleared the atmosphere and the sky was azure blue and crystal clear. Great day.

Here's a brief recap and overview of what we experienced...

Google Map Link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,0.529404&z=11

Particulars:

Ride length, nearly 300 miles. Saddle time: A bit over 6 hours.

Poteau to Y City (i.e. junction of US 71 and US 270 south of Waldron, AR):

Mostly open road with sweepers. No tight or hairpin curves to speak of.

We decided to do County Road 378 between Mansfield and US 71. It was great. Nice mountain scenes and zero traffic. (This is the type of riding we REALLY thrive on.) At Waldron, we took the old business route, which used to be 71 south through town when I first moved to this region in '69. The old town was cool. They still have an old theater that still in use!

We rejoined "new" 71 south of Waldron and skee-daddled on down to Y City. We did the "gas n' go" thing at the cafe and convenience store. "Way back when" this used to be a truck stop and cafe. Parked the ol' semi in the old lot and ate there many a' time.

BARELY underway on 71 south, be looking for a vacant convenience store on your right. I highly recommend pulling in and parking, then head over to the rocks for a look see at the rushing river that flows just behind the store. (Below you'll see a pic from a different day's ride.) Today the water was really rolling, owing to the several inches of rain the area has received over the past few days.

Y City to Hot Springs:

Nice road... open with sweepers for the most part. A few tighter curves, but nothing too radical. As you near Hot Springs, the traffic congestion picks up. It stays this way for about 10 miles before and out of, Hot Springs. HOWEVER, today was "Derby Day" at the Oaklawn Downs horse track at Hot Springs, so more traffic than normal, perhaps?

We chose to eat at the "Smokin' In Style BBQ" at Hot Springs. Pretty good vitals!

Hot Springs back to Waldron:

We went north on Arkansas Hwy 7. Been a long time since I've been on Hwy 7. Once you get past Jessieville (i.e. traffic and growth), it is EXCELLENT. Pretty much stayed that way until we turned off of Hwy 7 at Hollis. Mainly we're talking up/down hills with sweeping curves, amid pine covered hills and mini-mountains. Very nice.

We turned west on County Road 314 just north of Hollis and headed for Hwy 27 at Onyx. For the most part, 314 runs through a valley. Nice scenes... but not the up/down as was the case on the north/south Hwy 7. (Note: The Ouachitas generally run as east/west ridges. Thus, most roads running east/west are situated in valleys, roads running north/south have to climb/descend ridges, and thus typically will have more vistas to be seen.)

Once at Onyx, we turned north on Hwy 27. Again: Great vistas! One was REALLY grand as we could easily see 20 or so miles.

We ran Hwy 28 back to Needmore where we rejoined US 71 and turned north to head for Waldron. Be sure to PAY ATTENTION on these east/west hiways. You'll be tooling along at the 55-60 MPH mark... and then there's a 30 mile S-bend ahead! You can really tell this used to be an old meandering dirt road "back when" as they bent the original road around property lines and crop fields (then).

NOTE: Be sure you have plenty of fuel when leaving Hot Springs. There ARE gas stops out there in some of the little towns... but you have to know where they're at, and some of them don't do the "card swipe" thing that we're all so used to.

From Waldron, we ran Arkansas Hwy 80 to Hwy 28 to Heavener, OK. From Heavener, it was US 59 back to Poteau.

In all, this is a great loop, and one that we'll expand upon at a later date. We both decided that the Ozarks have a slight edge over the Ouachitas in regards to what we enjoy most about riding, but to be sure, it is some mighty fine country to be experienced.

Welp, that's all for now.

Get out and ride!

 

Sounds like a nice ride on a beautiful day! I'm envious...we are going to Hot Springs in September. Hoping to hit Hwy 7 on a trip to Branson in the near future. Awesome photo!

 

Glad you enjoyed the read, J.

Forgot to mention:

Once you turn north on Hwy 7 at Hot Springs, you will be riding through the historic part of town that has SCORES of old hotels, shops, bath houses, etc. Much of the architecture is late 19th century and superb craftsmanship. Beautiful old buildings.

Downtown Hot Springs was one of the highlights for the wife, plus, I enjoy such architecture also.

 

Love that country. I have saved that ride to "My Maps" so again... Thanks for the info. The wife and I plan on riding over that way alot in the future. We trailer to a home base and do the the rides because she has neurapathy in her feet and long trips hurt her so these day trips are great info for us.

Probably do a cabin around the Glover River.

 

We were there on the 8th thru the 10th. Rode some of those same roads. Went to mount magazine and it was great. It is the highest peak between Ouachita Mountains, and the Rocky's

 

Hot Springs and Hwy 7 with the fall colors is a "Must Do" every year. That is one of the things that got us hooked on the travel by way of a Harley.

 

Looks like a great ride. I spent 4 days riding around the western half of AR
when I went to the BBB rally in Fayettville a couple of years ago. Rode some of those roads while in the area. Rarely found a road that wasn't enjoyable. Two guys I camped next to from Kansas, wondered where I was going all day,coming back only for the evening festivities of the rally. They thought the ride to get there was enough. Ha Ha.

 

Thanks for the route. You did the mileage calculating for me.