Outdoor composition Collection

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Scenic 7: Among the Most Scenic Drives in America

Drive Scenic Byway 7 in Arkansas, the state's first state-designated scenic byway, and travel through four of the state's varied geographical regions. Arguably one of the most scenic drives in America, the route begins on the south end within the West Gulf Coastal Plain, a region that saw an oil boom beginning in 1921 near El Dorado. It continues to Camden and on to Arkadelphia through rolling terrain with dense pine forests and stream valleys with bottomland hardwood forests.  

 Near Arkadelphia, the route enters the Ouachita Mountains, famous for their quartz crystals, and passes by DeGray Lake, home of Arkansas's only resort state park. At Hot Springs, the byway journeys through the historic downtown and immediately in front of the famed Bathhouse Row of Hot Springs National Park. Continuing though the forested Ouachitas, it passes through the Ouachita National Forest and by Lake Nimrod, then reaches Russellville and crosses the more level terrain of the Arkansas River Valley.

Leaving the valley, Scenic 7 ascends into the Ozark Mountains, famous for fall foliage, and the Ozark National Forest, and passes through the mountain town of Jasper along the Buffalo National River on its way to Harrison.

A little farther north, hanging baskets of flowers and awnings accentuate old brick storefronts that line the Harrison square, which with a few adjacent buildings, make up its national historic district. The flavor of the city is reflected in the Main Street Harrison Historic Walking Tour, which includes downtown parks, the historic Lyric Theater, the 1909 Boone County courthouse, the 1914 Boone County Jail, and the completely restored 1929 Hotel Seville. Downtown Harrison also embraces restaurants, an art gallery, antique stores, and other retail shops. In addition, the town has the Boone County Heritage Museum and Mystic Caverns.
 

 Route: 290 miles 

Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway: traverse the Boston Mountains to the Buffalo National River

The Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway passes through a rugged section of the forested Boston Mountain range in the Ozarks, which is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors. Five important recreational streams begin here: the White, a world-class trout stream; the Buffalo, the country's first national river; the Kings; the Mulberry; and Big Piney Creek. The byway crosses the 165-mile Ozark Highlands Trail, a popular trail for hiking in the Ozarks that travels through the Ozark National Forest to the Buffalo National River. Motorcyclists enjoy riding this route for its twisty highway sections and incredible scenery. This is also a magnificent drive if you want to view fall foliage when the leaves change colors.

Route: 35 miles

Arkansas State Highway 21 from Highway 64 in Clarksville (35.470656, -93.441072) to the Buffalo National River (35.9609120, -93.4039151).

Map: http://arkansashighways.com/scenic_byways_program/Highway_21.aspx

Things To Know:

• This route can be combined with Scenic 7: take Highway 43 just past the Buffalo River to Ponca, then 74 to Jasper to meet up with 7.

• The Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway runs parallel with the Pig Trail to the west. Either taking Interstate 40 from Clarksville to Ozark or Highway 74 at Kingston can join the two byways