wheatonFJR
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I'm telling you June can be a hot *****...but I'd still ride in it. It ain't gonna be 60s though.
Big summer ride in the Ozarks
- Thread starter steveoreno
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Jdep18
Member
June can be hot, IMO Fall is best, not as much ran, and the spring weather changes by the minute. We've seen snow in May twice that I know of. June would be better than Apr or May, just start early in the day if its hot, usually still 55-65 at night then. By June most of the driveway/dirtroad gravel is gone from the intersections that shows up after big rains. Mornings in the Ozarks with the fog in the valleys and sun on top is something special. Sept-Nov have produced some of the best rides I can remember. But a ride through NWA is good almost anytime. Hppants named most of the favorites. Hwy 7 from Russellville to Hot Springs is on of my faves.
hppants
Well-known member
I agree that June through September are sticky hot - usually too hot to camp, IMO.
danh600
Well-known member
We had an outstanding trip to the Ozarks this summer. My wife and I took our converted cargo/camper trailer with the bikes in it. Started off in Jasper. Jasper is not big but very good location cause I don't think you can find a bad road leaving that town. Any direction you travel is a nice ride. We stayed in a campground and did day rides for 4-5 days. We ate at the Ozark café and at The cliff house restaurant. Both good and unique in their own way.
After that we stayed in a couple of state parks. Arkansas state parks are very nice.
Best restaurant I remember from the trip is the Oark Café. Very cool place, nice ride to get there. Probably the best burger I have had anywhere. And you have to save room for pie!
As for riding there are just tons of good roads. I would HIGHLY recommend getting a Butler map.
Also hopefully he will not mind but Hppants sent me this list.
**********************
The Can't Miss Roads of Arkansas IMO are (in order of priority based on riding pleasure and scenery):
1. Hwy 123 from Clarksville north to Mt. Judea (or visa versa)
2. Hwy 341 (Push Mountain Road) from Norfolk south to the Hwy14 intersection
3. Hwy 7 from Russelville north to Harrison (or visa versa)
4. Hwy 16 from Witts Springs west to Fayetteville (or visa versa)
5. Hwy 74 from Jasper west to Ponca (or visa versa)
6. Hwy 215 from Oark north to Cass (or visa versa)
7. Hwy 23 from Cass north to Eureka Springs (or visa versa)
8. Hwy 43 anywhere along the Boxley Valley (short run but it's very beautiful).
9. Hwy 27 from Push Mountain South to Dover (or visa versa)
******
He was correct. Those are all can't miss roads.
Also one day we took the Peel ferry and went into Missouri. Some nice riding there also. More rolling hills and farmland then Arkansas but very pretty. Once you get into Missouri coming off the ferry there is a small town (Protem). The country store there is cool. It has food, post office, liquor store and meeting place for the locals.
Funny thing is Arkansas is probably not a place I would visit if we didn't ride. It really hit my wife and I's radar because of the riding. We are glad we went.
Good riding.
Good food.
Nice places to camp.
Nice people.
And last but not least they have very, very little traffic once you leave town. We were riding most of those awesome roads by ourselves.
After that we stayed in a couple of state parks. Arkansas state parks are very nice.
Best restaurant I remember from the trip is the Oark Café. Very cool place, nice ride to get there. Probably the best burger I have had anywhere. And you have to save room for pie!
As for riding there are just tons of good roads. I would HIGHLY recommend getting a Butler map.
Also hopefully he will not mind but Hppants sent me this list.
**********************
The Can't Miss Roads of Arkansas IMO are (in order of priority based on riding pleasure and scenery):
1. Hwy 123 from Clarksville north to Mt. Judea (or visa versa)
2. Hwy 341 (Push Mountain Road) from Norfolk south to the Hwy14 intersection
3. Hwy 7 from Russelville north to Harrison (or visa versa)
4. Hwy 16 from Witts Springs west to Fayetteville (or visa versa)
5. Hwy 74 from Jasper west to Ponca (or visa versa)
6. Hwy 215 from Oark north to Cass (or visa versa)
7. Hwy 23 from Cass north to Eureka Springs (or visa versa)
8. Hwy 43 anywhere along the Boxley Valley (short run but it's very beautiful).
9. Hwy 27 from Push Mountain South to Dover (or visa versa)
******
He was correct. Those are all can't miss roads.
Also one day we took the Peel ferry and went into Missouri. Some nice riding there also. More rolling hills and farmland then Arkansas but very pretty. Once you get into Missouri coming off the ferry there is a small town (Protem). The country store there is cool. It has food, post office, liquor store and meeting place for the locals.
Funny thing is Arkansas is probably not a place I would visit if we didn't ride. It really hit my wife and I's radar because of the riding. We are glad we went.
Good riding.
Good food.
Nice places to camp.
Nice people.
And last but not least they have very, very little traffic once you leave town. We were riding most of those awesome roads by ourselves.
The Oark General store. Good Burgers, and Great pie. It also happens to be near the intersection of 103 and 215, both of which are great roads.
215 intersects with HW 23 (The Pig Trail)...another great ride.
Jasper...the Ozark Café.....or, head NE from there and eat at the Low Gap Café...neat little joint.
While in the area of Jasper, make sure you hit HW 123 near Mt. Judea.
Push Mountain Road (HW341) is about 80ish miles east of Eureka Springs, near Mountain Home and Salesville is a great ride, as it HW 9, which runs westerly out of Melbourne, Ar.
The list of great roads in NW Arkansas cannot all be ridden in just two days.....
215 intersects with HW 23 (The Pig Trail)...another great ride.
Jasper...the Ozark Café.....or, head NE from there and eat at the Low Gap Café...neat little joint.
While in the area of Jasper, make sure you hit HW 123 near Mt. Judea.
Push Mountain Road (HW341) is about 80ish miles east of Eureka Springs, near Mountain Home and Salesville is a great ride, as it HW 9, which runs westerly out of Melbourne, Ar.
The list of great roads in NW Arkansas cannot all be ridden in just two days.....
Tango Sierra
Well-known member
Yeah, Pants nailed it. I think 7 is for Harley riding. 123 is my favorite. Agree with Skip about Quality Inn in Harrison, but then, that's the place I stay every time. Never stayed anywhere else. There are a million places to camp. And as others have pointed out, don't miss eating at the Oark Cafe. It's really remote but worth the trip.
steveoreno
Well-known member
steveoreno
Well-known member
Well it's almost here, we are getting our gear together and our container shipped this weekend. We are heading out Friday morning and will be slabbing it on 70 to St. Louis, taking 44 to Rolla for our first stop. From there We will be heading to Salem Missouri and Hwy 19 into Arkansas. Thanks for all the advice and routes I will be making my first ride report and hope to live up to the high standards set here on the forum.
