NW Arkansas/SW Missouri Recommendations

[SwollenRaccoon]

My riding buddy and coworker (also on an 08) are looking at riding to NW Arkansas in early May, from here in southern Minnesota. We plan a one-day boring-*** slab ride, about 700 miles or so, on the first day, just to get down there. Next two days would be spent finding as many twisty, deserted back roads as we can find. Fourth day, slab it back home.

The only real planned point of interest on the way down is to stop at Arthur Bryant's BBQ in Kansas City for a late lunch, around 1 or 2 PM. I have no interest in trying to avoid deer at dusk, having done enough of that in the past, so our first night's lodging will be in SW Missouri or maybe NW Arkansas. Initially, we were looking at the little town of Ozark, AR for a destination. We'll be moteling it, and I see there are a couple of mom and pop motels there.

I'm looking for recommendations for roads, lodging, restaurants, roads to avoid due to speed enforcement presence, and other points of interest that are worth the stop. Also, we don't want to stay in a dry county, since we both would like an adult refreshment at the end of the day's ride, and I believe there are some dry counties in Arkansas.

Let the flaming and fun remarks begin! I appreciate any feedback you can provide, and am really looking forward to seeing new places. Thanks!

 

[wheatonFJR]

All your good roads are north amd east of Ozark...why don't you stay near Jasper at the HuB? Or the CliffHouse? PM Scott/fjrrider about those places...

Also, if you miss US 160 in southern MO between Doniphan and Alton...you have committed a sin. Talk to your buddy Gramps about that.

 

[Gramps]

What wheatie says is very true Scott, you have to hit 160. :yahoo: When Joe, Chris, Marty & I were down there last year we stayed at the Hub in one of their chalets. It was the best deal around for a group. I have all the roads we visited on GPX files so I'll send those to you & I think Chris still has the info on where we stayed. I try to get that also. You'll have a blast down there!!

 

[fjrrider]

The Hub is just north of Jasper on Hwy 7, further north from there is Harrision, I think it may be a wet county, not sure.

The Cliff House Inn (south of Jasper) is my favorite, if you dont mind the coyotes yipping most of night.

Ozark AR, would be a bit too far south from the good stuff, Jasper, Clinton, Mt. View, Yellville are pretty much right in it. There are dozens of remote cabins around the area you could stay the night in, its just finding them thats the tricky part!

Roads - As the others stated 160 in MO is a great road, but dont miss 125 either, if you ride the ferry from Arkansas into Missouri across Bull Shoals lake your on 125, then it crosses 160!

Roads in Arkansas not to miss, starting with my favorites. 341 (Push Mountain) I can go here and do laps all day! Middle 123 same thing, laps all day!

16, 27,14, 21, 23, 215, 103, 74, 263, Hwy 9 to Melbourne. Get you a map, tie these together and you got a vacation!

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

The Hub is just north of Jasper on Hwy 7, further north from there is Harrision, I think it may be a wet county, not sure.

The Cliff House Inn (south of Jasper) is my favorite, if you dont mind the coyotes yipping most of night.

Ozark AR, would be a bit too far south from the good stuff, Jasper, Clinton, Mt. View, Yellville are pretty much right in it. There are dozens of remote cabins around the area you could stay the night in, its just finding them thats the tricky part!

Roads - As the others stated 160 in MO is a great road, but dont miss 125 either, if you ride the ferry from Arkansas into Missouri across Bull Shoals lake your on 125, then it crosses 160!

Roads in Arkansas not to miss, starting with my favorites. 341 (Push Mountain) I can go here and do laps all day! Middle 123 same thing, laps all day!

16, 27,14, 21, 23, 215, 103, 74, 263, Hwy 9 to Melbourne. Get you a map, tie these together and you got a vacation!

Awesome! That's the kind of info I'm looking for. Yeah, we had already decided we're going to hit Push Mountain, 23, 25, and a few others, just by looking at maps online. Thanks for the great suggestions!

 

[TCMike]

Push mt. road by the town of Mountain View is a fun one. Don't stay in the town though if you want any adult beverages. The area around Jasper was awesome. I was there last fall, and their are so many good roads, it's tough to pick where to start. I zigzagged my way all across the north area, and southern MO.

 

[wheatonFJR]

...Roads in Arkansas not to miss, starting with my favorites. 341 (Push Mountain) I can go here and do laps all day! Middle 123 same thing, laps all day!

16, 27,14, 21, 23, 215, 103, 74, 263, Hwy 9 to Melbourne. Get you a map, tie these together and you got a vacation!

Yep, yep, and Yep! :yahoo:

EDIT: Oh, as far as dry counties...you can usually find a licker store right outside county lines if you ask the locals or google it up in advance.

 

[Gramps]

Nope it's a dry one. :angry2:

 

[petey]

The Brass Door in Gassville is a good (wet) place to stay as well, and close to Push Mountain Rd....

PS. After you get back home, DON'T tell any one about where you've been, some of us that ride that area all the time may have to hurt you if you do... :angry2: :lol: :lol:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

My riding buddy and coworker (also on an 08) are looking at riding to NW Arkansas in early May,Initially, we were looking at the little town of Ozark, AR for a destination.

I'm looking for recommendations for roads, lodging, restaurants, roads to avoid due to speed enforcement presence, and other points of interest that are worth the stop.

I appreciate any feedback you can provide, and am really looking forward to seeing new places.

Thanks!

You really don't have to go as far as Ozark to enjoy good roads -- altho, there's nothing wrong with going that far. The Pig Trail, 23, that goes to Ozark gets a lot of use (scads of cruisers..) and sometimes (weekends) seems over-used. If you do go to Ozark, the Wiederkehr Winery & Restaurant in, nearby, Altus is a fine stop. And, West of Ozark, the old-timey town of Van Buren has some good places on the main street.

Across the river and East, the ride to Petit Jean S.P. gets an honorable mention.

But, as others have said, S.W. MO & N.W. AR are 'where it's at'. As I told Leroy: "When you see the signs for "Big Flat" and "Fifty-Six" you'll know you're close."

You're welcome.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

The Brass Door in Gassville is a good (wet) place to stay as well, and close to Push Mountain Rd....

PS. After you get back home, DON'T tell any one about where you've been, some of us that ride that area all the time may have to hurt you if you do... :angry2: :lol: :lol:

Don't worry, I'm sworn to secrecy. Just like you, I am VERY protective of the roads I ride. We have a group of 3 or 4 that ride together whenever we can, but it's usually alone or just 2 of us. Other friends who ride, but that I only see once a year or so, sometimes I organize a summer ride for us. I only take them on the "already known" fun roads. I rarely show "outsiders" some of the hidden gems that I've been on. We all have secrets.....

 

[eaglej]

We all have secrets.....

Your secrets scare me though...

J

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I KNOW yours have to be worse, Jason. Just from what you make public, which already scares me, your secrets have to be VERY disturbing.

 

[Gramps]

I KNOW yours have to be worse, Jason. Just from what you make public, which already scares me, your secrets have to be VERY disturbing.

You guys must ride together.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

The Hub is just north of Jasper on Hwy 7, further north from there is Harrision, I think it may be a wet county, not sure.

The Cliff House Inn (south of Jasper) is my favorite, if you dont mind the coyotes yipping most of night.

Ozark AR, would be a bit too far south from the good stuff, Jasper, Clinton, Mt. View, Yellville are pretty much right in it. There are dozens of remote cabins around the area you could stay the night in, its just finding them thats the tricky part!

Roads - As the others stated 160 in MO is a great road, but dont miss 125 either, if you ride the ferry from Arkansas into Missouri across Bull Shoals lake your on 125, then it crosses 160!

Roads in Arkansas not to miss, starting with my favorites. 341 (Push Mountain) I can go here and do laps all day! Middle 123 same thing, laps all day!

16, 27,14, 21, 23, 215, 103, 74, 263, Hwy 9 to Melbourne. Get you a map, tie these together and you got a vacation!

Oh, my. Got back last night. What a great trip. Thanks a ton for all the road suggestions. Fjrider, we hit almost every road on your list. THANK YOU! We (3 of us, one on another FJR, another on a very well-ridden V-Strom) thought that the middle section of 123 was indeed the best (rode it twice!), with Push Mountain Road a very close second place. I was grinning and laughing in my helmet. Sacrificed a few aluminum shavings to the motorcycling gods on those roads, in the form of footpeg feeler trimming. PR2s got pretty beat up, but behaved really well. I will put together a trip report sometime this week, complete with food **** from Arthur Bryant's......

On yesterday's ride back from Monett, Missouri, once it got past 11AM, we never saw temperatures below 91. Most of the ride, the ambient readout on the FJR read between 93 and 97. Cripes, when we left Saturday morning, it was 52 and wet. I was SPENT by the time I got home last night. Put about 650 miles on yesterday in that heat. Oof.

Anyway, thank you very much to all you intelligent people that suggested routes and lodging. Cliff House was awesome. Mike, the owner....what a great guy

I WILL return to that area. We had such a short time down there that we couldn't hit all the fun stuff. Next time.....

 

[wheatonFJR]

petey's gonna kick yer @ss. :clapping:



Glad you had a great time.

 

[fjrrider]

Glad you enjoyed it!

When you hear guys talking about the "Twisty Butt" rides, these roads are were this ride takes place. We combine all of them for a 500 mile ride, and to keep with the IBA SS1K standard, we try to do it in 12 hrs or less! It quite a day of riding!

We hope to put on another ride sometime this fall. Stay tuned!

All the guys you hear about getting 15K+ miles on tires, well they aint riding these roads in Arkansas!

 

[Gramps]

I WILL return to that area. We had such a short time down there that we couldn't hit all the fun stuff. Next time.....

That's exactly how I felt after ridding down there...I must go back.

Glad you had a great time & got home safe & sound.

 

[petey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

All the guys you hear about getting 15K+ miles on tires, well they aint riding these roads in Arkansas!

Boy, I would be VERY HAPPY to go 15K with (2)two rear tires.... :glare: