6 Scenic Fall Drives & Day Trips from Northwest Arkansas
We've put together six Arkansas day trips that combine a beautiful fall leaf-peeping route with somewhere worth stopping for lunch, a historic town, or just a really good reason to get out of the car. These drives are also popular motorcycle rides.
So fill the tank or charger, grab some friends, and take the scenic route.
Fall color typically begins appearing in Northwest Arkansas in early October, with the Ozarks generally reaching peak color in late October. Higher elevations often turn first, while the exact timing can shift from year to year depending on temperature, rainfall and the first real cold snap. If you're planning a dedicated leaf-peeping trip, October 24 through November 7 is a good window to circle on the calendar, while keeping in mind that nature may do its own thing.
Also, it’s wise to download your trip routes before setting out on these scenic drives. Internet can be really spotty out in the Ozarks and Boston Mountains, and you don’t want to be caught without a map!
Best for: Motorcycles and adventurous drivers.
Drive Time: About 2 hours of drive time from Fayetteville and back without stops.
If you only have one fall motorcycle ride or scenic drive on your calendar, make it the Pig Trail.
Head toward Fayetteville and then east into the Ozarks, eventually connecting with Arkansas Highway 23 and the Pig Trail Scenic Byway. The official scenic portion winds through the Ozark National Forest for about 19 miles, crossing the Mulberry River and climbing and dropping through some wonderfully rugged mountain terrain. Arkansas Tourism describes the route as a favorite for its sharp curves, steep grades and tunnel-like foliage, and October is usually when the road looks its best.
One of the best places to make a stop is the Oark General Store, tucked away in the tiny community of Oark, Arkansas. The building dates to 1890 and is listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places. The ride into Oark is part of the experience, and the burgers, fries and homemade pie at the store make a pretty convincing argument for taking the long way there.
On the way to Oark, take a quick detour at Turner Bend, where the road crosses the Mulberry River. The historic store and outfitter has been serving travelers since 1911 and is one of those classic Ozark road-trip stops where you can grab food, supplies or simply get off the bike or out of the car and look around.
Give yourself most of a day for this ride. You can make the trip from Fayetteville to Ozark and return by several different routes, turning the Pig Trail into the centerpiece of a larger Ozark loop.
Tip: Before you ride, take a look at your motorcycle insurance. Liability coverage protects you if you're responsible for injuries or property damage, while collision and comprehensive coverage can help with covered damage to your own motorcycle. If you've added custom parts, upgraded equipment or accessories, it's worth asking how those are covered under your policy.
Best for: Families and photographers.
Drive Time: About 2 hours of drive time from Fayetteville and back without stops.
Before Interstate 49 carried most traffic between Fayetteville and Fort Smith, travelers followed the old U.S. 71 corridor through the Boston Mountains. Today, that historic route makes an excellent fall drive.
Start in Fayetteville with breakfast or coffee. With Prelude Breakfast Bar, Arsagas, Onyx, or Briar Rose Bakery, your options are truly endless. Then head west toward Winslow and the old Highway 71 corridor. Your first major stop should be Artist Point, a classic overlook along the old road. Stretch your legs, take a fall foliage photo and look out across the Boston Mountains like countless travelers have done before you. From there, continue toward Mountainburg and make your way to Lake Fort Smith State Park.
Lake Fort Smith is more than a pretty place to stop. The park has hiking trails, camping, cabins, fishing and kayaking, and its visitor center includes a replica pioneer cabin and covered wagon along with exhibits about the area's early history. It is also the western terminus of the Ozark Highlands Trail.
From Lake Fort Smith, you can continue toward Alma for a late lunch (perhaps at an Alma classic Catfish Hole) before returning to NWA.
The family detour
If you have young kids, consider swinging back into Mountainburg for some offbeat fun at the city’s Dinosaur Park, featuring several climbable dinosaur sculptures and a great view of the train tracks where the historic Arkansas Missouri Railroad trains pass by. Mountainburg also has a couple quirky stops to grab a bite: Pizza Den (featuring a Dragon Mascot) and Neon Moon (UFO themed and inside an old schoolbus.)
3. Fayetteville to Eureka Springs to Branson
Best for: A full-day road trip, couples, motorcycle riders, and anyone who wants to combine fall color with small towns, mountain roads, shopping, and a little bit of Branson.
Drive Time: About 4 hours of drive time from Fayetteville and back without stops.
If you want to make a whole day of your fall drive, head toward Eureka Springs and keep going. One of the prettiest ways to experience the Ozarks in autumn is to make Eureka Springs your starting point, cross into Missouri, spend some time around Branson and Table Rock Lake, and then take a different route home.
Once you're in Eureka Springs, slow down. This isn't a drive-through town. Take a little time to wander the historic downtown, grab coffee at Haunted Grounds (it is fall, after all), and explore some of the steep, winding streets that make Eureka Springs so distinctive.
From Eureka Springs, head north and west toward the Missouri line, eventually making your way toward Branson. The roads wind through the Ozarks, climbing and dropping through hardwood forest, with plenty of views that will make you want to pull over. If you’re hungry, a fun stop is The Hop Diner in Blue Eye, MO.
If you have kids along, Branson gives you plenty of options for turning the road trip into a full weekend of activities. If you're traveling as a couple or with friends, you might prefer to skip the attractions altogether and spend the afternoon exploring the lake country, grabbing a meal, or taking in one of the area's scenic overlooks.
And then comes the best part: don't take the exact same route home.
Instead, work your way back toward Northwest Arkansas through the smaller roads and communities around Table Rock Lake. Depending on how much time you have, you can make the return trip through Berryville or Holiday Island.
If you're on a motorcycle, this is an especially fun one. The Eureka Springs area is famous for its winding roads, and regional motorcycle routes combine Highway 23, U.S. 62 and the roads around Beaver and the White River into longer loops.
4. The Jasper Disaster (That’s actually wonderful.)
Best for: Motorcycles and people who genuinely enjoy driving. The name alone should probably tell you what you're getting into.
Drive Time: About 4.5 hours of drive time from Fayetteville to Harrison, around the loop, and back without stops. Note: Harrison is over an hour away from Fayetteville and Bentonville, so factor in the travel time to and from Harrison before you start the loop. The entire 60-mile loop from Harrison to Jasper and back takes roughly an hour and a half to drive without stops.
Note: Download your trip route before you set out. Internet can be really spotty out in the Buffalo River Valley!
The Jasper Disaster is a 60-mile loop that begins in Harrison and follows Scenic Highway 7 south to Jasper, Highway 74 west toward Boxley Valley, and Highway 43 north back to Harrison. The Harrison Convention & Visitors Bureau counts approximately 316 curves along the route, along with dramatic elevation changes, overlooks and opportunities to see deer, turkey, elk and other wildlife.
The road climbs and falls through the Ozarks, with views opening up between stretches of dense forest. Just south of Jasper, you'll reach the overlook commonly known as the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks, where the landscape drops dramatically away into the valley below.
Give yourself time to stop in Jasper, too. The town's truly adorable courthouse square is a good place to walk around and stretch your legs, and Ozark Cafe, founded in 1909, is the sort of restaurant that belongs on a road-trip itinerary. Low Gap Cafe is another unique Jasper option.
Then continue west on Highway 74. This is where the drive becomes particularly beautiful. You'll eventually enter Boxley Valley, where the forested mountains give way to open pasture and the Buffalo River landscape.
And in October and November, there is another reason to slow down: elk. The elk herds are one of Arkansas's great fall wildlife spectacles. The National Park Service says the easiest place to see them is along the six miles of Highway 43 and Highway 21 through Boxley Valley, with the best chances often around sunrise and sunset.
If you stop to watch them, pull completely off the roadway and use designated parking areas. Don't stop in the highway lane, and don't cross fences or approach the animals. The NPS recommends maintaining at least 150 feet from wildlife and warns that Boxley Valley can become congested during elk season.
If you’re a history buff, the valley also is home to The Boxley Valley Historic District, with the historic Boxley Grist Mill and the Villines family properties near the Buffalo River for you to explore. Once you've had your fill of fall color, history, and elk watching, follow Highway 43 back toward Harrison.
5. Noel, Missouri: The Bluff Road & Elk River
Best for: A slightly off-the-beaten-path motorcycle ride or drive for people who like discovering places that aren't on every Arkansas fall-color list.
Drive Time: About 3 hours of drive time from Fayetteville to Noel, over to Washburn, and back.
Noel, Missouri, is an interesting little detour from the usual Ozark destinations. From Northwest Arkansas, make your way north toward Jane and Pineville, then follow Missouri Highway 59 into Noel. This stretch of Highway 59 is particularly unusual because the road squeezes between the Elk River and enormous overhanging limestone bluffs.The Missouri Geological Survey identifies some of the most impressive bluffs in the region along Highway 59 and Highway 90 around Noel.
The drive is short enough that you can take your time. Pull into Mount Shira Access north of Noel for a closer look at the Elk River, or stop at one of the roadside areas along the route. The combination of river, rock walls and hardwood forest makes this a particularly pretty drive when the leaves are changing.
In Noel, stop for lunch at Cliffside Cafe. It's the kind of unfussy small-town restaurant that fits perfectly into a road-trip itinerary. If you want a quick snack, stop at the adorable Elk River Coffee Co.
In nearby Pineville, restaurant Haven 55 is known for its “casual fine dining” with consistently strong reviews and a gorgeous location along Little Sugar Creek. The 60-seat restaurant fills up quickly, so calling ahead for a reservation is highly recommended. Another fun stop is the Tall Pines Moonshine Distillery.
After lunch, don't simply turn around. Follow Missouri Highway 90 east from Noel, which winds through the countryside toward Washburn. Highway 90 is another good motorcycle road, with wooded hills, curves and small communities along the way. The route can eventually bring you back toward southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas, making this more of a loop than an out-and-back. Or, wander towards Jacket, MO and Whistling Springs Brewing Co. on your way back across the Arkansas state line.
The Noel route is also a good reminder that scenic doesn't necessarily mean fast. Highway 59 runs through a particularly tight section of the Elk River valley, and Highway 90 has its own curves and narrow sections. Leave plenty of room, especially if you're riding a motorcycle, and watch for gravel and debris around curves.
6. Roaring River State Park & the Sugar Camp Scenic Byway
Best for: Families, hikers, anglers and anyone who wants to turn a fall drive into a full day outdoors.
Drive Time: About 2.5 hours of drive time from Fayetteville to Roaring River and back without stops. Add 1 hour to do the Sugar Camp Scenic Byway.
For a southern Missouri fall day trip that’s great for families, head toward Cassville, Missouri and Roaring River State Park.The park sits in a deep, narrow Ozark valley seven miles south of Cassville, where Roaring River Spring emerges from the hillside and feeds the clear, cold river below. Missouri's Department of Conservation describes the park as one of the state's major trout-fishing destinations, and the surrounding hills and hardwoods make it especially beautiful in autumn.
Spend a few hours at Roaring River State Park. Walk down to the spring and fish hatchery, explore the trails, or simply find a place to sit beside the river and watch the fall color reflected in the water. The park has seven trails, ranging from short walks to more rugged hikes.
For families, the Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center is an easy addition. It provides an introduction to the park's natural history and is an especially nice stop if you're traveling with kids.
You can have lunch right in the park at the Roaring River Restaurant, located inside the Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center, or head back into Cassville for local spots like BBQ Station.
If you’d like to add a little bonus to your scenic drive, The Sugar Camp Scenic Byway near Cassville is a 28-mile scenic-driving route through the Ozarks.
Ozark and Boston Mountain Driving Tips
Check your vehicle before you leave
Tire pressure, tread, brakes, windshield wipers, lights and fluids are all worth checking before a mountain road trip. If you're riding a motorcycle, add your chain or belt, battery and riding gear to the list.
Expect wildlife
Fall is an especially good time to see deer and elk, but that's also when you need to be paying attention. Deer are most active around dawn and dusk, and mountain roads give wildlife plenty of opportunities to appear suddenly from the trees.
Don't let the foliage distract you from the road
It is tempting to stare at the mountains when they're covered in color. Save the staring for the overlooks so you don’t end up in a fender-bender. Switch out drivers along the route so everyone gets to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Download your directions
Some of the prettiest roads in the Ozarks run through areas where cell service can be unreliable. The Buffalo National River, for example, specifically warns visitors that cell service is spotty in many areas and that help can take time to reach remote locations.
Give motorcycles room
If you're driving a car and encounter a motorcycle on a winding road, give the rider space. If you're driving a motorcycle, don't feel pressured to keep up with someone who is driving more aggressively than you're comfortable with.
One More Thing to Check Before Your Fall Road Trip: Your Insurance
Five minutes spent reviewing your auto and motorcycle coverage before you leave on your road trip is a lot better than discovering a gap in coverage after an accident.
Also, check whether you have roadside assistance before heading into a remote part of the Ozarks. A dead battery or flat tire is annoying in your driveway, but it's considerably less convenient when you're sitting beside a winding mountain road 20 miles from the nearest town.
Need an insurance review before your next road trip?
At Benchmarq Insurance, we help drivers and motorcycle owners across Northwest Arkansas make sure their coverage fits the way they actually live, drive and explore Arkansas.
Already have insurance? You don't have to be shopping for a new policy to get a second look.
