This byway is one of our choices for Arkansas’ Top Scenic Byways, as listed in our Arkansas section.
This diverse byway is probably the state’s finest because it exemplifies Arkansas’s “Natural State” nickname: mountains, forests and lakes plus several memorable historic towns. The byway also passes near several state parks and one national park, meaning there are ample camping and outdoor recreational opportunities. The Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway essentially runs the length of the state, from north to south, crossing two mountain ranges and the Arkansas River Valley before cutting through pine woodlands on its way to Louisiana.
If you don’t have time to drive the entire length, concentrate on the northern half, starting in Harrison, about 20 miles south of the Missouri state line. With RV parks, big box stores and a brewery, Harrison makes a good basecamp. The downtown square is a National Historic District where flower baskets hang from old brick storefronts. There are art galleries, antique stores and the 1929 Lyric Theater. Once the area’s first movie theater for “talkies,” it’s now a much-loved venue for plays and concerts. And if you’re needing an upgrade from camping, consider a stay at the beautifully restored 1929 Hotel Seville. Nearby, the Boone County Heritage Museum has exhibits on the Ozarks, early Harrison settlers, the Civil War and the town’s railroad past. And in a region renowned for its mountains, the 71-acre Baker Prairie is all that remains of a 5,000 acre prairie ecosystem. Located next to Harrison High School, the nature reserve is home to more than 250 different species of animals and plants, including several rare ones.
From Harrison, follow State Scenic 7 south toward Jasper. In about 13 miles the road crosses the Buffalo River, America’s first National River, known for its impressive limestone and sandstone walls. Established in 1972 and administered by the National Park Service, the Buffalo is one of the last undammed rivers in the continental U.S., flowing freely for 135 miles. Scenic 7 intersects the river and only runs through a small section of national river land, but the highway connects with other roads that give access to kayaking, hiking and swimming. The Buffalo River is also prime fishing, home to 74 species. About 15 miles from Harrison, a right turn leads to Ozark Campground, a short drive north.
Another four miles south and Scenic 7 enters Jasper, a small town focused on tourism with outdoor outfitters, craft shops and restaurants, including the Ozark Cafe. It originally opened in 1909 and serves burgers, milkshakes and breakfast. From Jasper, Scenic 7 continues six miles south to another famous restaurant, the Cliff House Inn. Serving homecooked meals and fresh baked pies and cobblers, the dining room overlooks the Arkansas Grand Canyon, the state’s deepest valley. The inn also has five guestrooms.
Scenic 7 then twists and turns deeper into Ozark National Forest. About eight miles from Cliff House Inn, take a short 4.5 mile detour on Highway 16 and Newton County Road 28 to the Alum Cove Natural Bridge Geological Area. A short hike leads to a 130-foot-long stone arch, all that remains of a quartz sandstone cave eroded over time.
Back on Scenic 7, the crooked and steep road continues south through forest made largely of oak and hickory. About a mile before Pelsor, look for the Fairview Trailhead, an access point for the Ozark Highlands Trail, offering 270 miles of year-round hiking and backpacking through some of the region’s most rugged terrain. In Pelsor, a fun stop is the Sand Gap General Store where you’ll find everything from souvenirs, spices and sourdough bread to Cinnamon Sugar Pork Rinds. The general store has been in business for more than 100 years.
More mountain beauty and scenic overlooks unfold as Scenic 7 continues another 29 miles south to Dover where two lanes swell to four. The scenic byway then enters Russellville where it intersects I-40. This busy area has fast food, fuel, grocery stores and pharmacies. But despite the development, this is also where you’ll encounter several outstanding state parks. Russellville lies near Lake Dardanelle, a large reservoir on the Arkansas River. Lake Dardanelle State Park has two locations, essentially across the river from each other. The main site on the Russellville side has camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, lake tours and a visitor center with five aquariums. The state park is also a Trail of Tears National Historic Site and features exhibits on the U.S. government’s forced removal of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee and Seminole people. Between late 1831 and 1859, groups of these Native Americans passed through this area as they were pushed off their ancestral homelands in the east to newly designated territory west of the Mississippi River.
Just south of Russellville is the historic river port town of Dardanelle where you can see the imposing Lake Dardanelle Dam. Just up Highway 22 is the other part of Lake Dardanelle State Park with more camping and outdoor activities. Another state park worth checking out lies seven miles west of the town of Dardanelle on Highway 155. A steep drive leads to the top of 1,350-foot Mount Nebo. In addition to spectacular views of the Arkansas River Valley and more than 30 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, Mount Nebo State Park features rustic-style cabins, pavilions and bridges, many constructed by the 1930s-era Civilian Conservation Corps.
Back in Dardanelle, take Scenic 7 south eight miles Centerville. Then, take a left onto Highway 254 and go east 16 miles to the area’s third excellent state park: Petit Jean. It’s also Arkansas’s first state park and, like Mt. Nebo, features native log and stone facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC also constructed Mather Lodge, a 24-room hotel overlooking Cedar Creek Canyon with a restaurant and gift shop. The park has cabins and campsites, too. Hiking, swimming, fishing, kayaking and pedal boating are popular. And hikes lead to some of Petit Jean’s impressive overlooks and natural attractions including 95-foot Cedar Falls, Seven Hollows, Bear Cave, the Grotto and Natural Bridge.
Heading back to Scenic 7, you’ll pass the southern boundary of Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge where a self-guided auto tour leads to various habitats, hiking trails and an observation tower.
Then, back in Centerville, follow Scenic 7 south through farmland and woodlands to Ola and onto Nimrod Lake, another large reservoir with camping and outdoor recreation. The Nimrod Dam is worth a look, too. From Centerville, it’s 15 miles to the dam and then Scenic 7 curves into Ouachita National Forest, home to another of Arkansas’s significant ranges, the Ouachita Mountains. About 19 miles from the dam, the Winona Scenic Drive takes off from Scenic 7 and runs 27 miles east to Highway 9. The road is maintained gravel and passes through some of Arkansas’s most impressive high country scenery.
From the Winona Scenic Drive turnoff, continue about nine miles south to Little Blakely Creek Road and turn right toward Ron Coleman Mining where you can dig for quartz crystals. The commercial mining operation also has tours and a zipline that passes 100 feet above the open pit.
Back on Scenic 7, it’s another two miles to Highway 192. Turn right and go 8.5 miles to Lake Ouachita State Park. This reservoir is Arkansas’s largest lake, with 40,000 acres of water enclosed by Ouachita National Forest. Swimming, waterskiing, scuba diving, boating, kayaking, fishing and hiking are popular, and the park has campsites and cabins.
Back on Scenic 7, it’s another 15.5 miles to Hot Springs, one of Arkansas’s top destinations. This hip and fun city is surrounded by Hot Springs National Park. But while the park has many wilderness trails to explore, don’t expect outdoor pools of bubbling geothermal water. Instead, the hot springs are found inside ornate buildings along the Grand Promenade. Today, Bathhouse Row consists of eight structures built between 1892 and 1923. While a few still offer spa services, the other buildings have been turned into the park’s visitor center, gift store and a brewery. And while there’s no outdoor soaking in the park, there are three places where you can see and touch the thermal water. The Hot Water Cascade at Arlington Lawn is the park’s largest visible spring where water gushes down a steep cliff into two pools. The Display Spring emanates from a hillside and flows into a shallow pool behind the Maurice Bathhouse. And the Fordyce Fountains are two hexagonal sculptures with shooting streams located at the park's former "grand entrance" between the Fordyce and Maurice bathhouses. Bathhouse Row is part of Hot Springs’ charismatic downtown with shopping and cafes. During their heyday in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, the bathhouses attracted gambling, bootlegging and other “extreme pleasures” as explored in the Gangster Museum of America. And though it’s not part of the famous Madame Tussauds’ chain, gambling and gore are also on display at the Josephine Tussaud Wax Museum where you’ll find more than 100 wax creations. South of town, highlights at the 210-acre Garvan Woodland Gardens include the Camelia Trail, Southern Inspiration Garden, a Japanese garden and an annual tulip festival.
From Hot Springs, follow Scenic 7 another 27 miles south to DeGray Lake Resort State Park. This is Arkansas’s only resort state park and features a large lodge, restaurant, golf course, disc golf, hiking, mountain biking, guided horseback riding and birding tours. The lake offers all kinds of water activities including swimming, paddling, sunset cruises and snorkeling trips.
From DeGray Lake, Scenic 7 soon intersects I-30 and then enters Arkadelphia, a university town with many murals, including the impressive From a Dream to the Promise, located on Main Street. Then, the byway begins its journey into the coastal plains of southern Arkansas, with hills covered in pine and river valleys featuring bottomland hardwood forests. It’s 49 miles to Camden, the birthplace of Grapette Soda and home to the White House Cafe, said to be Arkansas’s oldest, continuously operating restaurant. Woods Place is another stop to consider if you like fried catfish. Built on bluffs overlooking the Ouachita River, Camden played an important role in the Civil War, which you can learn about at the McCollum-Chidester House. When federal troops occupied the town, this house-turned-museum was a Union headquarters.
After leaving Camden, it’s 34 miles south to Scenic 7’s last major destination. With the Union County Courthouse as its centerpiece, El Dorado’s restored historic buildings sell antiques, coffee, books, housewares and fashionable clothing. There are several great restaurants as well as the Stop by Spudnut Shoppe, still making potato flour doughnuts since it opened in 1948. El Dorado experienced an oil boom in the 1920s which is memorialized at Oil Heritage Park. And while it’s peaceful, relaxing and beautiful year-round, the South Arkansas Arboretum is particularly stunning in spring when dogwoods and azaleas bloom. From El Dorado, it’s 15 miles to Scenic 7’s official end at the Louisiana state line.
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