What about the Arkansas Dragon? Highway 123

[NTexas_V-Star]

Anyone ever hit this one? I'm looking at heading up there in September.

[dsrtuckteezy]

that's just a small part, but there is lots of good riding up there. hwy 7, 27 up to norfork, push mountain road back, ride to oark for lunch, etc... I've been up there a handful of times and ridden all the good shit. Such a nice area that's semi close to texas.

[Mach1]

Good shit up there, pig trail (23), anywhere in the ozarks really, also good stuff in Mark Twain national forest in Missouri

[NTexas_V-Star]

Got a cabin booked up there near Jasper for Labor Day Weekend, I'm going to rip around on the KTM and see the sights and the twisty roads. Should be a good time.

[TX_92_Notch]

Man, there are a myriad of good roads in the area around Jasper. I've been 5 times and had a shit-eating grin on my face the whole time.

It's been nearly 10 years since I've been though. It's amazing what 5 kids does to a sport bike riding schedule.

[NTexas_V-Star]

Originally Posted by dsrtuckteezy

that's just a small part, but there is lots of good riding up there. hwy 7, 27 up to norfork, push mountain road back, ride to oark for lunch, etc... I've been up there a handful of times and ridden all the good shit. Such a nice area that's semi close to texas.

I looked up Oark....did you eat at the General Store? Good grub?

[NTexas_V-Star]

Originally Posted by TX_92_Notch

Man, there are a myriad of good roads in the area around Jasper. I've been 5 times and had a shit-eating grin on my face the whole time.

It's been nearly 10 years since I've been though. It's amazing what 5 kids does to a sport bike riding schedule.

I usually go up to North Carolina for the one true Dragon in Robbinsville each summer, but not this year. So this is the alternative. I'm hoping its good shit. Might have to throw it in the yearly rotation of weekend trips.

[NTexas_V-Star]

I made it out there in September, the roads were pretty good, but that time of year, there were FAR too many deer to really let it hang out. Just wasn't safe. But awesome scenery, excellent food at the Ozark Cafe.

[ram57ta]

I've ridden a ton of those roads all over Arkansas on my Blackbird and on a KTM 690 Enduro R. Had a blast on both.

[Labora]

Been in/around AR for many road trips. 3-4 trips in my Miata and one in the bike.

Here is roughly route I did in 2016 I seem to change it a bit each time but most of the area has good signage on speeds thru turns and roads are generally in decent shape.

I usually shoot to Hotsprings on first night since it is a boring straight shot. Then head NorthEast and work my way back SouthWest.

Of note for me, trip up to and down road to Norfolk (341), I usually stay in the town Mountain View near there.

Can't go wrong with most of the roads that go in/around the national park, I usually stop in hole in wall in Oark for food and spend night in Van Buren.

After that head down to Mena AR and hit Talimena Scenic Drive.


Last trip was in 2019 and I spent a day Kayaking near Mountain Home, was a good break from sitting on bike all day.

https://imgur.com/qCRCfJc

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hot+...35.9367399!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Alli...35.9089643!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mars...d35.436756!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Van+...33.1384488!3e0

[NTexas_V-Star]

Originally Posted by Labora

Been in/around AR for many road trips. 3-4 trips in my Miata and one in the bike.

Here is roughly route I did in 2016 I seem to change it a bit each time but most of the area has good signage on speeds thru turns and roads are generally in decent shape.

I usually shoot to Hotsprings on first night since it is a boring straight shot. Then head NorthEast and work my way back SouthWest.

Of note for me, trip up to and down road to Norfolk (341), I usually stay in the town Mountain View near there.

Can't go wrong with most of the roads that go in/around the national park, I usually stop in hole in wall in Oark for food and spend night in Van Buren.

After that head down to Mena AR and hit Talimena Scenic Drive.


Last trip was in 2019 and I spent a day Kayaking near Mountain Home, was a good break from sitting on bike all day.

https://imgur.com/qCRCfJc

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hot+...35.9367399!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Alli...35.9089643!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mars...d35.436756!3e0

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Van+...33.1384488!3e0

I'm going to take the zx10r on a little trip up there this spring or early summer. Probably head from here (sherman) up to mena, then from there to jasper. From there probably head east for a while, then come back south and eventually make my way back home. Do it over the course of a 4-6 days. Should be a good time.

[Labora]

Originally Posted by NTexas_V-Star

I'm going to take the zx10r on a little trip up there this spring or early summer. Probably head from here (sherman) up to mena, then from there to jasper. From there probably head east for a while, then come back south and eventually make my way back home. Do it over the course of a 4-6 days. Should be a good time.

Talimena scenic drive is great but when I went in 2019 the road needed work compared to prior years. I got caught coming through right after mowers one year, that was a nightmare. View is always nice.

Stayed in Jasper at least twice at the cheap Riverview hotel. Apparently they do a lot of river trips out of that town but it is seasonal and for whatever reason every time I have come through town it has been out of season so the river is down to nothing.

Ozark Cafe in Jasper is pretty decent for food not much else of note other than a few antique shops.

Push Mountain RD is the most challenging road in the area IMO and the one to do if you are on a bike like that, just be aware of gravel in a few places. It looked like it had been fairly freshly paved around 2018 as the first time I went in 2014 or so it was falling apart.

[NTexas_V-Star]

Originally Posted by Labora

Talimena scenic drive is great but when I went in 2019 the road needed work compared to prior years. I got caught coming through right after mowers one year, that was a nightmare. View is always nice.

Stayed in Jasper at least twice at the cheap Riverview hotel. Apparently they do a lot of river trips out of that town but it is seasonal and for whatever reason every time I have come through town it has been out of season so the river is down to nothing.

Ozark Cafe in Jasper is pretty decent for food not much else of note other than a few antique shops.

Push Mountain RD is the most challenging road in the area IMO and the one to do if you are on a bike like that, just be aware of gravel in a few places. It looked like it had been fairly freshly paved around 2018 as the first time I went in 2014 or so it was falling apart.

Push Mountain RD....I'll look into it

[Labora]

aka 341

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Alli...35.9089643!3e0

[NTexas_V-Star]

Originally Posted by Labora

aka 341

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Alli...35.9089643!3e0

that's what I thought. Looks like a fun road from the map. I'm looking at heading up there and riding it, and also out by Canyon TX there's a...canyon....with a twisty road in it. I've heard good things about it too.

[dsrtuckteezy]

Twisted sisters is a good ride

[Labora]

Originally Posted by dsrtuckteezy

Twisted sisters is a good ride

I think it is overrated, from DFW AR is basically the same distance as twisted sisters.

Twisted sisters roads weren't in good of shape, signage not as good or often, and cattle guards with the open pastures was a nope for me.

[Mach1]

Originally Posted by Labora

I think it is overrated, from DFW AR is basically the same distance as twisted sisters.

Twisted sisters roads weren't in good of shape, signage not as good or often, and cattle guards with the open pastures was a nope for me.

Agreed on the twisted sisters, Arkansas is orders of magnitude better in every way IMO.