Talimena Scenic Byway
-- Thursday, August 26 and Friday August 27
Wow! Two great days of motoring.
Left Springfield, Mo. Thurs AM, southbound for Mena, Arkansas. Our intention was to see - and drive! - the Talimena Scenic Byway - a 54 mile route between Mena, Arkansas and Tahlequah, Oklahoma - said to be one of the highest motor routes between the Appalachians and the Rockies.
Rita, Kings River, northern Arkansas.
Our route didn't really start to get interesting until we crossed the Arkansas state line. A sign on Arkansas 143 - "Kings River Access" - beckoned us to make a spontaneous left turn onto a gravel road - our first in the MINI. We quickly decided our Honda CRV would be the vehicle-of-choice for rough dirt roads.
Got out and stretched our legs on a very nice gravel bar beside the King's River, and then continued south on 143 to US 62 which took us west to Eureka Springs.
Distant view of Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Farmer's market, Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
-- Thursday, August 26 continues ...
While Eureka Springs Arkansas is a worthy destination, it was not today's destination, so we stopped only once to see if we could find some fruit at a roadside farmers market. No fruit, but we did find a slice of pumpkin cake worthy of our attention.
Hairpin curve, Arkansas 23 near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
At Eureka Springs we picked up Arkansas 23 going south. Here is a road made for the MINI! At several points the Arkansas Department of Highways feels obligated to warn motorists of "Crooked and Steep road conditions" - and there are more than a few 10 MPH hairpin curves.
This beauty winds through sparsely populated pine and oak forests and on this Thursday morning was lightly traveled. I highly recommend it all the way from the Missouri line to Ozark, Arkansas.
Hairpin curve, Arkansas 23 near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Oh, yeah!
Crash debris, Hairpin curve, Arkansas 23 near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Rita spotted some colorful, sparkly stuff at one of the hairpin curves and we stopped to investigate. Scary! Not sure if it was a tricked-out motorcycle that crashed there - or possibly a circus wagon. Among the colorful shards of plastic I found a pair of leather gloves and these mangled wire rim eyeglasses.
Be careful out there motorists - you can't escape the long arm of the law of physics!
Crash debris, Hairpin curve, Arkansas 23 near Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Wiederkehr Wine Cellar and Restaurant, Ozark, Arkansas.
Just east of Ozark, Arkansas, we detoured to the Wiederkehr Village - a local winery with a dimly lit German theme restaurant where we had lunch. The roast chicken, potatoes and green beans were all pretty good - in an Old World sort of way - and the Sauvignon Blanc was quaffable.
I always leave the parking places near the door for the elderly and infirm - today I left the car here just long enough for a photo.
View from Rich Mountain, Talimena Scenic Byway near Mena, Arkansas.
-- Thursday, August 26 continues ...
Arkansas 23 crosses the Arkansas River at Ozark, and continues south and west as a nice enough road - but this section lacks the MINI-magnetic qualities that make it so attractive north of the river.
At US 71 we turned south to Mena, Arkansas, the eastern terminus of the Talimena Scenic Byway.
Rita and the MINI Cooper, Talimena Scenic Byway near Mena, Arkansas.
About the Talimena Scenic Byway: From Mena to Tahlequah, Oklahoma is only about 54 miles. You could easily drive it in an hour and a half. But if you like to pull off to see the scenic views, read about the historic points of interest, and hike a short nature trail or two, it could easily take all day. And if you add the side roads, state parks, and recreation areas, you could easily spend a week here.
There are few tourist supplies up on the route, so if you're starting at the eastern end, Mena, Arkansas is a good place to pick up anything you might need.
Miniature train, Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena, Arkansas.
When we are car camping, I find most state parks in Missouri to be way too over-developed - and Arkansas State Parks are even worse. All I need is a peaceful place to set up my tent, a picnic table, and pit toilet within walking distance.
What I find instead are tennis courts, swimming pools, volley ball, restaurants, and laundromats. Queen Wilhelmina State Park has the usual amenities - but wait, there's more - add miniature golf and a tiny train you can ride around the park.
Now how much would you pay?
Cottage, Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena, Arkansas.
But tonight we are not camping - we are motoring with only one small suitcase, a picnic basket, and a few maps - so the Queen Wilhelmina Inn suits our needs very well, thank you. (This little cottage is not available tonight, or any other - it's function is purely decorative.)
Sadly, we arrived too late to catch the last train of the day, so after salads at the restaurant, we spent the evening hiking short trails: the Spring Trail (dry), and the Reservoir Trail - dry or wet, we couldn't say, because darkness forced us to turn around before we saw the star attraction.
Shelby, Queen Wilhelmina State Park near Mena, Arkansas.
There is going to be a classic car rally in the area this weekend, and there are several shiny beauties already in the campground - this Shelby Cobra - and also both '55 and '64 Chevies, and some kind of 40ish coupe.
Most seem to have arrived here on flatbed trailers or towed behind behemoth RVs. Pity, really, to spend all that time and money on a car, and then not drive it.
View from the Talimena Scenic Byway in eastern Oklahoma.
-- Friday August 27
Bacon and eggs at 0700, then westward on the Talimena Trail. And one sweet road it is, too! Twisty, a few steep climbs, incomparable scenery - and on this morning, we owned it! By 11:00 AM, we had seen only 3 other vehicles!
Compared to the Ozarks, where I was born and raised, these hills are a magnitude bigger. It's my opinion that there are no mountains between the Appalachians and the Rockies; when people refer to the "Ozark Mountains," they are usually trying to sell you something. But this landscape reminds me of the southern Appalachians, and if you want to call them mountains, I'll not argue.
Talimena Scenic Byway in eastern Oklahoma.
Made for MINI!
Talimena Scenic Byway in eastern Oklahoma.
There are more direct routes for travelers who just want to get from Point A to Point B, so the Talimena Trail is mostly for recreational drivers - and we didn't see many of those, either!
While winding up your speedometer along the straight-aways, consider the black bears that live in these woods - hope they stay in the woods and off the road!
Gary at the Pioneer Spring, Talimena Scenic Byway in eastern Oklahoma.
We stopped often to see the sights, to photograph, and to watch a hang glider - but all too soon, it was over. The Talimena Trail, that is - after our Chinese lunch in Tahlequah, more good motoring was to follow.
At lunch, we decided that if we ever should get vanity plates, "Garys Cooper" might be a good choice.
Pastoral scene with cattle and trees. Eastern Oklahoma.
Our Oklahoma map shows OK 10 as "scenic" - and that's what we drove north from Tahlequah to Grove, Oklahoma. While not as spectacular as Arkansas 23 or the Talimena Trail, OK 10 was better than just 'OK.' From Grove, we took OK 25 to MO 76, then north on US 71 to US 60, and back to Springfield, my home town.
Had the MINI for a week and a day - 981 miles, and no regrets! It's no tire burner, but handling is superb!
In the hills, I've learned to downshift sooner rather than later - keep the RPMs above 3k and all is well!
