Rides at the Rally

[BudMan]

We will not have organized group rides in Eureka Springs.
But we do have some suggestions that will take you on some of the best roads Arkansas has to offer.

If you want to come up with some rides yourself here a few links that may help.

Cruise the Ozarks
Motorcycle Roads Arkansas
Rides from Eureka Springs Printable Maps
Eureka Springs Ride Maps Click the > to see more ride info.
Eureka Springs Rides
Arkansas Motorcycling
Ride Eureka Springs


Most of the rides listed below will take you south and east from Eureka Springs.
Riding thru the Boston Mountains and the Ozark National Forest

Like anywhere else there are only so many roads, so most of these rides are similar.
But one may zig where the other zags.

One of the things that makes the Boston Mountains a great place to ride is it's easy to avoid large towns and traffic.
Depending on the size of the group this can also make food and fuel stops difficult.
Fayetteville, Rogers and Harrison have plenty of restaurants, but they also have plenty of traffic.
These routes will keep you out of towns, but there are places to get fuel and lunch.
Most of these rides also take you to Jasper. It’s a great little town and a good place to stop for lunch.

A few notes on some of these roads and places:

The Pig Trail is a 19 mile stretch of Ark 23.
Steep grades and sharp corners have made it the best known motorcycling road in Arkansas.
There is some truck traffic on 23 so be alert. Towards the southern end of the Pig Trail is Turner Bend Outfitters.
It’s a popular stopping point for riders and is located on the Mulberry River.
They make good sandwiches and you can get Pig Trail shirts, hats, patches etc. there.

The Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway is a 35 mile stretch of Ark 21.
This road has some nice curves and great views. Not as much traffic as Ark 23 or Ark 7

Arkansas Scenic 7 is the best known scenic highway in the state.
Sweeping curves and great views are what made this road Arkansas first scenic route.
The 12 miles both north and south of Jasper are the best part.

Arkansas Dragon, or Ark 123, is a great road, running from Hagarville to Mt. Judea. (pronounced Judy)
It winds it way thru the Ozark National Forest. This road has plenty of curves and very little traffic.

The Cliff House Inn is located on Ark 7 about 6 miles south of Jasper. It is a great place to stop for lunch.
Overlooking the Arkansas Grand Canyon, it has one of the best views in the Ozarks.

The Ozark Cafe in Jasper is also a good place to get lunch. It’s across the street from the Courthouse.
They don’t have a parking lot so you just have to find a spot somewhere in the town square.

If you plan on riding all three days the first three rides are good choices.
Ride these three and you will have ridden all the best roads.
Ark 7, Ark 23-The Pig Trail, Ark 21-Ozarks Highlands, Ark 123, Ark 43, 74 and 103.
The ride across on the Peel Ferry is a lot of fun and U.S. 160 and MO 76 are great roads.
And you will rarely have been on the same road twice.

On the Arkansas rides, stop for lunch one day at The Cliff House and
the next time stop at The Ozark Café in Jasper.

Between the links above and the rides below you should have plenty of options.

[BudMan]

The Rides..........

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Ark 23 and 123 Ride -- 249 Miles

The Pig Trail and Arkansas Dragon are both on this ride.
Head south from Eureka Springs on Ark 23 and make your way thru Huntsville.
Stay on 23, south of St. Paul you get onto the Pig Trail. Make a stop at Turner Bend.
Although it will cut off a few miles of the Pig Trail, Ark 215 and 103 are worth it.
So from Turner Bend back track a few miles to Ark 215 and turn right.
215 follows the Mulberry river and takes you to 103. You can make a stop at the Oark General Store if you want.
Ark 103 uses some very tight corners to make its way into the Arkansas River valley.
A few miles on some back roads will get you over to Ark 21.
Ride over to Lamar for fuel then enjoy the ride north on Ark 123 thru Hagarville,
crossing Haw Creek on the old one lane bridge before riding to Mt Judea.
A short but nice ride on Ark 374 will get you to Ark 7.
Head south to the Cliff House for lunch or north to the Ozark Café in Jasper.
In Jasper take Ark 74, it’s a nice ride that heads west towards the Buffalo National River and Ponca.
Ark 43 heads north out of the Boxley valley. Ride Ark 103 up to US 62 and back west to Eureka Springs.

Ark 23 and 123 Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 6:20

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Ark 21 and 7 Ride -- 239 Miles

This ride takes you on the Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway and Scenic Arkansas 7.
Take the back way to Berryville via Ark 221 crossing Kings River then head south on Ark 21 thru Kingston.
21 winds its way thru the National Forest as it heads south towards the Arkansas River.
Turn left on U.S. 64 just east of Clarksville and ride to Lamar for fuel.
From Lamar a short ride on Ark 123 and Ark 164 will take you to Scenic Ark 7.
A nice 46 mile ride on 7 and you will be at the Cliff House.
Stop for lunch at the Cliff House or ride into Jasper and eat at the Ozark Café.
The 12 miles both north and south of Jasper are some on the best on Ark 7.
Turn onto Ark 206 to avoid Harrison, 206 along with Ark 43 and Ark 392 gets you back to U.S. 62.

Ark 21 and 7 Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 5:45

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Peel Ferry Ride – 190 Miles

A bike ride and a boat ride. This ride will take you into Missouri by boat.
From Eureka Springs head east on U.S. 62 thru Berryville.
AR 311, a few county roads plus U.S. 65, AR 14 will get you to Lead Hill.
From there AR 268 will take you AR 125. Turn north on 125 and ride the Peel Ferry across Bull Shoals Lake.
Keep riding north on MO 125 before turning west on U.S. 160.
U.S. 160 has plenty of curves as it cuts thru the Mark Twain National Forest.
There isn’t much before you get to Forsyth so that’s a good place to stop for lunch.
U.S. 160 and MO 13 will get you MO 76 west. 76 is a nice ride, lots of hills and curves.
MO 86 and “P” will get you to Ark 23 north of Eureka Springs.

A few notes:
1- Helmets are required in Missouri.
2- The ferry is free to ride, but keep in mind that it will fit 6 cars.
It waits on each side for 20 minutes or until it’s full.
So depending on the size of the group and return traffic it may take a few minutes for everyone to get across.

Peel Ferry Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 4:53

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Pig Trail-Ozark Highlands Ride -- 192 Miles

This takes you on the Pig Trail and the Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway riding thru the Ozark National Forest.
Take Ark 23 south from Eureka Springs. Like any ride this way Turner Bend is a good place to stop for a break.
Keep riding south on 23 and turn east on Ark 352.
Ark 164, 103 and two county roads will get you to Ark 21 a few miles north of Clarksville.
Take Ark 21 north to the town of Ozone and get a burger at the Burger Barn if your hungry.
Keep riding north on Ark 21 thru Fallsville and Kingston to get back to Eureka Springs.

Pig Trail-Ozark Highlands Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 4:30

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Ark 21 and 123 Ride -- 234 Miles

Ride south on Ark 23 to 127 just north of Huntsville. Use U.S. 412 to get to Ark 21.
Ride south on 21 thru Kingston and over the Ozark Highlands Byway to U.S. 64.
U.S. 64 will get you to Ark 123 in Lamar, from there ride north on 123.
Take Ark 374 to 7 and ride to Jasper.
Riding northwest from Jasper on 74, 43 and 103 plus a few others will get you back to Eureka Springs.

Ark 21 and 123 Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 5:48

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Ark 16 Ride -- 193 Miles
You’ll ride southwest from Eureka Springs to Elkins. There you’ll ride east on 16.
Ark 16 has plenty of curves and usually very little traffic.
A 70 mile ride on Ark 16 will get you to Ark 7. From there north towards Jasper.
The Cliff House will be on your right in a few miles from the turn onto Ark 7.
Ark 74, 43, 103 and 21 will take you back to Eureka Springs.

Ark 16 Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 4:42

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Mount Judea Ride -- 203 Miles

This is a combination of the Ark 23 and 123 Ride and the Ark 16 Ride.
Take 16 to Ark 7 and ride south on 16/7 to Lurton Loop road. That will take you to Ark 123 north.
As on the other rides you’ll ride north on Ark 123 to Mt. Judea and take Ark 374 to get back to Ark 7.
Break for lunch at the Cliff House or in Jasper. In Jasper take Ark 74 west towards Ponca.
Ride south on Ark 43, the Buffalo River runs along side this stretch of 43.
Ark 21 and U.S. 62 will take you back to Eureka Springs.

Mount Judea Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 4:59

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Ponca Ride -- 109 Miles

This short ride takes you to Ponca and the Buffalo River.
Ride Ark 221 across the Kings River to Ark 21, Then south to Metalton, cutting thru to Rudd and Ark 103.
Ride south to Ark 43 and Ponca.
The ride back thru the Boxley valley is one of the nicest rides in the area.

Ponca Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 2:48

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War Eagle Mill Ride -- 87 Miles

As the name suggest this ride takes you to the War Eagle Mill.
The mill is a old water powered mill. They have a gift shop and you can get lunch.
Ride over the bridge next to the mill and head south.
Take U.S. 412 east to Ark 21 and ride north to Ark 127. 127 will get you to Ark 23.
From there 23 north will get you back to Eureka Springs.

War Eagle Ride Map
GPS Ride Time 2:12

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[BudMan]

Detailed ride directions you can print and GPS routes for Garmin have been put in Dropbox.
You DO NOT need to have Dropbox installed on your computer to get the files.

Follow the links below to the files you want, you can close the window asking you to join Dropbox.
Click "Download" and save them to your computer.

For Detailed Ride Directions in pdf click HERE.

For Garmin GPS Routes click on the links below

Ark 16 & 7 Ride

Ark 23 & 123 Ride File

Ark 21 & 7 Ride File

Peel Ferry Ride File

Pig Trail & Ozark Highlands Ride File

Ark 21 & 123 Ride File

Ark 16 Ride File

Mount Judea Ride File

Ponca Ride File

War Eagle Mill Ride File


Waypoints on these routes can be downloaded from the links below.
Waypoints #1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Waypoints #2

Unless your Garmin operates differently, just copy these GPS files to the GPX Folder on your device.
Connect the GPS to your computer with a USB cable, locate the device and on it's memory card you should
find a folder named "Garmin." Open the Garmin folder and you should find the GPX folder.
Copy these files into that folder.
Then when you open "Trip Planner" on your device the routes should be there.

I don't know if these files will work on GPS units other than Garmin, they might.



Note: None of these routes will take you on gravel roads.
But to avoid problems with Garmin maps set your GPS to NOT AVOID unpaved roads and ferries.

I hope this information helps. See you in June.

[Bud2rat]

Thanks Dave for posting this info. It's very helpful to us outsiders.

[Framer]

Great job Dave, I think that gives us plenty of options.

[glwilson]

Great job Dave.

I spent the winter going over the roads and did not come up with anything better than these routes. These routes definitely cover the best riding in that area.

EDIT: The only thing I would suggest people consider if they plan on eating at the Cliff House. Parking is at a premium there, and they do get busy during the lunch hour. You would be best to either get there early or wait until the rush is over.

[Rasta]

Great job as always Dave

[Jared]

These look fantastic, Dave! Thanks for organizing them.

[3-wheeler]

Awesome! Great job!

[racinfan101]

Awesome Job!

[Farmer522]

Looks like a great time waiting to happen

[riderdyer]

Thanks Dave, very helpful! Be seeing you all soon ....��