Talimena Scenic Drive (original) (raw)
Talimena Scenic DriveBy Ways2021-10-10T16:21:43-04:00
Talimena Scenic Drive
State: Arkansas
Length: 54 miles / 86.9 km
Time to Allow: Allow 3 to 5 hours
Enjoy the Talimena Scenic Drive Byway close to Little Rock, enjoying both Arkansas and Oklahoma for 54 miles. While you can drive the entire route in just a few hours, a couple of days will gain you a better perspective of the area with forests, vistas, rocky fields, and mountains like the Appalachians and the Rockies. Along the route, you can find quiet and solitude in nature with before heading to the city for nightlife.
Pick up the byway in Mena, Arkansas, close to the Ouachita National Forest. The park includes several campgrounds, including Bard Springs Recreation Area and Shady Lake close to Mena. Shady Lake offers access for RVs in a remote mountain setting with water and electricity. Visit the Queen Wilhelmina State Park while in town or go to the Wolf Pen Gap trail for a day of hiking and swimming. You can even take the kids to the Board Camp Crystal Mine for a unique experience.
Begin your trip right at the Mena Mountain Resort for an incredible stay with a pool, hot tub, pool house, and common room. Climb up the Rich Mountain Fire tower for epic views too. Then, continue on toward the state border to visit the Pioneer Cemetery Historic Site and enjoy more nature at the Black Forest Mountain. Wilderness options are endless, with the Beech Creek National Scenic Area on one side and the Upper Kiamichi River Wilderness on the other side of route 63.
At the border, you can visit the Choctaw Nation-State Line Historical Marker as you enter Oklahoma with several casinos nearby. Make sure to stop at the Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area to stay at the campground for the night and enjoy several trail systems. Then, continue on to the Horse Thief Springs Historical Site to get a feeling for the Wild West back when outlaws ruled the land. Military Road Historic site preserves the traces of the road the military uses from Fort Towson to Fort Smith.
From there, continue on to Talihina, Oklahoma, known as the Village between the Mountains. Here you will find the Talimena State Park close to the visitors center. Through the entire byway, enjoy panoramic vistas, view wildlife, go hiking, take photos of beautiful foliage, and enjoy sports of every kind. Find a campsite suited for everyone and learn some history along the way while finding your new haven to enjoy the beautiful solitude of nature.
Keep in mind that the byway does not have a single gas station, so make sure to fill up on gas and take a bathroom break before going. Also, the route does not have any restaurants except for the Queen’s Restaurant at the state park. Otherwise, you will want to pack a picnic and snacks. Choose this route to enjoy nature and family time, not for shopping or city life. From here, you can visit the Choctaw Nation and enjoy all the beauty Oklahoma has to offer.
More Arkansas Byways
You can check out additional Byways in Arkansas by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the Arkansas Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.
| Arkansas Scenic Byways | Arkansas Scenic Byways |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway | Crowley’s Ridge Parkway |
| Great River Road | Mount Magazine Scenic Byway |
| Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway | Pig Trail Scenic Byway |
| St. Francis Scenic Byway | Sylamore Scenic Byway |
| Talimena Scenic Drive |