Drivers And Riders Will Love Slaying The Arkansas Dragon, Part Of A 59-Mile Scenic Drive
There’s a short but stunning stretch of highway known as the Arkansas Dragon. The Dragon isn’t particular long but today’s tour adds on a bit more mileage with some beautiful benefits. Some highlights to this particular route include Rimrock Cove Ranch (horseback tours), the Buffalo National River (trails and floating), Horseshoe Canyon Ranch (ziplining), lunch at one of the oldest restaurants in the state, and more! Let’s take this scenic drive to explore more gorgeous forest and to slay the dragon.
This route through the Ozark National Forest gives the Arkansas Dragon some much needed wings.
The Arkansas Dragon (also known as Dragon Tail) is a 19-mile stretch of Highway 123. Today's route pushes the starting point up to AR-103 for a fuller hour and a half trip. Use this map for interactive directions.
You can certainly make this trip a choose-your-own adventure by changing your approach to Highway 123. Maybe you want to come south from Bull Shoals or westward from Greer's Ferry Lake. Whichever direction you're coming from or how much extra scenic highway you tack on is completely up to you!
Adding the extra couple of highways gives your excursion an extended tour through the prettiest parts of Arkansas.
Take the drive as is or stop along the way for multiple adventures. Adding AR-103, AR-43, and AR-74 gives drivers chances for side trip trails and photos.
This route is a motorcyclist's dream that's filled with curves and forest vistas.
Established in 1909, the Ozark Cafe serves mouth-watering time-tested recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you're craving something different than a typical burger and fries then try their specialty burger - the Excaliburger. It's two grilled cheeses sandwiching a 1/2-lb burger slathered in Ozark sauce.
After visiting Jasper, the drive begins to head south and into dragon country. This winding tail of a trail is an exciting route for two wheels or four.
This particular route has over 180 switchbacks with most of those being on the Arkansas Dragon. Highway 123 is so curvy that no large trucks can drive on it!
For more insight on this route and a virtual tour you can visit Ozark Rides right here.
Have you slayed the Dragon before? What’s your favorite stretch of highway to add to this ride? Share your routes with us in the comments below!
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
