Why This One Tiny Town Is Secretly The Best Place In Arkansas
There’s one tiny town that every Arkansan must have on their bucket list. This place is the perfect swirl of small town southern charm and breathtaking scenery. From famous food to views, it’s hard to find any place that better represents the state. Let’s take a tour and see what makes Jasper Arkansas’ best-kept secret.
Please note, Cliff House Inn is temporarily closed.
You'll fall in love as soon as you start the drive.
One of the best parts of Jasper is simply the drive to it. The scenic Byway 7 gives drivers sweeping views of the Ozark forests while you're headed to town. This is also one of the top rated motorcycles drives in the state.
When you've made it to the outskirts of Jasper the first thing to see will be the Arkansas Grand Canyon. The deepest valley in the Ozarks is filled with photo opportunities. You're probably hungry from that drive so why not take a break at the Cliff House Inn?
Cliff House Inn offers a gorgeous cliff-side view of the Arkansas Grand Canyon as well as delicious food. Come in for lunch but stay for the pie. You can also stay at one of the Inn's five rooms or rent one of their cabins.
The Horseshoe Canyon Ranch offers equestrian tours of the Ozark mountains in Jasper's back yard. No matter your skill level, the ranchers will work with you to have a memorable adventure.
The Horseshoe Canyon Ranch also offers rock climbing and zip-lining. Conquer the highest, fastest, and longest zip-line in the state. The "Iron Horse" is about 1/2-mile long and has a 277-ft. drop that accelerates your ride up to 50 mph!
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.
Yet another famed attraction in Jasper is the start of the Buffalo River. Head east of town to take a float trip or hike around the area to see breathtaking waterfalls and bluff views. The river has no shortage of adventure!
Jasper is known as Arkansas' Elk Capital because of the reintroduction of elk to the area. In June the town celebrates with the Buffalo River Elk Festival. Compete in the elk calling contest or the dutch oven cook-off. The fest also has a 5k, pageant, and fireworks. You should also head to Boxley Valley to get a glimpse of the actual herd, too.
These are just some of the attractions in the Jasper area. You really need to plan at least a long weekend to the area to see the best kept secret for yourself.
What was your favorite thing about Jasper when you went? Share 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.
