Motorcyle Rides - Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas has some of the most exciting terrain for riding. If taking on twisties is your thing, this is for you.
Ask any biker who's ridden the Ozarks Mountains roads in Northwest Arkansas, and they'll tell you it's a thrill. The roads wind over high hills and plunge into deep valleys as you roar past dense woods and pastoral farmlands.
Eureka Springs has a number of restaurants and lodgings that always welcome bikers, and the Fayetteville Bike Blues & Barbecue Festival and the Eureka Springs Blues Weekend are especially popular with motorcycle enthusiasts.
The most popular ride in these parts is down the Pig Trail, Hwy 23S to Hwy. 64 W. For a bracing 215 mile ride, start in Rogers and head south on Hwy. 71. At Alma, go east on Hwy 64, and turn north onto Hwy. 23 at Ozark. From there, run straight north on 23 to Eureka Springs, where you grab Hwy 62 and loop back south to Rogers.
And a couple more for making road trip memories:
Arkansas Hwys. 12/127 Start in Eureka Springs and head south on Rt. 23. When you reach Hwy12/127, turn left and stay on 127 until it rejoins 12 near Hobbs State Park. Stay on Hwy. 12 into Rogers. Roughly 37 miles and an hour long. It's a winding road, much of it heavily forested. Traffic can be heavy in spots on Hwy 12, but 127 eases up. Really pretty ride between the two towns.
Arkansas Hwy 23 to 187 From Eureka Springs, ride three miles north on Hwy 23, then bear left at Hwy 187. This will take you over the one-lane Beaver Bridge, and you can stop to stretch your legs at the short walking trail, or (if you've brown-bagged it) eat a bite at the picnic tables right along Table Rock Lake. There's also a campground if you've a mind to spend the night. From there, you can return to Eureka, or continue on Hwy 187 all the way to the Beaver Dam on the White River. Continue on 187 until you meet up with Hwy 62 and head back into Eureka Springs. About 40 miles and a little over an hour on the road, and it's worth a stop at the dam.
Eureka Springs Backroads Route This 132-mile route takes roughly 5 hours round-trip. It runs through some of the most exciting and scenic spots in the region. Start in Eureka Springs and run south on Hwy 23 to Hunstville, where you'll turn east onto Hwy 74 and head towards Kingston; there, head onto Hwy 21 and turn left onto Hwy 43 to Ponca, then north into Harrison. From there, head west on US 62 until you come to Hwy 221 (aka Race Track Rd) in Berryville and take the southern loop through the back country (the name changes to Cty. Rd. 302), joining up with 62 in the countryside east of Eureka Springs.
ATV Trails in the Ozark National Forest
More than 1,100 miles of trails for ATV riders, some shared with hikers, horse riders and bikers. ATV riders are encouraged to wear safety orange on most trails during hunting season.
According to AR Parks and Tourism, many trails are marked with color-coded shapes. Maps available by contacting the applicable ranger districts. Riders are responsible for obtaining a copy of the most recent MVUM to show the legally designated routes. The map will be reprinted each year and is available on-line or at any Ozark National Forest office.
