Roads Recommended Near Mena Besides the Scenic Trail

[Tesla]

Doing the Talimena this month. We are only staying 2 nights, both in Mena. Unfortunately won't have time to do those incredible roads in north west AR. Other than the scenic trail, any recommendations on where to ride in the area? Don't want to get more than 100 miles away from Mena so that we do no more than 200 miles for that day. Can we pick up the Pig Trail in or near Mena?

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Doing the Talimena this month. We are only staying 2 nights, both in Mena. Unfortunately won't have time to do those incredible roads in north west AR. Other than the scenic trail, any recommendations on where to ride in the area? Don't want to get more than 100 miles away from Mena so that we do no more than 200 miles for that day. Can we pick up the Pig Trail in or near Mena?

Check the reply I sent Sean in another thread...

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Are you gone yet?

Is there some particular reason to go to Hot Springs?

Just wondering with the bikes in your sig line... you'll kinda waste a trip in my Humble Opinion.

Hot Springs is about 90 miles from Mena, give or take. Ride North that same 90 miles to Ozark and your HQ for the next days Day Trip will be MUCH improved!

Ozark is at the bottom of the fun part of 23 which turns into the Pig Trail I'm sure you've heard about.

Day Trip = North on 23. From 23 turn East on 16 to 7/123 and South on 123. West on US 64 takes you back to Ozark.

There's too much traffic around Hot Springs and only one road ( 7 ) that's anything like the Pig Trail or 16 or 123...


I'm sure you'll have fun anyway, but I'm just trying to help

Cheap places to stay in Ozark...

http://www.ozarkmotel.com/the-pig-trail-ozark-ar.php

http://www.oxfordinnozark.com/

Restaurant next to the Ozark Inn Motel is decent... Pretty good steaks on Saturday night's special. Zip to the bottom of this page and check em' out!
http://www.motoadrenaline.net/2009/0...ing-day-3.html

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The Pig Trail is a little out of your reach with the 100 mile limit.

Other than that I like...

259/59 that bisects the Talimena in OK
Also in OK, Hwy 2 North from Lake Sardis/271 is fun.
271 North from Talihena on past the Talimena is sweeper kinda fun.

I also had trouble fitting it into your 100 mile limit (110 to the top and 110 back to Mena) but Mt Magazine and a visit to the Lodge is a must do some day.

North out of Mena to 71 onward to 23 and East on 10. North on 309 takes you to Mt Magazine. That's the shortest route I see. Primo climb up to the Lodge!

Have fun! I'm jealous you guys!

[Tesla]

Thanks Stephen! I knew I could depend on you.

We will probably do the trip to Mt Magazine. I've read other positive accounts about that area. That 200 mile limit is limited by our pillions, otherwise, I'd be headed to Eureka Springs and get some biker nirvana.

Thanks again.

[budzrex]

Lived in Central Arkansas for 15 years plenty of good roads around Hot
Springs if you now were to look. Granted they are not the best
of the Ozarks but the are nice and good roads and generally even
less used than the more popular routes everyone travels to

Mt Magazine is nice and the new Lodge is fantastic
Petit Jean Mountian has some fantastic cabins
Mt Nebo has some fairly nice ones as well

7 from Ola to Hollis is fantastic
314 Hollis to Onyx
27 from Rover to Onyx
155 up to Mt Nebo Plus you get to watch the ultralight guys
Petit Jean Mtn 154 & 155 MOTTA auto Museum at the top(big swapmeet fathers day weekend every year)
Oden Ar to Hogjaw rd over to Southfork rd into Mt Ida
27 from Mt Ida to Story
298 from Story to 7
Hwy 9 Perry to 298
298 from 9 to 5 is a Hoot tight twisty rollercoster I used to live right at the middle of it always a good test of tires and suspension settings

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Lived in Central Arkansas for 15 years plenty of good roads around Hot
Springs if you now were to look. Granted they are not the best
of the Ozarks but the are nice and good roads and generally even
less used than the more popular routes everyone travels to

Mt Magazine is nice and the new Lodge is fantastic
Petit Jean Mountian has some fantastic cabins
Mt Nebo has some fairly nice ones as well

7 from Ola to Hollis is fantastic
314 Hollis to Onyx
27 from Rover to Onyx
155 up to Mt Nebo Plus you get to watch the ultralight guys
Petit Jean Mtn 154 & 155 MOTTA auto Museum at the top(big swapmeet fathers day weekend every year)
Oden Ar to Hogjaw rd over to Southfork rd into Mt Ida
27 from Mt Ida to Story
298 from Story to 7
Hwy 9 Perry to 298
298 from 9 to 5 is a Hoot tight twisty rollercoster I used to live right at the middle of it always a good test of tires and suspension settings


Good inside Info... I'll file that back in memory for future use!

About the area around 5/9/298 though- how's traffic nowdays being so close to the mesh between Hot Springs and Little Rock? Tolerable more so during the week rather than weekends?


Actually this response would go good with Xdriver's post about Ark... Sean's the one that wants to go to Hot Springs :rider:

Maybe he'll see this and keep his original plan, instead of being led astray by me :eek2:

Thanks for the info.

[Tesla]

Thanks Budz. Time to load up the Zumo with yours and Stephens routes. Are we there yet?

[budzrex]

5 between Hot Springs and 7 north is always full of traffic as that
is the only route for people in Hot Springs Village in and out of
Town as well as several surrounding communities.

9 sees almost no traffic outside a few log trucks during the work week
and commuters during going to work times except for Fathers day
weekend when all the car guys haul stuff up to Petit Jean for the
swapmeet.

I drove 9 everyday between Paron and Benton moring and afternoon
and a busy day saw 4 or 5 cars for the 40 mile drive that was just 5 years
ago and its not much different today

298 between 5 and 9 gets nothing but local traffic as it is so tight that no one uses it for a shortcut that commutes and the logging has all been done up there. You can usually run it anytime othere that early morning or late evening and never encounter any cars. Mornings and afternoons there is some traffic as there is a rehab facility for head injuries located out there.


I may make another trip up there later this year as a tour guide on a less traveled but great roads rally if it pans out you guys are welcome to come along. It will be a riding and camping trip.

[PrairieParson]

I have been on several road north of Mena and Mt Ida. 27 from Mt. Ida to Danville is a great road. If I remember right. 71-270 from Mena to Mt Ida is also a fun route. If you have a whole day in Arkansas, I have done this itinerary. Mt. Ida to Harrison via Rt. 7 which is a GREAT road. From Harrison I picked up the Pig Trail and Made it to Mt. Magazine. I went to Danville to find a motel, but there are no motels in Danville, so I ended up driving back to Mt. Ida in the pitch dark on hilly windy twisty road. That part was not fun. But that was probably my best single day on a motorcycle. All the riding was an absolute blast. You could probably do the same route in a day this time of year, skip Mt. Magazine and make it back by night fall. Talimena is just a warm up for the great riding in Arkansas. Have a great time.

Prairie Parson

[Vinny]

5 between Hot Springs and 7 north is always full of traffic as that
is the only route for people in Hot Springs Village in and out of
Town as well as several surrounding communities.

9 sees almost no traffic outside a few log trucks during the work week
and commuters during going to work times except for Fathers day
weekend when all the car guys haul stuff up to Petit Jean for the
swapmeet.

I drove 9 everyday between Paron and Benton moring and afternoon
and a busy day saw 4 or 5 cars for the 40 mile drive that was just 5 years
ago and its not much different today

298 between 5 and 9 gets nothing but local traffic as it is so tight that no one uses it for a shortcut that commutes and the logging has all been done up there. You can usually run it anytime othere that early morning or late evening and never encounter any cars. Mornings and afternoons there is some traffic as there is a rehab facility for head injuries located out there.


I may make another trip up there later this year as a tour guide on a less traveled but great roads rally if it pans out you guys are welcome to come along. It will be a riding and camping trip.

I'll sign up for a road less traveled tour....

[Tesla]

Too much traffic equals too much stress. Scenic twisties lose their appeal in a dense sea of cages. I'll take less scenic with fewer cages in a heartbeat.

[Spook]

I prefer to ride in the northwestern part, around Jasper. :rider: