Route Advice: Mena -> Hot Springs -> DFW

[jcyuhn]

Hey All -

The spouse and I are planning a long weekend of moto-touring. We're riding from DFW -> Mena -> Hot Springs -> DFW.

Does anyone have suggested routes from Mena to Hot Springs? I want to keep the day a bit shorter than the ride out and back. Interesting roads are preferred over flat, straight highways.

Same question for the ride home from Hot Springs. Are there any roads of note? We're planning to avoid I30, but may just take the main state highways failing any recommendations.

Thanks,

- Jim

[connick]

From Mena, head up 270, then east on 28 to Ola, then south on 7 to Hot Springs. If you feel like adding in a bit more mileage, you can cut north and hit up Mount Magazine as well. Map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=mena,+ar&daddr=AR-28+to:35.160337,-93.593903+to:AR-7+to:hot+springs,+ar&hl=en&geocode=%3BFWw2FQIdEPtt-g%3B%3BFV_JFQIdh05y-g%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=11&via=1,2,3&sll=35.055856,-93.464127&sspn=0.406384,0.615921&ie=UTF8&ll=34.819441,-93.592529&spn=0.815109,1.231842&z=10)

Coming back from Hot Springs, this (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=hot+springs,+ar&daddr=Hwy-27+N%2FAR-27+to:Hwy-4+N%2FAR-4%2FUS-278+to:Texas+Hwy+155%2FTX-155+to:32.764181,-95.155334+to:F-M+35+to:dallas,+tx&hl=en&geocode=%3BFeaTCAIdmSlr-g%3BFVRFBQIdUH9o-g%3BFZwa9wEdjO1e-g%3B%3BFXqS9gEdwihD-g%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=9&via=1,2,3,4,5&sll=33.008663,-96.097412&sspn=1.665195,2.463684&ie=UTF8&ll=33.174342,-94.902649&spn=3.323877,4.927368&z=8) is the route I took... nothing to special. If I were doing it again I'd probably try heading west from Hot Springs, back to Oklahoma, then down through Idabel and Paris.

[jcyuhn]

Thanks. I was thinking something similar. The suggestion for Mt. Magazine is a good one. Looks like a nice day ride, but because of the holiday weekend I can't find any lodging in Hot Springs. Now working on a plan B...