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Riding Guide to the Ozarks ... Harrison, Arkansas area

melensdad

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Has anyone ridden any of the routes around Harrison, Arkansas down in the Ozarks?

www.MotorcycleArkansas.com
www.ExploreHarrison.com
www.Facebook.com/RidetheOzarks

The tourist/chamber of commerce groups down there are pushing that area for riding. Based out of Harrison they laid out maps that have day trips around rural Arkansas, some go up into Missouri. But all the routes start/end in Harrison. Each route they show has # of curves, # miles, and rough amount of time it takes to complete the route. They also list some tourist attractions, lunch stops, etc that are alone each of the various routes.

NONE of the routes are like the DRAGON which is just a wild series of curves on one stretch of road. But the "Riding Guide of the Ozarks" that they mail out seems to imply the connection to the Dragon simply because it lists the number of turns on each of the routes.

The guide lists 8 different routes, each is roughly a 1/2 day do 2/3rds of a day ride, leaving time to get some food and visit some scenic views along the way. Mostly it looks like nice rural routes on 2 lane state and county roads through little touristy towns that are scattered through the Ozarks. Clearly the goal is to get people to base at Harrison and do a series of day rides.

Anyone?
 
I have made 3 trips to Arkansas to ride. All 3 times camped near hwy 7 south of Harrison. Arkansas is some of the best riding in the U.S. The area has plenty of twisty roads with good pavement and little traffic. There are plenty of campgrounds close to 7. Check the threads here on the Hilly Billy Hangout which was held at the Hub just south of Harrison, Here is a video I took at #3.
 
That is an area that I am very interested in riding; it looks very nice.
 
Oh, no! You’re letting out the secret of some of the best riding in the midwest USA!

The “ride guide“ is a good place to start, but once you get familiar with the highways, you’ll plot your own favorite routes. BTW, the ride guide published about 6 years ago featured a photo of one of our forum members on his NC. What you have between Harrison and Russelville, is uncongested, awesome motorcycling roads with excellent pavement where you can ride a 200 mile loop and never see a traffic light and maybe not even a gas station. I go to this area once or twice a year. I was there last May, and I might go again this fall if anyone wants to come and needs a guide.

It’s great for dual sports, too, because for the most part, all roads other than the state highways are gravel.

As mentioned already, we had an annual get together for a few years there but it fell apart for lack of interest. I’d love to do a Hangout again, but I got tired of trying to organize it after our Arkansas resident Bug Dr. went on to other forums and motorcycles. Interest just hasn’t been strong the last two years, so I gave up.

This is the map I use instead of the ride guide. It’s all I need on one page:
9F23EB41-8321-4519-A1F1-E9410DB876EB.jpegFEDD9F08-0A34-4603-940E-C57EDBB4C843.jpeg6E9DBDBA-8C18-408A-9289-3B41173602CF.jpeg7CBB27CF-1E18-4DCA-B41D-907E0A74AFAF.jpegE7CE967E-CAEA-4704-85A6-4F975BBEA341.jpeg
 
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I rode North Central AR basing out of Theodosia and enjoyed the roads very much. It was a great trip but it was 950 miles there with as good or better roads closer to me. I'm glad I went but don't plan on going back anytime soon. If the Ozarks were 400 miles away it'd probably be different. So many roads, so little time.
 
Comparing Arkansas to western North Carolina/eastern Tennessee, aka, the Smokies:

Smokies road quality is a 10, Arkansas roads are generally rated a 9 (by me). Illinois is a 2.
Smokies curves are tight and twisty, Arkansas curves are more sweeping, but there are a few switchbacks.
Smokies has a lot of houses, driveways, towns, traffic. Arkansas has scattered farms, very small towns, little traffic.
Smokies mountains are taller and can get more elevation, as on the BRP. Arkansas mountains are “half“ the size.

Both areas have desirable qualities.
 
Western NC & Eastern TN can get really crowded at times especially for the first few trips when you may not have good local knowledge and are check-marking the better known roads or areas. My favorite riding areas remain SW Virginia and bordering WV. Elevation changes, tight technical roads combined with fast flowing valley roads, little local or tourist traffic and still one day's ride from my house.
 
A few photos from today's and yesterday's rides in Arkansas:
AB6BDB2B-0CE4-43EC-887C-4CDDB8406542.jpeg7419026F-6883-457E-88DE-C6E8CA7D9F5B.jpeg
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670. What campground do you stay at. Will be passing through area mid September and stay a night or two.
Since the Marble Falls thing changed hands, I’ve been staying at Shady Oaks Campground. It’s just maybe 3 miles north and one mile east of the Marble Falls place we stayed before. BugDr recommended it. I have probably stayed st Shady Oaks at least 6 times. A friendly couple that likes bikes runs it. Rob does the grunt work and Melissa runs the office. A lot of campers can sometimes get packed in their relatively small campground, but they can handle big RVs. There are lots of grassy tent sites, too. It’s in the shade, as the name implies. Link below.


Here is my setup at Shady Oaks:02359B0E-74B5-45B5-B732-194DD790A84F.jpeg
 
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Looks fantastic. Jealous that my annual moto trip is over :(
 
Also where did you get that map? I like the "top road" call-outs on it.
 
Since the Marble Falls thing changed hands, I’ve been staying at Shady Oaks Campground. It’s just maybe 3 miles north and one mile east of the Marble Falls place we stayed before. BugDr recommended it. I have probably stayed st Shady Oaks at least 6 times. A friendly couple that likes bikes runs it. Rob does the grunt work and Melissa runs the office. A lot of campers can sometimes get packed in their relatively small campground, but they can handle big RVs. There are lots of grassy tent sites, too. It’s in the shade, as the name implies. Link below.


Here is my setup at Shady Oaks:View attachment 42583
Thanks. Looks like a much nicer place to stay than The Hub.
 
Also where did you get that map? I like the "top road" call-outs on it.
The map was a fold out page in some tourist brochure advertising book found in the area. I just take out that map page and recycle the rest of the brochure.
 
Oh, no! You’re letting out the secret of some of the best riding in the midwest USA!

The “ride guide“ is a good place to start, but once you get familiar with the highways, you’ll plot your own favorite routes. BTW, the ride guide published about 6 years ago featured a photo of one of our forum members on his NC. What you have between Harrison and Russelville, is uncongested, awesome motorcycling roads with excellent pavement where you can ride a 200 mile loop and never see a traffic light and maybe not even a gas station. I go to this area once or twice a year. I was there last May, and I might go again this fall if anyone wants to come and needs a guide.

It’s great for dual sports, too, because for the most part, all roads other than the state highways are gravel.

As mentioned already, we had an annual get together for a few years there but it fell apart for lack of interest. I’d love to do a Hangout again, but I got tired of trying to organize it after our Arkansas resident Bug Dr. went on to other forums and motorcycles. Interest just hasn’t been strong the last two years, so I gave up.

This is the map I use instead of the ride guide. It’s all I need on one page:
View attachment 42481View attachment 42482View attachment 42483View attachment 42484View attachment 42487
I like your bike in green! I'm glad I made those Hillbilly Hangouts! Let me know when you're coming down again. I'll come up!
 
I like your bike in green! I'm glad I made those Hillbilly Hangouts! Let me know when you're coming down again. I'll come up!
I think last year I went to Arkansas 3 times. I will surely go in April or May, 2021. Will let you know!
 
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