The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant portion of northern Arkansas and most of the southern half of Missouri, extending from Interstate 40 in central Arkansas to Interstate 70 in central Missouri.
The Boston Mountains is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. Part of the Ozarks, the Boston Mountains are a deeply dissected plateau. The ecoregion is steeper than the adjacent Springfield Plateau to the north, and bordered on the south by the Arkansas Valley. The Oklahoma portion of the range is locally referred to as the Cookson Hills. There are several theories of how the mountains were named, though apparently none are related to the Massachusetts city.
The Ozark Highlands Trail roams 218 miles (351 km) through parts of seven counties in northwest Arkansas. It stretches from Lake Fort Smith State Park, across the Ozark National Forest, to the Buffalo National River. The trail passes through some of the most remote and scenic portions of the Ozark Mountains, like the Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area. It also crosses White Rock Mountain, Hare Mountain, the Marinoni Scenic Area, and many other scenic spots.
The Buffalo River, located in Northern Arkansas, was the first National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River is 153 miles (246 km) long. The lower 135 miles (217 km) flow within the boundaries of an area managed by the National Park Service, where the stream is designated the Buffalo National River. The river flows through Newton, Searcy, Marion, and Baxter Counties, from west to east. The river originates in the highest part of the Boston Mountains of the Ozarks, flows out onto the Springfield Plateau near the historic community of Erbie, and finally crosses a portion of the Salem Plateau just before joining the White River. The Park is home to the state's only elk herd. The upper section of the river in the Ozark National Forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and is designated as a National Scenic River and a National Wild River; that section is not part of the area managed as a park by the Park Service but is managed as a part of the Ozark National Forest.
The Ozark – St. Francis National Forest is a United States National Forest that is located in the state of Arkansas. It is composed of two separate forests, Ozark National Forest in the Ozark Mountains; and St. Francis National Forest on Crowley's Ridge. Each forest has distinct biological, topographical, and geological differences.
U.S. Route 65 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of Interstate 90 in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Parts of its modern route in Iowa and historic route in Minnesota follow the old Jefferson Highway.
Highway 43 is a designation for three north–south state highways in Arkansas. One segment of 27.1 miles (43.6 km) runs from Highway 264 in Siloam Springs north into Delaware County, Oklahoma along Oklahoma State Highway 20 (SH-20) to terminate at Missouri Route 43 (Route 43) at the Missouri/Oklahoma/Arkansas tri-point near Southwest City, Missouri. A second segment of 20.0 miles (32.2 km) runs northeast from Highway 21 at Boxley to Highway 7 in Harrison. The third segment runs 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north in Harrison from US Route 65 (US 65) to Highway 7.
Highway 16 is an east–west state highway in Arkansas. The route begins in Siloam Springs at US Highway 412 (US 412) and Highway 59 and runs east through Fayetteville and the Ozark National Forest to US Highway 67 Business (US 67B) in Searcy. Highway 16 was created during the 1926 Arkansas state highway numbering, and today serves as a narrow, winding, 2-lane road except for overlaps of 10 miles (16 km) through Fayetteville. Much of the highway winds through the Ozarks, including the Ozark National Forest, where a portion of the highway is designated as an Arkansas Scenic Byway. The route has two spur routes in Northwest Arkansas; in Fayetteville and Siloam Springs.
Highway 21 is a north–south state highway in north central Arkansas. The route of 99.14 miles (159.55 km) runs from US Route 64 (US 64) in Clarksville north across US 62 to Missouri Route 13 at the Missouri state line The route is a two-lane highway with the exception of a brief concurrency with US 62, a four-lane highway, in Berryville.
Highway 87 is a designation for four north–south state highways in Arkansas. Created during the 1926 Arkansas state highway numbering, the original alignment remains between Bradford and Pleasant Plains, though it has been revised and extended over the years. The three remaining segments are former county roads, connecting rural communities to local points of interest and other state highways. All three were added to the state highway system in 1973 during a period of system expansion. All segments are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
Highway 352 is a designation for two east–west state highways in the Arkansas River Valley. One section begins at Franklin County Road 441 (CR 441) and runs north 1.11 miles (1.79 km) to US Highway 64 (US 64). A second segment begins at Highway 23 approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Ozark. Its eastern terminus is U.S. Highway 64 in Clarksville.
Roan Mountain is a 6,285 ft (1,916 m) mountain straddling the North Carolina/Tennessee border in the Unaka Range of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States. The range's highpoint, Roan is clad in a dense stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest, and includes the world's largest natural rhododendron garden, and the longest stretch of grassy bald in the Appalachian range. The Roan Highlands also contain the highest quality remaining stretch of Fraser fir forest throughout the tree's entire range. The Cherokee National Forest and Pisgah National Forest converge atop the mountain, with Roan Mountain State Park located near its northern base. The Appalachian Trail traverses most of the Roan's crest. The Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest back-country shelter on the entire 2,174-mile (3,499 km) trail.
The Arkansas Scenic Byways Program is a list of highways, mainly state highways, that have been designated by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) as scenic highways. The Arkansas General Assembly designates routes for scenic byway status upon successful nomination. For a highway to be declared scenic, a group interested in preserving the scenic, cultural, recreational, and historic qualities of the route must be created. Mayors of all communities along the route and county judges from each affected county must be included in the organization. Scenic highways are marked with a circular shield in addition to regular route markers.
Hemmed-In-Hollow Falls is a single-drop waterfall located within the Ponca Wilderness Area of the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas. The height of the falls is 209 feet. According to the National Park Service, it is the "tallest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians."
The Big Buffalo Valley Historic District, also known as the Boxley Valley Historic District, is notable as a cultural landscape in Buffalo National River. It comprises the Boxley Valley in northern Arkansas, near the town of Ponca. The valley includes a number of family-operated farms, primarily dating between 1870 and 1930. The farms are situated on either side of the road that parallels the river, Highway 43. Many of these farms are still operated by the descendants of the original homesteaders. However, of fifty residences in the valley, thirty were vacant in 1987, at the time of historic designation.
Highway 14 is an east–west state highway in Arkansas. The route of 227.35 miles (365.88 km) begins at Boat Dock Road near Table Rock Lake and runs east to Mississippi County Route W1020 (CR W1020) at Golden Lake. Segments of the highway are part of two Arkansas Scenic Byways: Sylamore Scenic Byway in the Ozark National Forest and the Crowley's Ridge Parkway atop Crowley's Ridge.
Highway 123 is a designation for two state highways in Arkansas. One route begins at Salmon Lane in Boone County and runs 1.63 miles (2.62 km) north to US Highway 65 Business (US 65B) in Harrison. A second route begins at Highway 103 in Clarksville and runs 67.74 miles (109.02 km) northeast to US 65 and US 65B in Western Grove. A suffixed route, designated Highway 123Y runs near Lurton, giving non-truck travelers access to Highway 7. All three routes are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).
Highway 95 is a designation for a north–south state highway in north central Arkansas. The route runs 49.40 miles (79.50 km) runs north from US Highway 64 and Highway 113 in Morrilton north to Highway 330.
Eight auxiliary routes of Arkansas Highway 69 currently exist. Four are spur routes, with four serving as business routes.
Arkansas Highway 44 is the designation for a state highway in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The highway is located in Far Eastern Arkansas and is split into two sections, both of which run close to the Mississippi, St. Francis and L'Anguille rivers. The first and longest section begins at the unincorporated community of Snow Lake in far northern Desha County and ends at AR 20 in Helena-West Helena. The second section begins at County Road 239 (CR 239) in Lee County, in the St. Francis National Forest, and ends at AR 1B in Marianna. AR 44 is part of the Great River Road and Crowley's Ridge Parkway.
