ENJOY FALL SCENERY ALONG TALIMENA NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY
With plentiful panoramic vistas that overlook the surrounding Ouachita Mountains, the Talimena National Scenic Byway in Mena is one of the most scenic drives around. From from U.S. 71 in Mena, the route follows Ark. 88 into Oklahoma. A big chunk of the 54 mile route, 18 miles of which are in Arkansas, travels through the scenic Ouachita National Forest, which are filled with shortleaf pine and hardwood forests. In Mena, the route climbs the 2,681 foot Rich Mountain, Arkansas's second highest peak, and journeys by Queen Wilhelmina State Park. The drive is beautiful year round and tends to be spectacular during the fall with autumn foliage.
THINGS TO DO IN THE OUACHITA MOUNTAINS
The Ouachita Mountains are unique in that they run east to west, rather than the north to south direction of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. The sandstone and shale slopes harbor two types of forest: hardwood on the northern slopes and pine and oak on the drier south-facing slopes. Much of the range is contained within the Ouachita National Forest, a 1.8 million-acre outdoor playground. Read on to explore everything there is to do in these majestic mountains in Arkansas.
ARKANSAS LIFE: ASK AN OUTDOORSMAN
Arkansas is blessed with an abundance of public lands (nearly 4 million acres of national forest alone) and public waters funded by the taxes, permits and licenses that we purchase. Although it’s sometimes easy for me to imagine that I’m the only person “out there,” I’m not. I often think my chosen outdoor pursuit takes precedence over others’ ideas of a good time in the woods. It doesn’t. There are a couple of rules I follow so I won’t ruin someone else’s experience while enjoying my particular flavor of outdoor recreation.