The winding, mountainous byway between Fayetteville and Ozark Arkansas is called The Pig Trail Scenic Byway. This 24.4 mile trail is on of Arkansas' best and is primarily used for scenic drives by motorists and beautiful joy rides by motor cycle drivers and riders. At one time, USA Today listed this ride as the #2 best ride in America.
What also makes this experience quite special to us in Eureka Springs is that we're perfectly nestled as an ideal little hilly destination spot on this very popular trail. Now that Autumn is here and the hillsides are changing color before winter sets in, The Pig Trail Scenic Byway is slowly readying itself for a long winters nap and this is the time of year when visitors travel the trail from far and wide.
Eureka Springs, AR
Secluded and quite peaceful with winding mountainside streets, our lovely Eureka Springs has frolic, flair. fun and funk. Our streets are lined with Victorian homes hugging cliff sides, and the entire downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places. Eureka Springs has block after block of one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, fine art galleries, craft emporiums, spas, museums and restaurants.
Our usual annual festivals and events are on the rise again in a post-Covid era.
The best is yet to come as we plan and prepare for blues, jazz and opera. In addition to the many car shows, we have the zombie parade and after party on Halloween Weekend and Oktoberfest. There's even a UFO convention, antique fairs and the May Festival of the Arts.
Don't miss all the Victorian charm of a Dicken's-style holiday experience in November and December as the shops and shopkeepers in town collaborate to bring jolly follies to the young and young-at-heart.
Our historic (many of them haunted) hotels and unique bed and breakfast inns, treehouses, yurts, campgrounds, caves, AirBnB's, cottages and cabins accommodate our visitors. There is even a caboose available for nightly rental. Check it out here.
But aside from our little hamlet of Eureka Springs, The Pig Trail provides numerous recreational opportunities and has several other iconic destination stops to consider as you wander and explore:
The Mulberry River & Mulberry Mountain Lodge
The headwaters of the Mulberry originate in the heart of the Boston Mountains, which are the highest and most rugged of the Ozarks. Many of the mountain ridges that define the edges of the watershed peak out at over 2300′ elevation. The Mulberry flows approximately 62 miles west-southwest to its confluence with the Arkansas River. Along the way it drains almost 400 square miles, the majority of which lies in the Ozark National Forest
For many, Mulberry Mountain Lodge is an unforgettable Arkansas destination. This 650-acre getaway in perfectly positioned in the heart of the Ozark National Forest and offers a truly relaxing setting.
Their charming cabins offer an array of amenities that will inspire you to relax, or cook, or even explore the area.
Often visitors will set-up camp at the on-site RV and tent campgrounds for a more rustic vacation. They offer ATV'ing adventures, hiking, or even fishing for catfish, bream, perch, and bass at one of four stocked mini-lakes located right there onsite. The park also offers picnic sites, pavilions, a snack bar, gift shop, baseball and softball field, and crossbow range.
Withrow Springs State Park
Also on The Pig Trail, this hidden gem of a State Park is in Huntsville, AR and allows for fishing and hiking along War Eagle Creek. The trail leads to a 150-foot-high limestone bluff overlooking the creek and Ozark Mountains.
The park offers rental canoes as well as shuttle service for visitors wishing to navigate the springs’ clear, cool waters. A forested campground awaits you.
Turner Bend
Turner Bend Outfitter, located at the junction of the Pig Trail Scenic Byway and the Mulberry River, provides canoe, kayak and raft rentals, two cabin rentals, campgrounds, camping supplies, beer, native wine, ice, groceries, paddling gear, hats, homemade sandwiches and more.
This biker-friendly destination on the Pig Trail also sells patches, pins and t-shirts.
Ozark Highlands Trail
Highway 215 intersects the Pig Trail and more outdoor recreation is accessible to hikers from the Pig Trail trailhead to the Ozark Highlands Trail.
The Ozark Highlands National Recreation Trail runs almost entirely through the Ozark National Forest and it is a 165-mile-long hiking and backpacking route across northwestern Arkansas.
Wildlife along this trail includes black bears, bobcats, the broad-winged hawk, white-tailed deer, foxes and wild turkeys. Although bear sightings are rare, the bear population continues to grow. Stay safe and store food securely away from tents. Be sure to remove all trash as you exit campsites as well.
The Ozark Interpretive Association is a non-profit organization based in Mountain View, AR. They offer trail maps, field and identification guides, naturalist guides and wilderness area maps. Order a free catalog here: Ozark Interpretive Association, 1001 East Main Street., Mountain View, AR 72560.
The Federal Highway Administration designated the Pig Trail Scenic Byway a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1989.❤️