"Scenic 7," Arkansas State Highway 7, runs from the Louisiana State line near El Dorado, Arkansas to Diamond City, Arkansas near the Missouri State Line. Enjoy distinctive mountain scenery and outstanding fall colors while traveling through the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains. Numerous recreation areas provide opportunities to camp, hike, mountain bike, canoe, and ride horses along or within a few miles of the highway.
Approximately 60 miles of the Highway passing through the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests has been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the National Forest Scenic Byways system. The Ouachita National Forest in central Arkansas has over 1.8 million acres where you can hike, camp, fish, and otherwise experience the wooded areas of Arkansas. The Ozark National Forest covers slightly fewer acres--1.2 million--but the tallest mountain in the state, Mount Magazine, is located here as is the incredible, living underground cave, Blanchard Springs Caverns.
Parks dot the byway, offering not only a relaxing experience, but a glimpse of the history that is an integral part of this region of Arkansas. Poison Spring State Park memoralizes the Battle of Poison Spring. Walk along its pathways and learn the history of the Camden Expedition at one of the park's outdoor interpretive exhibits. Jenkins' Ferry State Historic Park marks the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, which was the last major Arkansas battle during the Red River Campaign of the Civil War. At Lake Dardanelle State Park, Lake Dardanelle offers some of the finest fishing and boating resources in Arkansas, while Lake Ouachita is known for its clear water and recreational opportunities. Two-hundred-year-old Hot Springs National Park is the perfect place to soak your aching muscles in its therapeutic waters.
Discover many natural attractions here, such as the Alum Cover Natural Bridge, a 130-foot arch that is all that remains of a large sandstone cave. Follow the path of the first settlers to the area in the Mystic Caverns, and learn the legend of the 'spider monkey' while you take in the cave coral and other formations along the cavern walls. Finally, hike up to the top of Pedestal Rocks and gain as your reward one of the more spectacular views in Arkansas.
Full of history and all kinds of geological formations, it is easy to see how Arkansas Highway 7 earned the nickname "Scenic 7". No matter the season, you will always find something special to see and experience along this state and National Forest byway.
