Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Morrilton, wind past a lush 95ft waterfall, romantic grottoes, expansive vistas and dense
forests. There's a rustic stone lodge, reasonable
cabins
(per night $105-180)
and camp-
grounds. Another stellar state park is
Mount Magazine
( 479-963-8502;
www.mountmagazinestatepark.com
;
16878 Hwy 309 S)
, which maintains 14 miles of trails
around Arkansas' highest point. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy great hang gliding and rock
climbing here as well as hiking.
The spectacular
Highway 23/Pig Trail Byway
, lined with wild echinacea and lilies,
climbs through
Ozark National Forest
and into the mountains; an excellent way to reach
Eureka Springs.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Ozark Mountains
Stretching from northwest and central Arkansas into Missouri, the
Ozark Mountains
(
870-404-2741;
www.ozarkmountainregion.com
)
are an ancient range, once surrounded by sea
and now well worn by time. Verdant rolling mountains give way to misty fields, and dra-
matic karst formations line sparkling lakes, meandering rivers and scenic back roads.
Though some of the towns bank on kitschy hillbilly culture, scratch below the surface to
find unique cultural traditions, such as acoustic folk music and home-cooked hush pup-
pies and catfish.
Mountain View
Detour east of US 65 or along Hwy 5 to this wacky Ozark town, known for its tradition
of informal music-making at
Courtsquare
. Creeping commercialism is taking its toll, as
Peabody Ave; 9am-4:30pm Mon-Sat)
promotes the place as the 'Folk Music Capital of the
World,' but cutesy sandstone architecture downtown, and impromptu folk, gospel and
bluegrass hootenannies (jam sessions) by the Stone County Courthouse (especially on
Saturday night) - and on porches all around town anytime - make a visit here rather har-
monious.
Ozark Folk Center State Park
( 800-264-3655;
www.ozarkfolkcenter.com
;
1032 Park Ave;
auditorium adult/child $12/7; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat Apr-Nov)
, just north of town, hosts ongo-
ing craft demonstrations and a traditional herb garden, as well as frequent live music
from 7pm that attracts an avid, older crowd. The zip and slack lines, free-fall and climb-
