Scenic Highway 7 - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 729

11. Rotary Ann Overlook
Scenic Highway 7 slips through Moccasin Gap, climbs even higher into the Ozarks, and
then twists and turns to the Rotary Ann Overlook. Back in the 1930s, the wives of Rotary
Club members were instrumental in the development of this popular roadside viewing
point. Itcomes complete with picnic facilities, interpretive signs,andfar-reaching vistas of
thejaggedmountains—allthingsconsidered,it'sadelightfulplacetoadmiretheforestand
stretch the legs.
12. Pedestal Rocks
At the community of Pelsor, Rte. 16 leads east for about four miles to Pedestal Rocks. A
mile-long trail passes by wooded hollows and hillsides to these sandstone formations. Nat-
ural forces—millions of years' worth—have carved the rocks so that large boulders rest on
pillarlike ones.
13. Alum Cove Natural Bridge Recreation Area
Another side trip, to the west along Rtes. 16 and 1206, traverses the slopes of Henderson
Mountain to this recreation area. Here, among craggy hillsides, the combined actions of
wind, water, and gravity have transformed a huge mass of sandstone into an imposing nat-
ural bridge. With a total span of about 130 feet, the bridge averages 20 feet in width.
A nature trail crosses the bridge, overlooking the magnolias and beech trees that flour-
ish below. In spring, blossoming dogwoods—found throughout the region—lend a con-
trasting brightness to the scene, with their clouds of white flowers resembling snowflakes
that refuse to land.
HabitatssuchasAlumCove,whereoverhangingrocksformnumerousnooksandcran-
nies, sometimes provide ideal conditions for uncommon species. Botanists for that very
reason find this area an exciting place, especially when they come upon French's shooting
star, an extremely rare wildflower that flourishes beneath just a few sandstone ledges.
14. Grand Canyon of the Ozarks
Although Rte. 7 soon departs from Ozark National Forest, the splendid scenery is far from
ended, for Arkansas's own ''Grand Canyon'' soon appears. The deep, wide valley, etched
by the Buffalo River, teems with wildflowers. Overlooks, especially the one at the Cliff