Talimena Scenic Drive

States: Arkansas and Oklahoma
National Forest: Ouachita National Forest - Arkansas, Ouachita National Forest - Oklahoma
Length: 54.0 mi / 86.9 km
Time to Allow: Take one to two hours to drive or five hours to enjoy this byway.

Visual delights await those who travel along the Talimena Scenic Drive. See vistas with shades of green in the foreground's forests to blue haze in the distant mountains. Rocky fields and trees gnarled from winter winds and ice testify to the harsh environment the early settlers encountered in these mountains.

The Talimena Scenic Byway falls gently like a ribbon over Winding Stair and Rich Mountains. Cresting the highest points between the Appalachians and the Rockies, this byway showcases nature's quiet solitude. One breathtaking panorama follows another as this National Forest Scenic Byway winds along forested mountain tops between Mena, Arkansas, and Talihina, Oklahoma. Visit Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Arkansas and the Talimena State Park in Oklahoma as well as the Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area which surrounds the byway in Oklahoma.

Here you can enjoy the four distinct seasons of the Ouachita National Forest at their best. Wildlife is abundant in the area and you may be lucky enough to spot a black bear or a roadrunner crossing the road as you drive across the mountains. Information stations are located at each end of the drive; just outside Mena in Arkansas and the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 271 northeast of Talihina in Oklahoma.

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  • Outlaws, Ghosts and Castles on Talimena Scenic Drive

    Outlaws, Ghosts and Castles on Talimena Scenic Drive

    Updated Jan 24, 2013

    Looking for byway history with a fun, exciting twist? Explore a myriad of historic places along the Talimena Scenic Drive! Venture to the Horse Thief Spring Historic Site in Oklahoma, see the Heavener Runestone in Heavener State Park, visit the magnificent “Castle in the Sky,” or dare to visit a pioneer cemetery. However you choose to spend your time, the Talimena Scenic Drive, with its fascinating facts and stories, will keep your mind whirling with interest.

  • Fall Splendor on Talimena Scenic Drive

    Fall Splendor on Talimena Scenic Drive

    Updated Sep 7, 2012 in Get Outdoors! For Fall Fun

    Travel along the Talimena Scenic Drive during late October and early November and encounter dazzling displays of bright golds, vibrant reds, and fiery oranges.

See all 4 Stories for Talimena Scenic Drive

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  • Itinerary For Talimena Scenic Drive

    1-Day Trip: Itinerary For Talimena Scenic Drive
    (Oklahoma to Arkansas)

    Pack a lunch or bring charcoal for a warm meal. As you head east stop at the developed vistas and historical sites.

The following byways are part of the designated byway Talimena Scenic Drive: