Talimena Scenic Drive
Places to Visit
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Black Fork Mountain Wilderness Trail (AR)
A day hiker or an overnight backpacker may enjoy stunning views of Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Rich Mountain Fire Tower, and the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Distance from byway: On the byway Directions: From Mena, AR go 4 miles on Hwy 71 north to Acorn. At Acorn, take Hwy 270 west 6 miles to the trailhead.
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East End Visitor Information Station (AR)
This facility offers travelers, entering or leaving the Byway, a place to rest and refresh, to receive weather reports on the Byway and to view maps and exhibits of the National Forest area.
Location: Northeast of Mena
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Located in the central portion of Arkansas, Mena is nestled in the Ouachita Mountains with cascading streams, bass-filled lakes and a million and a half acres of pristine national forests
Location: Central Arkansas
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Ouachita National Forest - Arkansas (AR)
The Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and Oklahoma covers 1.8 million acres. Headquartered in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the forest is managed for multiple uses.
Location: In western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma
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Ouachita National Recreation Trail (AR)
This trail parallels the entire length of the Talimena National Forest Scenic Byway and dissects Mountain Gateway, providing hiking and backpacking opportunities for the byway traveler at almost any point.
Location: Ouachita National Forest, Oklahoma and Arkansas
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Pioneer Cemetery Historic Site (AR)
The story of the Old Pioneer Cemetery on top of Rich Mountain is a patchwork of tales and parts of tales handed down through the generations of the families who lived on the mountain.
Location: Located about 1.5 miles east of the Oklahoma-Arkansas state border
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Queen Wilhelmina Lake Vista (AR)
An inspiring view of Queen Wilhelmina Lake, the Little River Valley, and western Mena, Arkansas.
Location: One mile east of Queen Wilhelmina State Park
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Queen Wilhelmina State Park (AR)
On top of Arkansas' second highest peak, this cloud-capped hideaway is rich in both history and scenery. In the late 1800s, a resort hostelry named Queen Wilhelmina Inn was built on Rich Mountain by the Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Gulf Railroad.
Location: Adjacent to the junction of State Highways 88 and 272
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Rich Mountain is a great place to experience climbing an old fire tower and to enjoy a picnic lunch on this end of the byway. Volunteers give tours of the tower on weekend afternoons between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Location: One mile east of Queen Wilhelmina State Park
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Drug up the mountain by mules, the five-foot iron marker delineated the historic line between the Choctaw Nation and the State of Arkansas. While the marker itself was stolen in recent years, you can still see the site of this historic line.
Location: Located on the OK-AR state border.
