The best road trips are when you pack up the car and go where the wind takes you. This is exactly what we did as we drove the scenic Talimena National Scenic Byway from Oklahoma to Arkansas, also known as Hwy 88. This is a beautiful drive through the Ouachita Mountains, especially in the fall as the colors are changing all around. During this trip we decided if we saw a sign that interested us, we would just follow the road. Many times the roads were dirt and rock but it didn’t matter to us. We didn’t have to be anywhere, we had all the time in the world. Well, for three days anyway.
Rich Mountain Fire Tower
We stumbled upon Rich Mountain Fire Station purely by luck and a sign. Who says advertising doesn’t work? Since the sign said it was a fire station we knew we would get the best views around. So off the road we went.
What we found was indeed a large tower, that had once been a fire station. The tower was rusty and had been abandoned since the 80’s but you could still climb it. Which of course I did.
When I climbed as far as I was prepared to climb, the view was amazing. Sure, I bet the view is even better a few steps further up but for some reason the rust and old wood boards no longer appealed to me. On a clear day they say you see for 100’s of miles. I felt like I still could even though it was hazy and cloudy. But a word of caution, they say it is safe to climb but you don’t have a great sense of safety doing it.
Little Missouri Falls
The next sign that drew us in was for the Little Missouri Falls. I had remembered that the Missouri River was one of the largest rivers in North America so this was definitely going to be a treat. And the fact that it said Falls, told me there might be waterfalls. And I love waterfalls!
They have a campground with picnic tables but we didn’t camp there. I’m not really keen on camping, now glamping might be another story.
I was disappointing we didn’t have more time to spend. Remember when I said we didn’t have to be anywhere? Well, that was the truth but I could’ve spent days exploring and hiking. Unfortunately, I was unprepared with just my flip flops.
Wearing flip flops is not the way you want to hike the Little Missouri Trail, not all 16 miles long of it anyway. If you want to take full advantage of the Falls you need to dress appropriately. And definitely, don’t forget the bug spray. Mosquitoes love the water and foliage. So do snakes, so watch where you’re going.
The waterfalls are are peaceful and calming and I was so glad we saw the sign. Sometimes just following signs can take you to some amazing places.
The waterfalls are everywhere! I am sure there are more along the way, but we only hiked about a mile.
I did take my flip flops off to get in the water so it was still a big success. I love the water but I still want to go back when we can do some real hiking.
The Wonder House by Queen Wilhelmina
As we drove into Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, we passed this cute little stone house and stopped. There was a sign on the door which gave tour times by a park ranger but we got there after the last tour.
It’s definitely worth a look next time we go especially since it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. While we didn’t get to go inside, I did take a picture explaining what the Wonder House is.
The views driving the Talimena Scenic Highway are beautiful. The sunsets were exceptional as well. I put this in the enjoy the journey category. Sometimes I’m so focused on where I’m going, I forget to enjoy all the amazing things I pass along the way.
Have you ever driven the Talimena Scenic Highway? Did you love it?
