Talihina Drive Buffalo Mountain Overlook Circuit

The Talihina Scenic Drive traces the spine of the Ouachita Mountains along a route that started as an Indian trail and became a CCC project during the Depression. This 54-mile ribbon of asphalt and connected dirt spurs climbs through hardwood forests to Buffalo Mountain’s 2500-foot fire tower, where you can see three states on clear days. The main challenge isn’t the paved highway itself, but the unmarked Forest Service roads that branch off to abandoned lookouts and technical ridge-running routes that require local knowledge and careful navigation through dense timber.

Easy to moderate difficulty on the main route, but expert-level navigation skills needed for the technical spurs that access the real payoff viewpoints. Stock vehicles handle the scenic drive fine, but high-clearance 4WD opens up the forest roads to places like Rich Mountain fire tower and the old Winding Stair overlook. Fall color season (October) draws crowds, but spring and early summer offer solitude and wildflowers. No permits required, and dispersed camping is allowed in national forest areas off the main route. You’ll earn some of the Southeast’s best ridge-running and a taste of what Arkansas and Oklahoma looked like before the sawmills arrived.