The Incredible Scenic Drive In Arkansas That Starts At A Ghost Town And Ends At A Living Cave

The drive begins on AR-5 and heads south to AR-14 and FR-1110. Just enjoying the drive only takes an hour and a half but there's plenty of stops to turn this drive into a day trip or even a full weekend. For a map of today's drive, use this one.

Address: AR-5, Calico Rock, AR 72519

The system was developed in 1991 by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, along with a nominating process led by the Arkansas General Assembly. Arkansas has 11 scenic byways that range from quick motorcycle trails to multi-state national scenic byways. Today's focus, the Sylamore Scenic Byway, is a lovely stretch through the Ozark National Forest.

The small town originally served as a vital port to the White River in the early 1880s. Today, the town features endless water recreation and dozens of beautifully-located inns and cabins. You should definitely grab a slice of pie from Our House Cafe and stroll the streets before taking our Sylamore road trip.

Our House Cafe Address: 804 AR-56, Calico Rock, AR 72519

Calico Rock is the only place in the United States to have a ghost town within a town. East Calico was officially designated as a tourist-friendly ghost town through preservation efforts in 2007. The self-guided walking tour will take you pass informative signs describing the once bustling area.

The drive is mostly along state highways that traverse through the foothills of the Ozark mountains and forest. 23.2 of the 26.5-mile drive is on AR-5 and AR-14. The last stretch through Forest Service Road 1110 will take you to another fascinating destination.

This drive takes you to Blanchard Springs Caverns. Much like Calico Rock this area can easily take a day or longer to fully explore. Blanchard Springs features the largest cave "rooms" in the state (the Cathedral Room alone could hold three football fields). The cave is considered living since it's still developing, even after 300 million years! Tours for every skill level are offered at Blanchard Springs and the nearby recreation area has prime camping sites. For more information on the cave, visit this site.

For more details on navigating this byway, head to this site.