Old Highway 71
Boston Mountains Scenic Byway
Old U.S. Highway 71 from Dickson Street in Fayetteville to Alma.
This 47 mile scenic byway made the jump from road-to-avoid to don't miss status when Interstate 540 opened to the west.
From I-40 at Alma to Fayetteville this road is a pleasure to ride now that truck traffic has moved west.
The road surface is in great condition and the lanes and shoulders are wide. In many places its three lanes wide. The curves are broad sweepers along with some tight ones mixed in but with the wide lanes the ride is easy.
Traffic wise, there's usually not more than a handful of other vehicles and almost no trucks. The views on the way to the top of the mountain are spectacular. Old Highway 71 runs north/south over the Boston Mountains.
From Alma to just south of Mountainburg, the road gently climbs out of the river valley and is fairly ordinary for about eight miles but two miles south of Mountainburg you will find yourself winding down a steep mountain side for an exhilarating downhill ride.The highway levels out through town and then starts an equally exhilarating climb out of the valley ending at West Fork, Greenland and on into Fayetteville.
