Check out the fall colors U.S. 59/259 Poteau to Broken Bow, 94 miles The ridges of the Ouachita Mountains have a distinct east-west ridge pattern, which makes this north-south road a great way to see the diversity and changing landscape of this wooded, mountainous region of our state, and one of the most beautiful. The drive includes jaunts through the Ouachita National Forest, which has a nice mix of trees to guarantee a diverse selection of color, though a bit later in the season as it’s so far south. Where to go: Poteau has lots of places to explore before you get started on your trek. Check out the Poteau Balloonfest (bit.ly/PoteauBalloonfest) in the shadow of Cavanal Hill on Oct. 17-18 (though it’s before the color peaks, for sure). Head south out of town on U.S. 59 toward the rocky ridges of the Ouachitas. Some side trips for your day include the Heavener runestone (though researchers think it might be a hoax, it’s still neat to see) or Lake Wister State Park. You’ll cross the Talimena Scenic Byway, another of our favorite fall drives, before approaching Broken Bow Lake, one of the most remote in the state with great opportunities for fishing, camping and hiking. Broken Bow is at the southern end of the lake, which includes Beavers Bend and Hochatown state parks. If you miss the balloon festival on the north end of the drive, plan to attend the Beavers Bend Folk Festival, Nov. 14-16 at the Forest Heritage Center Museum, and right at the predicted peak of the fall color in the Ouachitas (forestry.ok.gov/folk-festival).
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 01:19:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015