United States, Oklahoma and Arkansas
A ridge top drive along the Ouachitas, the best driving road in the American south west plains.
Length
87 km
In miles
54.1 mi
Driving time
2 hr 11 min
Atlas rating
8.7 / 10
The run
Talihina to Mena, following the OK 1 and AR 88. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Ice storms occasionally close the ridge
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 18 June 2026
Nearby
561 km away
Natchez Trace Parkway
A 715 km parkway with no junctions, no lorries and no billboards, just trees and quiet.
963 km away
Cherohala Skyway
Wide, fast and empty, the grown up alternative to the Tail of the Dragon next door.
973 km away
Tail of the Dragon, US129
318 curves in 11 miles, the most famous stretch of asphalt in America.
1038 km away
Pikes Peak Highway
156 corners to 4302 metres on the hill climb road every driver knows by name.
1118 km away
Mount Blue Sky Road
No guardrails, thin air and switchbacks to the highest paved road in North America.
1165 km away
The Snake, US 421
489 curves in 12 miles over Iron Mountain, a proper southern Appalachian sprint.
Plan around it
Curated drives
A to B journeys
2 days
Los Angeles to San Francisco
Highway 1 through Big Sur, the coast drive every other coast drive gets compared with.
4 days
Washington DC to Asheville
Skyline Drive into the Blue Ridge Parkway, 1000 km of ridge top tarmac with no lorries on it.
3 days
Nashville to The Great Smoky Mountains
Country music to 318 curves in 11 miles, taking in the Cherohala Skyway on the way.