I’m in the planning stages for our next motorcycle trip - leaving St. Cloud, MN, on Thursday, August 31. Our plan is to be at Mount Magazine Lodge on Saturday, September 2. Leaving “the Lodge” on Monday the 4th.

Any recommendations on a nice loop between Osage Beach and Mount Magazine Lodge ? Must do roads between the two ?

We’re also planning on pontoon boating in LOTO that Thursday and Friday on the way home to MN.

Thanks for any tips.

MDS

Are you going Hwy 7 between MO & Ark. It is a winding and twisting road with pretty scenery. I don’t know if you would have time but Hot Springs continues down Hwy 7 but it would be about 70 miles each way out of your path to Mt Magazine.

The most direct route between Mount Magazine and the Missouri border, on Highway 21, is probably going to be your best bet. This takes you through what I consider to be the prettiest part of the Ozark Mountains, near Ponca.

Jogging a bit west to take Highway 23 is also a good route. Highway 23 is a popular scenic highway and motorcycle road known as the Pig Trail.

No matter which of those routes you take, that's going to take you through the best part of the state for scenery.

If you're wanting a "loop", you could go 21 down and 23 to 412 up (or vice versa). From there, between the Harrison area to the Springfield area, the route would be the same on 65 through Branson.


Shame you couldn't be traveling through a few weeks later. The Bikes, Blues, and BBQ motorcycle rally is held in the Northwest Arkansas metroplex in mid/late September each year (starting September 20th this year). It's around the 4th largest bike rally in the country now. And the NWA Metroplex is only about an hour west of the route you'll be travelling.

quote:

Originally posted by ShootingSigs2:
Are you going Hwy 7 between MO & Ark. It is a winding and twisting road with pretty scenery. I don’t know if you would have time but Hot Springs continues down Hwy 7 but it would be about 70 miles each way out of your path to Mt Magazine.

I've driven Hwy 7 in a car (1966 Mustang) and it is an "interesting" road. I think it would be fun on a motorcycle. Do it in the daytime, though.

flashguy