Wanting a nice Sunday drive through the Ozarks

[Mowantstogo]

New guy here looking for recommendations on drives through the Ozarks. Was up on Morgan mountain And white rock last weekend. Looking for trails that are close to that area. In the daily driver so not wanting anything crazy but creek crossings sound good. 5th gen 4Runner trd pro is what we will be in. Thanks in advance

 

[RickLB]

Welcome from Blythewood SC

 

[ryanorr280]

Welcome from the Oklahoma side. I’m new here myself. I have been searching for similar areas as well (ozarks/ouachitas) since it’s just a bit of a drive from here and Oklahoma doesn’t have much at all

 

[Prerunner1982]

Hello Mo, welcome from Central Oklahoma.

 

[Downs]

Welcome from the Oklahoma side. I’m new here myself. I have been searching for similar areas as well (ozarks/ouachitas) since it’s just a bit of a drive from here and Oklahoma doesn’t have much at all

The Ouchitas extend out around Broken Bow lake as well. Lots of dirt/trails and what not around there. Can be kind of a PITA to naviagte as the McCurtain county game preserve is there as well and there's about a million hunting clubs each with their own gates that may or maynot be locked. Can require a lot of backtracking in some instances.

 

[ryanorr280]

The Ouchitas extend out around Broken Bow lake as well. Lots of dirt/trails and what not around there. Can be kind of a PITA to naviagte as the McCurtain county game preserve is there as well and there's about a million hunting clubs each with their own gates that may or maynot be locked. Can require a lot of backtracking in some instances.

We were down there last September. I found a few trails around the area that I was curious of. However, I didn’t know the area at that time and didn’t want to proceed onto private property by mistake. I have been looking on Gaia to try to be prepared for a trip back hopefully sometime relatively soon.

 

[Downs]

We were down there last September. I found a few trails around the area that I was curious of. However, I didn’t know the area at that time and didn’t want to proceed onto private property by mistake. I have been looking on Gaia to try to be prepared for a trip back hopefully sometime relatively soon.

Nearly the whole West Side of the lake is OHV/Ntl Forrest area. The East side seems to be more Game Preserve but still navigable.

Here's a few pics from my last couple of trips.

Holly Mountain Trail

Deadend forrest service road camp.

Abandoned fire tower on East Side of lake.

 

[ryanorr280]

Nearly the whole West Side of the lake is OHV/Ntl Forrest area. The East side seems to be more Game Preserve but still navigable.

Here's a few pics from my last couple of trips.

Holly Mountain Trail

Deadend forrest service road camp.

Abandoned fire tower on East Side of lake.

That looks like a great place. And only a couple hours away from me. So that makes it nice for a weekend trip.

 

[Mowantstogo]

Welcome from the Oklahoma side. I’m new here myself. I have been searching for similar areas as well (ozarks/ouachitas) since it’s just a bit of a drive from here and Oklahoma doesn’t have much at all

I’ve been going out towards brashesrs/oark area in Arkansas and it’s been good so far. I don’t get wild since i mostly wheel solo right now.

 

[Downs]

That looks like a great place. And only a couple hours away from me. So that makes it nice for a weekend trip.

That's why I go there so often. It's a 2 ish hour drive from my house to Broken Bow and not much past that to the trails and some dispersed camping.

 

[ryanorr280]

I’ve been going out towards brashesrs/oark area in Arkansas and it’s been good so far. I don’t get wild since i mostly wheel solo right now.

I went to ozark decades ago. It seemed like a great place. I’ll be solo unless we can get some meet ups setup here myself. A lot of the reason that brought me here. Not a fan of solo really, just in case... I don’t plan on getting wild with it, as the 4R is still fairly new. And not snorkeled yet. Don’t want to trash it really. Lol

 

[ryanorr280]

That's why I go there so often. It's a 2 ish hour drive from my house to Broken Bow and not much past that to the trails and some dispersed camping.

I never knew that area existed until we camped at beavers bend a couple years ago. It’s been my go to for outdoors since then.

 

[Mowantstogo]

I went to ozark decades ago. It seemed like a great place. I’ll be solo unless we can get some meet ups setup here myself. A lot of the reason that brought me here. Not a fan of solo really, just in case... I don’t plan on getting wild with it, as the 4R is still fairly new. And not snorkeled yet. Don’t want to trash it really. Lol

Are runner is also new so we are in the same boat as far as not wanting to sing her up. Lots of good forest roads out this way. Me and the wife have been just going out and kind of putting eyes on stuff to see what’s out there.

 

[ryanorr280]

Are runner is also new so we are in the same boat as far as not wanting to sing her up. Lots of good forest roads out this way. Me and the wife have been just going out and kind of putting eyes on stuff to see what’s out there.

That’s what I’m hoping to do as well. My wife has never been off road much at all really. We took a trip to Colorado a couple years ago, went up to Animas Forks ghost town by Silverton. But that’s as far as we went on the mountain roads, since we were in the Subaru back then. So I am hoping to get her out there and get her to enjoy it as well as much as we do camping at the lake. Some places have amazing views, we play with photography so I’m hoping for some good places for that as well.

 

[Downs]

I never knew that area existed until we camped at beavers bend a couple years ago. It’s been my go to for outdoors since then.

I stayed at Beaver's Bend State Park a while back. March time frame I think. We were going to dispersed camp on the east side of the lake somewhere but a couple with us decided they wanted access to "facilities", unfortunately I caved. People were up all night long with music, a couple of straight piped diesels came in at like 3 in the morning and just sat idle for almost an hour while they setup camp. The "facilities" at the tent camp area were some of the most disgusting I've ever been in. I won't be going back.

 

[Boostpowered]

Beavers bend,broken bow(ouachitas) all the way up to Disney oklahoma(ozarks) are fun, weyerhaeuser logging owns alot of roads and trails too and are cool with offroaders as long as we dont leave trash. During spring and fall rowdy campers trash the area like beaches, lakes and everywhere else during those times.

 

[Boostpowered]

That’s what I’m hoping to do as well. My wife has never been off road much at all really. We took a trip to Colorado a couple years ago, went up to Animas Forks ghost town by Silverton. But that’s as far as we went on the mountain roads, since we were in the Subaru back then. So I am hoping to get her out there and get her to enjoy it as well as much as we do camping at the lake. Some places have amazing views, we play with photography so I’m hoping for some good places for that as well.

The holly mnt trail is best ive found around broken bow for pics.

 

[Mowantstogo]

That’s what I’m hoping to do as well. My wife has never been off road much at all really. We took a trip to Colorado a couple years ago, went up to Animas Forks ghost town by Silverton. But that’s as far as we went on the mountain roads, since we were in the Subaru back then. So I am hoping to get her out there and get her to enjoy it as well as much as we do camping at the lake. Some places have amazing views, we play with photography so I’m hoping for some good places for that as well.

It seems like we have a lot of beautiful areas all around us. If you are ever over this way and want to wonder some roads just let me know

 

[ryanorr280]

I stayed at Beaver's Bend State Park a while back. March time frame I think. We were going to dispersed camp on the east side of the lake somewhere but a couple with us decided they wanted access to "facilities", unfortunately I caved. People were up all night long with music, a couple of straight piped diesels came in at like 3 in the morning and just sat idle for almost an hour while they setup camp. The "facilities" at the tent camp area were some of the most disgusting I've ever been in. I won't be going back.

Those tent areas “facilities” as you so appropriately call them are just as you describe. We stayed there the first time we went, but I have a small bathroom/shower style tent that we used our own toilet in. I walked in theirs once. Never again on that side. Lol

We stayed in the RV side this time with our camper. It wasn’t secluded by any means, but it was nice and quiet for the most part. And the showers/bathrooms were clean. But, we had to haul the kayaks anytime we wanted to go out. You’re not allowed in the water on that side

 

[ryanorr280]

Beavers bend,broken bow(ouachitas) all the way up to Disney oklahoma(ozarks) are fun, weyerhaeuser logging owns alot of roads and trails too and are cool with offroaders as long as we dont leave trash. During spring and fall rowdy campers trash the area like beaches, lakes and everywhere else during those times.

That holly mnt trail looks amazing.

I think when we were down there I was close to that area(best I can recall a few moths ago lol). We started down a trail, it curved right, then I saw a logging grappler/trailer sitting off side of the road and turned around. Not knowing the area, or if they were good with us being there, I didn’t chance it. It’s really good to hear that they are good with us coming through.