Scenic and quaint are two words that well describe Jasper. Located in Newton County, the small town is surrounded by the natural beauty where the nation's first national river, the Buffalo, begins to flow. More than one third of the county is owned by some government entity (National Park Service, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, State of Arkansas and county government). The area is packed with outdoor opportunities like hiking, canoeing, caving, rock climbing, fishing, hunting, mountain biking and horseback riding. A herd of about 450 elk roam the Buffalo River corridor at Boxley Valley, Steel Creek, Kyle's Landing, Erbie, Ozark, Pruitt, and even on private lands, and Newton County is known as the Elk Capital of Arkansas.
Jasper has a picturesque downtown square with a beautiful courthouse in the middle and gazebos on the grounds. The annual Buffalo River Elk Festival takes place here. Arkansas Scenic Byway 7, the state's first national scenic byway, cuts through the heart of the county, running north and south. Harrison is 20 miles from Jasper while Russellville or Branson are 60 miles away.