Great River Road (Arkansas) National Scenic Byway
Marked by green-and-white highway signs depicting a steamboats pilot
wheel, the Great River Road extends through 10 states along the
Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Designated a national scenic byway
in 2002, Arkansas's portion of the route traverses part of the nation's
largest alluvial plain, allowing travelers to experience both the
mighty river and its legacy of shaping landscapes and lives along its
path.
Known in the region as the Delta, the plain covers in eastern
Arkansas alone more than 15,000 square miles, including all or part of
27 of the state's 75 counties. Contained within the Deltas level
expanse, Crowleys Ridge extends for 160 miles and rises as much as 200
feet above the surrounding lowlands. The unusual geological feature was
formed when the ancestral Mississippi and Ohio rivers eroded away the
land on each side and deposits of wind-blown soils added height to the
remnant ridge.
At the time of pioneer settlement, most Delta terrain was lowlands
and swamps, rich in virgin timber and wildlife. Some two centuries
later, it is largely agricultural, producing voluminous crops of
soybeans, rice, cotton and wheat.
For much of its length, the Great River Road (Arkansas) National Scenic Byway
journeys through those agricultural lands, passing remnants of the
original wetlands and traveling through towns whose histories and
economies were influenced by the river. From Marianna to Helena,
however, the route penetrates the woodlands of the St. Francis National
Forest on Crowleys Ridge.
The Route
LENGTH: 362 miles.
MAPS:
Southern Section
Northern Section
Interactive Attractions Map
THINGS TO KNOW:
The major towns on the byway are Blytheville, West Memphis, Marianna,
Helena, DeWitt, Dumas, McGehee and Lake Village. Lodging, dining and
shopping opportunities in those and other communities can be researched
using the links in the "Major Area Attractions" section below or by
means of an interactive map at www.deltabyways.com/map.htm.
Lodging options can also be searched by town and by the categories of
"Motels/Hotels," "Bed and Breakfast" and "Campsites/Cabins" by
visiting www.deltabyways.com/lodging. Camping is available at sites within the
St. Francis National Forest.
Two areas of cultural interest along the byway are Native Americans
and blues music. The legacy of Arkansas's largest concentrations of
Native Americans can be
explored at the Hampson Museum and Parkin Archeological state parks.
Arkansas's role in the development of blues music can be explored in interactive and audio exhibits at the
Delta Cultural Center.
MAJOR AREA ATTRACTIONS:
REGIONAL TOURISM INFORMATION:
