Jasper

Scenic and quaint are two words that well describe the town of Jasper, AR. Located in Newton County, the small town is surrounded by natural beauty of 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–the perfect spot for an adventure vacation. 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.

This quaint Ozark Mountain town was named by American Cowboy magazine as one of their "Five Spots for Family Reunions" (September 2012). Jasper, AR has a picturesque downtown square with a beautiful courthouse in the middle and gazebos on the grounds. Every year, people gather in Jasper for the annual Buffalo River Elk Festival, celebrating the reintroduction of elk to the area.

Arkansas Scenic Byway 7, the state's first national scenic byway, offers drivers quite a view as it 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. Be sure to stop by the town of Jasper next time you're in Northwest Arkansas–it's a local treasure!