Southwest Heritage Trail

Follow the Southwest Trail on one of Arkansas' best American history tours through some of the most popular historical vacation spots in the state.

• Texarkana
• Washington
• Hope
• Okolona
• Arkadelphia
• Benton
• North Little Rock
• Little Rock
• Batesville
• Sulphur Rock
• Smithville
• Pocahontas
• Maynard

The Southwest Trail is a general term for the network of routes connecting the St. Louis/St. Genevieve are of Missouri and the Red River Valley of Texas. In Arkansas, what had been little more than a footpath before Arkansas became a territory in 1819 became a major emigration route in the 1820s. More than four-fifths of Arkansas' population by the 1830s had entered the territory along the Southwest Trail. The road was improved by the U.S. Army during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. The section north of the Arkansas River saw its use decline during the late nineteenth century, but the route south of there was still in use for decades afterwards.

THE SOUTHWEST TRAIL ROUTE THROUGH ARKANSAS
Start at Missouri border follow Hwy 166 to Maynard then Hwy 328 to Attica then Hwy 251 to Hwy 115 through Pocahontas to US 62 to Imboden then Hwy 115 through Smithville to Jesup then Hwy 117 to Strawberry then Hwy 25 to Walnut Grove then Walnut Grove Road to Hwy 233.

Next is two possible routes:

• Hwy 233 to Sulphur Rock then Hwy 69 to Batesville then US 167 to Southside
• Hwy 233 to Newark then Hwy 122 to Hwy 14 through Oil Trough to Southside
• US 167 to Pleasant Plains then Hwy 157 to Sunnydale then Hwy 124 to Hwy 305 to Hwy 16 to Letona Road to Mount Pisgah Road to Morris School Road to Hwy 36 to Center Hill then Hwy 305 to Floyd then El Paso Road to Hwy 5 through El Paso to Hwy 89 then Tates Mill Road to Batesville Pike Road through Gibson to Remount Road to Hwy 176 to Hwy 365 through North Little Rock then US 70 through Little Rock to Hwy 5 through Bryant and Benton to US 70 then Hwy 229 to US 67 then Old Military Road to Rockport then Hwy 84 to Social Hill then Old Military Road to US 67 to Caddo Valley then Old Military Road to Hwy 8 then Mt Olive road to Hollywood then Hwy 26 to Antoine then Hwy 29 to Hwy 19 to Hwy 29 through Blevins to Hwy 32 then US 278 to Washington then Hwy 195 to Fulton then US 67 through Mandeville to Rondo Road through Rondo to US 82 through Texarkana.

Start planning your American history tours through some of the most popular historical vacation spots in Arkansas today!