North Carolina has the Tail of the Dragon, Tennessee is home to the Devil’s Triangle and now Missouri has the Ozark Hellbender.
A catchy name is a must for enticing the nation’s motorcycle riders to experience a scenic, stomach-churning roadway with plenty of sharp “twisties” and long, banked “sweepers.” The Tail of the Dragon boasts 318 curves in 11 miles.
The Ozark hellbender is a large aquatic salamander that hides under rocks in the spring-fed streams of southern Missouri. Alan Peters decided to honor the endangered amphibian by borrowing its name for one of five motorcycle routes he is recommending as self-guided day trips at www.MotorcycleOzarks.com. Peters and his wife, Lynnett, have been promoting the scenic wonders of the area since moving from Kansas some 40 years ago and opening River’s Edge Resort on the Jacks Fork River in Eminence.
The Jacks Fork and the Current River are the heart of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, America’s first river-based national park. The area also is home to the Mark Twain National Forest, which covers 1.5 million acres of wooded hills that glow in autumn colors each fall.
Cutting straight through the scenic landscape north to south through Eminence is Highway 19, which was built in the 1930s by laborers using picks, shovels, axes, saws and teams of oxen and mules. The route followed the ridges of the hills, with steep drop-offs beyond the shoulders in many stretches.
Federal funds once were available to straighten the gnarly highway, but those plans were voted down. Designated a scenic highway, 19 now is a delight for motorcyclists, sports car enthusiasts and any driver who relishes a challenging, backcountry road.
Not so delighted are the queasy kids in the backseat.
Peters is an avid motorcyclist and put together the information on his web page to showcase the area to outsiders. His website includes free printable maps and descriptive guides of the wonders you’ll find on each route. “Most of the cyclists who come through here ride 19 but miss the best part,” Peters said. “You’ve got to stop and see the springs and the caves and the waterfalls, all those things that make this place unique in the whole world.”
For example, the Ozark Hellbender starts in Eminence in a 122-mile loop that features nearly 300 curves. The route crosses the Current River at Round Spring, then goes over Sinking Creek and twists up the mountain past Current River State Park. It hangs a left on Route KK to Aker’s Ferry.
“After leaving Akers, it heads north on Devil’s Backbone, which offers beautiful views of the Current River valley any time of the year,” Peters said. “It follows some nice curves into Montauk State Park, which is another part of the world with trout fishing in the headwaters of the Current. There’s lodging and a pretty good restaurant in the park.”
Heading back to Eminence, the route goes by Alley Spring, where the barn-red mill is one of the most photographed scenes in the Ozarks. “The spring, the old red mill and the sluice below are just absolutely gorgeous,” Peters said. “The foot bridge offers a bird’s eye view of the river.”
Traffic is minimal on the five routes, although horse trailers and logging trucks may slow you down. Here are the other four routes Peters describes on the web page:
Jesse James Getaway: From Eminence, this route follows Highway 106, crossing the Current River and going up the mountainside. “If you want to be a little adventurous, you can take the road to Blue Spring, one of the most beautiful sights in the country,” Peters said. The route is named for the infamous outlaw who was said to have escaped frustrated posses by hiding in the hills and hollows. “Supposedly, he stayed at Maggard’s Cabin and left a nice tip under his plate in the morning,” Peters sai.
Waterfall Wonderland: The ride is named for Rocky Falls, which looks like it should be in the Rocky Mountains instead of the Ozarks. As it heads toward Arkansas, the pavement swoops up and down through the Mark Twain National Forest. “It’s a real roller coaster,” Peters said. “The faster you go, the more exciting it is. You definitely come out of your seat on some of those.” A mile-long hike through the forest leads to Greer Spring, which sits in a pristine canyon and pumps out 220,000 million gallons of clear, cold water daily. Further on is Mammoth Spring, which has a waterfall and visitor center.
Big Spring Sidewinder: Big Spring is the biggest in a state of gushing springs. “It’s a truly awesome sight – a big boil that comes out of the base of a bluff,” Peters said. “It’s a favorite destination of a lot of motorcyclists. It’s a popular site to picnic or camp or just visit the river. You go to Van Buren through the backroads on Route D. It offers some challenging sweepers into the backside of Van Buren.”
Elephant Rocks and Roll: The route is named for Elephant Rocks State Park, where a short paved walkway leads to a formation of huge granite boulders that some say looks like a row of pink circus elephants. The ride then goes to another popular state park, Johnson’s Shut-Ins, which is home to the state’s favorite swimming hole. “You go through Bixby, which has a country store that is a great place to stop for some ice cream or a soda,” Peters said. “You get to visit a real Ozark roadside attraction.”
Peters has been guiding trips through the Ozarks for 40 years, and designed his website to promote what he has found.
“One thing I’m willing to do, if someone wants to talk to me, I’ll add some tips, something off the beaten path, to help see the Ozarks that most people don’t get to see,” he said.
The guides are available at www.MotorcycleOzarks.com. Peters can be reached at www.Rivers-Edge.com and (573) 226-3233.
