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Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway fall foliage drive
Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway was the state’s first scenic byway. It runs about 290 miles north from near El Dorado through the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs and the Arkansas River Valley to Harrison in the Ozarks. The stretch most people drive for fall color starts at Russellville, where the road climbs into the Ozark National Forest and winds north past Jasper and the Buffalo National River. Color typically peaks around October 29 at Harrison and October 31 around Jasper, and about November 3 down in the river valley at Russellville.
- Route
- Arkansas Highway 7
- Ozark stretch
- Russellville to Harrison
- Full byway
- About 290 miles, El Dorado area to Harrison
- Typical peak
- Oct 29 – Nov 3
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 31 at Jasper. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for Jasper, at 876 feet. See below for other points along the drive.
Peak along the route
Bars show the typical best-viewing window at each point. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s estimated status.
Along the way
- Russellville, in the Arkansas River Valley, the southern start of the Ozark stretch. Mount Nebo rises to the west near Dardanelle, and Lake Dardanelle State Park is just off the byway.
- Ozark National Forest, north of Russellville, where the road climbs into more than a million acres of forested hills.
- Rotary Ann Roadside Park, with a 180-degree view over the Ozarks. Built in the 1930s, it was the first roadside rest area in Arkansas.
- The Grand Canyon of the Ozarks, the deep valley southeast of Jasper. Highway 7 runs alongside it through a twisting stretch just before town.
- Jasper, a small mountain town near the Buffalo River. Highway 74 heads west from here to Ponca and the upper river.
- Pruitt, where Highway 7 crosses the Buffalo National River, between Jasper and Harrison.
- Harrison, at the northern end, with a historic downtown square around the 1909 Boone County Courthouse.
Short walks
From Jasper, Highway 74 runs west to Ponca on the upper Buffalo River, where the Lost Valley Trail, about 2.5 miles round trip, follows a narrow canyon to Eden Falls. In Hot Springs, the Grand Promenade is an easy walk behind Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park.
Good to know
The Ozark stretch is a two-lane mountain road with sharp curves, especially around the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks south of Jasper, so allow more time than the distance suggests. The southern part of the byway, through the Ouachita Mountains and Hot Springs, typically peaks a few days later than the Ozarks. Nearby, the Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Highway 23) is another winding drive through the Ozark National Forest.
The season at Jasper
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Nearby destinations and guides
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage on the Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway?
In a typical year, color along the Ozark stretch of Scenic 7 peaks from about October 29 around Harrison to about November 3 around Russellville, in the Arkansas River Valley. Hot Springs, on the southern part of the byway, typically peaks around November 3. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long is the Arkansas Scenic 7 Byway?
About 290 miles, from near El Dorado in south Arkansas to Harrison in the Ozarks. The fall color stretch most people drive is the Ozark section north of Russellville, through the Ozark National Forest to Jasper and Harrison.
Where are the best fall views on Scenic 7?
North of Russellville, Rotary Ann Roadside Park has a wide view over the Ozarks, and just south of Jasper the road runs alongside the deep valley known as the Grand Canyon of the Ozarks. Between Jasper and Harrison, Highway 7 crosses the Buffalo National River at Pruitt.
Route and stop details: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (Scenic 7 Byway, One Tank Trips: Scenic 7, scenic overlooks, fall drives in the Ozarks) and the National Park Service (Highway 7 bridge at Pruitt).
Peak dates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years. They are not live observations. How it works.