From public parking at the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, gravel cyclists are invited to explore the western Ozarks and the once prominent townships that became the battlelines between the North and the South during the American Civil War.
With 60% scenic gravel, our ‘Buried Treasure’ route covers close to 60 miles of rural Washington County, Arkansas – with several worthwhile climbs leading to sprawling ridgelines and views of both the rolling Boston Mountains and the Illinois River Valley. With just over 3500 feet of elevation, most avid cyclists will find the route Challenging in difficulty - but achievable. Things get interesting from the beginning (and while legs are fresh) with the day’s longest climb – a 5+ mile gravel stairstep up Skylight Mountain – coming just 4 miles into the ride. From Skylight, the route descends back into the valley with scenic views of the prairies and pastures common across the county.
Around the 20-mile mark is the first opportunity for aid – where a quick jaunt off route will take you through the unincorporated community of Morrow and to the Morrow Country Store – serving up country classics for both breakfast and lunch every day except Sunday. A short climb out of Morrow leads to another rewarding gravel descent down Vineyard Road and into Oklahoma. If you skipped the Morrow Country Store, a quick excursion to the Arkansas/Oklahoma state line at mile 25 leads to the appropriately named State Line Grocery, where a random variety of canned sodas and sugar-filled treats can be found. Please note the State Line Grocery is CASH ONLY.
Heading north, the route follows the picturesque gravel roads that run along the state line - where depending on what side of the road you are riding on might determine what state you are in! A little farther up the road you’ll find the storied community of Dutch Mills, Arkansas. Originally known as Old Hermannsburg and for the adventurous German immigrants that settled there, the original community was abandoned during the Civil War. The stories (and diaries!) of the original settlers survived – as did the legends of war-era buried treasure still yet to be discovered in the Dutch Mills area.
Hoping back on pavement, cyclists will want to use caution while riding along a short portion of a two-lane State Highway – but an ample shoulder provides comfortable room for this paved climb. Mile 36 leads to more gravel, following the ridgeline of Sugartree Mountain and more views of the river valley below. Mile 46 offers the last chance for aid as the route rolls through Lincoln, Arkansas – which was originally known as the Blackjack Township when settlers built the areas first schoolhouse from the wood of Blackjack Oaks in the late 1820’s. There’s no shortage of resupply options in Lincoln with several restaurants, grocery and convenience stores available.
The route finishes up along fast rolling gravel roads skirting the edges of Civil War battlefields that once determined the future of our country. Back in Prairie Grove, consider a quick photo at the Airlight Phonebooth found in town – a still functioning outdoor telephone booth and the first phone booth to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where to Park
The Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park is known as “one of America’s most intact Civil War battlefields”. The park commemorates the site of the last major Civil War battle in Northwest Arkansas, where on December 7, 1862, Confederate and Union forces collided in a brutal day of fighting that left 2,700 casualties. Parking is open year-round from 8am until one hour after sunset. If you catch it open, the free Hindman Hall Museum displays artifacts recovered from the battle.
