# Arkansas folk music, caverns and the Buffalo River

> 3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 7 stops, from Little Rock to Jasper. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b19-ozark-folk-blanchard/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 7 stops, from Little Rock to Jasper. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total. Mountain music in Mountain View, Blanchard Springs Caverns and the lower Buffalo River, from Little Rock to the Ozark village of Jasper.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 281 km (175 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 07 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Little Rock → Jasper |
| States | AR |
| Updated | May 10, 2026 |

## Route description

Leave Little Rock north on US-67/167 and AR-5 to Heber Springs, about 1 hour 30 minutes, on the shore of Greers Ferry Lake. The lake is clear and good for swimming, and the Little Red River below the dam is known for trout. Continue north on AR-25 and AR-5/AR-9 through the hills to Mountain View, about another hour.

Mountain View calls itself the folk music capital of the world. On mild evenings, musicians gather on the courthouse square to play old-time and bluegrass music for free. The Ozark Folk Center State Park, just north of town, has craft demonstrations and concerts from spring to autumn. The town has small campgrounds and motels, and the White River nearby is famous for trout fishing.

Blanchard Springs Caverns is a 30-minute drive north-west on AR-14. The road down to the visitor center is steep; tours run from about May to October and are closed some weekdays, so check times and reserve ahead. The recreation area has a campground and a swimming hole on Sylamore Creek. AR-14 then continues west through the Ozark National Forest to Buffalo Point.

Buffalo Point, in the lower district of the Buffalo National River, has a campground, cabins and trails to bluffs above the river. It is a good place to float the river in spring, when water levels are higher. From Buffalo Point, winding roads through Marshall lead west to Jasper in about 1 hour 30 minutes. AR-7 south of Jasper is one of the state’s most scenic drives.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Little Rock** (AR)
2. **Heber Springs** (AR)
3. **Mountain View** (AR)
4. **Ozark Folk Center State Park** (Mountain View, AR): A living museum of Ozark crafts and music with blacksmiths, potters and weavers, and evening concerts of acoustic mountain music. Open mainly from April to November; check the schedule.
5. **Blanchard Springs Caverns** (Fifty-Six, AR): A living cave in the Ozark National Forest, now run with Arkansas State Parks, with huge rooms of flowstone and columns on the paved Dripstone Trail. Tours run from about May to October; book ahead.
6. **Buffalo Point** (Yellville, AR): The lower district of the Buffalo National River, with high bluffs, gravel bars for swimming and floating, and trails to Indian Rockhouse cave. Reached off AR-14 south of Yellville.
7. **Jasper** (AR)

## FAQs

**How long is Arkansas folk music, caverns and the Buffalo River?**
3-day road trip of about 281 km (175 mi) with 7 stops, from Little Rock to Jasper. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Arkansas folk music, caverns and the Buffalo River?**
We suggest 3 days: about 3 h 07 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Arkansas folk music, caverns and the Buffalo River start and end?**
It starts in Little Rock and ends in Jasper.

**Which states does Arkansas folk music, caverns and the Buffalo River pass through?**
Arkansas.