Missouri Route 125: Arkansas to Rueter [Revisited]

Join us as we drive America’s Highways for 11 miles north along Missouri Route 125 from the Arkansas border to the small community of Rueter. This stretch may be short, but it’s packed with Ozark charm, backwoods scenery, and a dose of local history that makes it worth a revisit.

Our journey begins just north of the Peel Ferry, where Arkansas Highway 125 crosses Bull Shoals Lake and becomes Missouri Route 125. For those unfamiliar, Peel Ferry is one of the last remaining operational ferries in the state of Arkansas, making this segment of Route 125 especially unique. The ferry connects the southern leg of AR-125 to the Missouri border, providing a scenic and somewhat nostalgic gateway into the Show-Me State. Once across the lake and into Missouri, we’re greeted by rolling hills and dense forests characteristic of the Mark Twain National Forest, which envelopes much of this region.

After entering Missouri, we travel about a mile before reaching Protem—a tiny community with deep Ozark roots. While the town itself is modest, it marks a noticeable shift in the terrain as Route 125 begins its climb into the higher elevations of Taney County. Here, the road takes a brief turn west through Protem before resuming its northbound course. This area is especially beautiful during the fall, with fiery reds and golds painting the hillsides. The curves and grades along this segment provide a dynamic driving experience, perfect for road trippers, motorcyclists, or anyone just looking for a peaceful alternative to the interstate.

Continuing north from Protem, we drive another five or six miles through thick woodlands and occasional open clearings. The route offers glimpses of family farms and rural homesteads, nestled quietly among the trees. As we near the end of our drive, the road straightens slightly and we approach the junction with U.S. Highway 160, just east of the unincorporated community of Rueter. This is where our journey on Route 125 ends, and we transition westward onto US-160, a major east-west route that winds through the heart of southern Missouri.

This section of Route 125 serves not only as a scenic connector between Arkansas and Missouri but also as a living reminder of a time when rural routes were lifelines for the communities they served. Whether you’re arriving by ferry or coming from deeper within Missouri, this route offers a quiet, serene journey through a region that still feels largely untouched by time.
8.23/172