Let’s take a scenic drive through the heart of the Arkansas River Valley as we cruise 34 miles east along Arkansas Highway 22, known to many as the True Grit Trail. We start our journey right in the center of Paris, Arkansas — at the corner of 5th Street and Walnut Street. Paris is a charming small town nestled beneath the shadow of Mount Magazine, Arkansas’s highest peak. As we roll out of town, Highway 22 cuts through a mix of commercial storefronts and light industrial sites before giving way to open farmland and tree-lined hillsides that define this stretch of the valley.
Leaving Paris behind, our route quickly settles into a rhythm of gentle hills and wide farm fields, showcasing the agricultural backbone of this region. To our south, on clear days, the outline of Mount Magazine rises majestically, reminding us of the nearby state park’s hiking trails and stunning overlooks. Before long, we arrive in the small community of Subiaco, famous for Subiaco Abbey and Academy, a Catholic boarding school with striking stone architecture tucked just off the highway. We pass the junction with Arkansas Highway 197 here — one of several links that tie these valley towns together.
Continuing east from Subiaco, the terrain flattens slightly and becomes more wooded, mixing pine groves and pastures as we approach Midway. Here, we intersect Arkansas Highway 109 — a route that heads north toward the Arkansas River crossing at Morrison Bluff and Clarksville. Highway 22, however, stays true to its eastward course, threading through rolling countryside dotted with old barns and grazing cattle. Just past Midway, we come to New Blaine, a quaint village along the old stagecoach route. Near New Blaine, we navigate a bend that crosses Brushy Creek before we curve into town, weaving between two intersections with the old alignment of Highway 22, now redesignated as Arkansas Highway 197.
After New Blaine, the highway resumes its steady eastward push under the local nickname Butterfield Trail, honoring the historic mail route that once passed through this corridor. The landscape here is a beautiful mix of cultivated farmland and natural hardwood forests, all framed by distant blue ridges of the Ouachita Mountains to the south. It’s a route that feels both open and sheltered — perfect for a leisurely drive with windows down, especially in spring when wildflowers paint the roadside.
Approaching the final leg of our journey, we reach the small community of Delaware, where Arkansas Highway 393 connects back north toward rural river landings. Past Delaware, Highway 22 sets its sights on Lake Dardanelle. This broad reservoir is one of the Arkansas River’s jewels, popular with boaters, anglers, and anyone wanting to soak in a sunset over calm waters. We cross the lake twice on sturdy causeways, getting postcard views of the river’s expanse and the wetlands that surround it.
Crossing that second bridge, we roll into Dardanelle, one of the valley’s historic river towns and a gateway to both Mount Nebo and Russellville across the river. Just inside town, we pass the eastern terminus of Arkansas Highway 155 — a steep, winding road that climbs Mount Nebo for more panoramic views. Our drive along Highway 22 concludes at the busy junction with Arkansas Highway 7, right in the heart of Dardanelle.
This stretch of Highway 22 isn’t just a connection between two towns — it’s a tour through the living history, farmland, and rugged beauty of the Arkansas River Valley.
🗺️ Route Map
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