U.S. Route 64: Ozark to Russellville – Arkansas

Take a scenic ride across the Arkansas River Valley as we follow a classic stretch of U.S. Highway 64 from the wine country of Ozark to the riverfront city of Russellville. This 49-mile journey captures the rhythm of small towns, wide farmland, wooded ridgelines, and views of Lake Dardanelle—blending natural beauty with local history along one of the region’s oldest east-west corridors.

Our drive begins in downtown Ozark, where U.S. 64 meets Arkansas Highway 23, also known as the Pig Trail Scenic Byway. Ozark sits nestled against the Arkansas River and has long been a riverport and agricultural center. As we head east, the road gently climbs out of town, quickly trading Ozark’s historic brick storefronts for the rolling hills that signal the edge of the Arkansas Wine Trail. Just past the intersection with AR-23 South, we reach the highland hamlet of Altus, a community steeped in German-Swiss heritage and known for its wineries and vineyards. Here, AR-186 branches north to Wiederkehr Village, where visitors can still explore the cellars and stone structures of Arkansas’s wine pioneers.

Beyond Altus, the landscape opens into wider valleys and farmland as we continue through Coal Hill and Hartman, two towns with coal-mining roots that now feel more like countryside waypoints than industrial centers. Silos, barns, and tractors begin to punctuate the view, and the hum of local traffic reminds us this road still serves its communities. As we near Clarksville, U.S. 64 begins to pick up volume. The highway meets Interstate 40 at a major interchange, marking Clarksville as a key access point to the region. Home to the University of the Ozarks, Clarksville has grown into a vibrant town with schools, shops, and civic life clustered around its historic downtown and the busy U.S. 64 corridor.

Leaving Clarksville, we pass through Lamar, a quieter community where time seems to stretch out between gas stations and corner churches. U.S. 64 turns south here to meet I-40 once again, briefly dipping toward the river before bending back east through Knoxville, a small town that shares its name with a far larger one but trades high-rise bustle for hayfields and local diners. Here, the road begins a subtle transformation—following the Arkansas River’s path more closely, and gradually drawing nearer to Lake Dardanelle.

We enter London, where U.S. 64’s relationship with Interstate 40 becomes even more pronounced. The two highways run parallel through town, a pairing that emphasizes the way newer interstates have shadowed old U.S. routes without entirely replacing their importance. London itself feels like a rest stop in slow motion—sleepy but steady, with a post office, a few local shops, and a palpable sense of routine. As we depart London, the road gently arcs southeast, hugging the north shore of Lake Dardanelle. The landscape grows greener and more dramatic here, as if preparing us for a final act.

Crossing the lake, we arrive in Russellville, a regional hub with a strong sense of identity tied to both the river and nearby Mount Nebo State Park. The highway widens slightly, and traffic picks up as we approach the intersection with Arkansas Highway 7, the north-south spine of the Ozark region. This is where our journey ends, but U.S. 64 continues on—just as it has since the early days of cross-country travel—quietly threading together the lives and landscapes of Arkansas.