Boston Mountains Scenic Loop
Boston Mountains Scenic Loop highlighted in red (I-49) and blue (US 71)
Section 1
Length	38 mi (61 km)
South end	I-40, Alma
North end	I-49, Fayetteville
Section 2
Length	42 mi (68 km)
South end	I-40, Alma
North end	US 71, Fayetteville
Location
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Highway system
Arkansas Highway System Interstate US State Business Spurs Suffixed Scenic Heritage

The Boston Mountains Scenic Loop is one of ten Arkansas Scenic Byways. There are two different paths that constitute the loop, Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 71.

Route description

History

The first routes through the area were Native American Trails, later formalized into the Ozark Highlands Trails. These rough roads became obsolete with the establishment of the Butterfield Overland Mail, a stagecoach route from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco, California that traversed the Boston Mountains in Northwest Arkansas. This route has been preserved in part as Arkansas Highway 265 and is well marked throughout Fayetteville and other Northwest Arkansas cities. US 71 replaced the stagecoach route when the United States Numbered Highways system came to Arkansas in 1926.

U.S. Route 71 in conjunction with Arkansas Highway 23 served the Northwest Arkansas area for many years, but as the area grew the routes became congested. The need for a limited-access highway became apparent, and Interstate 49 was completed through the area by 1999.

See also

• United States portal
• U.S. Roads portal

References

External links

• Boston Mountains Scenic Loop on Arkansashighways.com