Ozark Mountains

Blessed with some spectacular scenery and the abundance of natural fish-filled lakes and healthy river systems, the Ozark Mountains are simply gorgeous. This part of northern Arkansas is perhaps most well known as the fictional former home of the Beverly Hillbillies (where they struck it rich in oil before moving to California) and several quirky little towns feed off this backward hillbilly image. Annual festivals in towns like Mountain Home and Bull Shoals celebrate everything from fiddles and wildflowers to bountiful trout and the ingenuity of the Dutch oven. In addition to fantastic fishing, boating, canoeing and swimming, the Ozarks are ...

Blessed with some spectacular scenery and the abundance of natural fish-filled lakes and healthy river systems, the Ozark Mountains are simply gorgeous. This part of northern Arkansas is perhaps most well known as the fictional former home of the Beverly Hillbillies (where they struck it rich in oil before moving to California) and several quirky little towns feed off this backward hillbilly image. Annual festivals in towns like Mountain Home and Bull Shoals celebrate everything from fiddles and wildflowers to bountiful trout and the ingenuity of the Dutch oven. In addition to fantastic fishing, boating, canoeing and swimming, the Ozarks are excellent for road and mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding and camping. Underground, a fantastic network of caves and caverns can be explored. Whether you're a hard-core outdoors-person or you prefer your adventures from the safety of your car, the Ozarks will leave you awe-inspired, again and again.

About the Expert

Debra Landau has written eight Lonely Planet guidebooks, including books on the USA, Caribbean, and the South.