[JoeHenry]

Lived in Eastern Oklahoma.Real small place called Hogen.It was kind of close to Heavner.I worked in Poteau for alittle while.But mostly worked in the hay fields in Hogen.Sorry if I spelt the names wrong its been a right good while.Anyway,I really liked there.Really nice place.

[_redbird_]

It's beautiful up there. Most people have no idea how beautiful that part of the state is compared to the "stereotype" of flat/plains of Oklahoma.

[eddie gein]

Hodgen. Just right down the road from Heavener.

The Ouachita's should be a "must see" for every Oklahoman.

[teakboat]

Was just down there a couple of hours ago! The south (of Oklahoma) will rise again! Well, maybe, someday...

[Rubi3]

I've been through areas of that part of the state, but the Talimena Scenic Drive I've heard so much about is something I've not done. I'm sure it's beautiful.

[linicx]

America has some amazing mountain ranges. Arkansas is the only state in mid-America between California and Tennessee that has three large mountain ranges beginning at Pea Ridge in Northwestern Arkansas and ending some where south of Hot Springs. They are Ozark, Boston and Ouachita. Some of the roads are downright hair raising.

[tamaralj]

Originally Posted by linicx

America has some amazing mountain ranges. Arkansas is the only state in mid-America between California and Tennessee that has three large mountain ranges beginning at Pea Ridge in Northwestern Arkansas and ending some where south of Hot Springs. They are Ozark, Boston and Ouachita. Some of the roads are downright hair raising.

I have a paralyzing fear of heights. If I'm on a road and it goes into the mountains where there are switchbacks and lots of exposure, I'd probably freak out if I was driving. If I wasn't driving, I could shut my eyes.

If we drive through that area to see OK and NWA, then I'd have to avoid the highways that lead to hair raising heights! Although I'm sure it's beautiful.

[Rubi3]

Traveling in Colorado I didn't realize what a mountain pass meant and inadvertently routed us to include more than one. Not fun! I would be in the passenger seat, right by the precipice where my husband kept getting way too close to the edge. Approaching some of these areas the rusty shells of vehicles could be seen, obviously having fallen from the roads with no guard rails, which may not have been much help but being present would have been a comfort.

Driving up Pike's Peak was easy, but driving back down our tires squeaked and squealed every inch of the way as I continually insisted on keeping the brake pedal down. I think we skidded all the way.

[tamaralj]

Yes, I've driven through a lot of mountain passes in Colorado, (as a passenger) . It does make it un nerving to see cars that have fallen off he edge. It amazes that being someone who has this fear of heights as I do, I have been to many high places! ha! We did the cog rail up to Pikes Peak. We saw people driving the road. Coming down is harder, even in the cog rail it was squealing like that, and we were sliding out of our seats.

One was the Top of The World Highway from Alaska to Canada. By far the most exposure and hair pin turns. Eagle Pass is all gravel, and we sliding, and I nearly had a heart attack! You get to the top and it's exposure on both sides of the highway. You can buy a t-shirt that says "I drove the top of the world highway and survived!"

The photos that Redbird posted are beautiful. I could probably handle driving that road myself, if there are trees to block the edge like that. It's when you come around a turn, and all you see is edge and blue sky that scares me. Which you get in the rockies since it's above the tree line.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by tamaralj

I have a paralyzing fear of heights. If I'm on a road and it goes into the mountains where there are switchbacks and lots of exposure, I'd probably freak out if I was driving. If I wasn't driving, I could shut my eyes.

If we drive through that area to see OK and NWA, then I'd have to avoid the highways that lead to hair raising heights! Although I'm sure it's beautiful.

Nothing to fear in SE Oklahoma. The only place I know that has any switchbacks is HWY 59/259 south at Big Cedar and they aren't scary at all.

The Talimena drive is more like a roller coaster than anything else at least on the Oklahoma side. The Arkansas side has a lot of switchbacks going down into Mena, but in general the drive is not scary although some of the descents in Oklahoma are REALLY steep.