Roaring River Roller Coaster - By HBreshears

I ride this a couple of times each year. Rode it in June 2020. The roads were all in good shape. The ride from Seligman starts out in relatively flat farmland for the first 5 miles, then enters a winding stretch lined with hardwood trees. There are a couple of curves that can sneak up on you before you drop down into Roaring River State Park. Turn right on Highway F (sharp turn). The park has a trout hatchery (under significant repair in 2020). Also restrooms, a small store, picnic tables, trout fishing, hiking and camping. Worth a stop if you are not in a hurry. The trout stream and hatchery are right on Hwy 112, or you can catch on the way back if you right the loop. The first part of Hwy F follows the spring-fed river through the park, about 4 miles. The road straightens out for 2 miles. There are a couple of roller coaster hills on this stretch. Hwy F ends in a T. Turn left on Hwy 86. Hwy 86 is 9 miles of very winding and up and down road. Lots of trees, so no real views. No shoulder on the road. Hwy 86 ends in a T. Turn left on Hwy 76. Drive about 3 boring miles to the Hwy 112 junction. Turn left on Hwy 112. (If you turn right you are about 2 miles from Cassville, which has fuel, fast foods, restaurants, WalMart). The first 3 miles of Hwy 112 are boring, but then you hit another stretch of winding road heading back to Roaring River State Park. There are a lot of cabins on this stretch, so watch for side traffic. Seligman has a quickstop and a grocery store at the junction of Hwy 37 and Hwy 112 (starting point). The route as described (ending at Roaring River) is about 30 miles. If you go back to Seligman the route is 40 miles. A late October/early November ride may bless you with nice fall colors. Best chance of seeing bald eagles is probably Dec-Feb, although there are some resident eagles.