Just the basics.
The here and now demands a drive on par with the raw theater of Arkansas 123, the darty tourist folds of US 62 near Eureka Springs, or the remote thrills of any number of rural twists across the Ozark Plateau. There are miles of greats out there, but one standout escapes notoriety among many locals. Though hilly and reliably scenic, the highway in this edition lacks a single towering peak, breathtaking overlook, or other postcard reprieve. So, what does it have going for it? It's only my favorite road in the Ozarks.
[Google Maps: Missouri 90 from Noel to Washburn]
Missouri 90 holds the core of what makes spirited driving lively and gratifying. It's a repeatably stirring drive with the elusive quality of flow, an engaging lineup of dips and turns that feed on the dynamism of momentum. Contrast this with so many grizzled Ozark highways that are abrupt, point-to-point jaunts between grades with a stop-and-go flavor. Gearheads readily laud the pomp and circumstance of a disjointed route peppered with sharp curves, but flow is substance. For most of its length, MO-90 loads and unloads a car's chassis with the fluidity of a racecar driver's most admired road course.
Pitching and rolling along the twists of Missouri 90.
Missouri 90's essential alchemy is that the route wasn't carved into the landscape, but draped over it. The asphalt rises and falls with the rolling Ozark hills, allowing the terrain's character to shine. According to Wikipedia, MO-90 was born among the early state-funded road works of the pre-war era, visible in its non-existent shoulders and well-cambered curves. The highway was never a major carrying route like nearby US 71, so it escaped the sanitizing effect of rock cuts, detours, widening, flattening and other dull modernization. It still slides under jutting rock faces at Noel, crosses a one-lane bridge East of Jane, and regularly crests blind hills into sharp turns.
Our drive's Western end by the bluffs overlooking the Elk River at Noel (pronounced NAHWL, for the non-Ozarkians).
Despite being somewhat old-fashioned in design, the current state of the road gives drivers generally smooth pavement and good markings. The result is something quick, nervy, and indulgent at full tilt, yet energizing and assuring at a moderated pace.
A one-lane bridge East of Jane suggests a slower way of life, but peaks and curves invite a quicker pace.
Slowpokes are the scourge of any fun road with limited passing opportunities, so MO-90's relatively light traffic is another element of its appeal. The highway doesn't connect any major population centers, and a lone general store at the intersection of MO-E is the only convenience between Noel and the terminus at Washburn. Most of the road's neighbors are small hilltop farms. Though pleasant days risk entanglement with slow-moving cruisers and other dawdlers, there's a fair chance of stealing some uninterrupted joy.
A decorated Phillips cottage-style gas station in Noel is among several roadside reminders of yore.
I should caution that my "favorite road" shouldn't necessarily mean your favorite. If the Ozarkbahn has any motive, it's simply to encourage motorkind to get out and explore the beauty and novelty of the seldom-traveled. Driving is a personal act. I have the opportunity to drive this highway dozens of times each year, which has earned it a sense of familiarity and a freedom to pursue at a stirring tempo. Everyone has license to discover their own blacktop provenance. However, if you need inspiration, Missouri 90 is my favorite place to start.
Traffic: mercifully cooperative
Driving challenge: enjoyable, but mind the far side of the hill
Purty mouth: it's a long walk to the nearest fillin' station
Ozarkbahn rating: "blacktop provenance." I like that. Let's go with that.
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