U.S. Route 62 in Arkansas

U.S. Highway 62
Route information
Maintained by AHTD
Length:	329.9 mi (530.9 km)
Existed:	1930 – present
Major junctions
West end:	US-62 at Oklahoma border near Summers
	I-49 / US 71 in Fayetteville US 412 in Springdale I-49 / US 71 in Bentonville US 412 in Alpena US 65 in Harrison US 167 in Ash Flat US 63 in Hardy US 63 / US 412 in Imboden US 67 from Pocahontas to Corning US 49 in Piggott
East end:	US 62 at Missouri border in St. Francis
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced Arkansas Highway System Interstate US State Business Spurs Scenic Heritage Trails ← US 61 US 63 →

U.S. Route 62 is a U.S. highway running from El Paso, Texas northeast to Niagara Falls, New York. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 329.9 miles from the Oklahoma border near Summers east to the Missouri border in St. Francis, serving the northern portion of the state. The route passes through several cities and towns, including Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Harrison, Mountain Home, Pocahontas, and Piggott. US 62 runs concurrent with several highways in Arkansas including Interstate 49 and U.S. Route 71 between Fayetteville and Bentonville, U.S. Route 412 through much of the state, U.S. Route 65 in the Harrison area, and with U.S. Route 63 and U.S. Route 67 in northeast Arkansas.

Route description

Northwest Arkansas

U.S. Route 62 enters Arkansas from Oklahoma and runs by the Bean Cemetery near Lincoln and the Borden House and Prairie Grove Battlefield Park in Prairie Grove.^[1][2] The route then enters the Northwest Arkansas metro area, including the cities of Fayetteville, Rogers, and Bentonville. The route concurs with I-49/US 71 through these communities. In Benton County, the route passes Garfield Elementary School near the junction with Arkansas Highway 127 in Garfield before exiting Rogers.^[3] The route continues east near the Pea Ridge National Military Park and the Missouri state line before entering Carroll County.^[4]

US 62 in Carroll County west of Eureka Springs.

The Ozark Mountains

US 62 winds through the Ozarks, passing through sparsely populated scenic country and small towns. US 62 passes the Thorncrown Chapel, the Tall Pines Motor Inn, and the historic U.S. 62 White River Bridge near Eureka Springs. The route begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 412 in Alpena that continues west to Imboden. Also, US 62/US 412 meet U.S. Route 65 in Harrison. In Marion County, the route meets US 62S in Pyatt and the US 62 Bridge over Crooked Creek outside of town. During this stretch, US 62 crosses two of the nine Arkansas Scenic Byways, the Pig Trail and Scenic Highway 7. Continuing east, the route passes a former alignment of US 62 before entering Yellville. East of Yellville, the route enters Mountain Home in Baxter County and crosses over Norfolk Lake to enter rural Fulton County.

Bridge over Leatherwood Creek west of Eureka Springs.

After passing through Fulton County, US 62/US 412 enters Sharp County. In Ash Flat, US 62/US 412 serves as the northern terminus of U.S. Route 167. After passing around Cherokee Village, Arkansas, the route enters Hardy. In Hardy, US 62/US 412/US 63 Business passes four properties on the National Register of Historic Places in Arkansas: the Carrie Tucker House, the Sherman Bates House, the Fred Graham House, and Web Long House and Motel.^[5] US 62/US 412 also meets U.S. Route 63, which is mostly a patchwork of concurrencies throughout the state. The routes continue together to Imboden, when US 63/US 412 break and continue south, where US 62/AR 115 continues over the St. Louis-San Francisco Overpass headed north into Randolph County and Crowley's Ridge.

Crowley's Ridge

In Randolph County, US 62 passes by cotton fields until Pocahontas, when the route meets US 67.^[6] The route concurs with US 67 east until Corning in Clay County.^[7] The route runs east to Piggott and enters Missouri near St. Francis.^[7]

History

Spring Street in Eureka Springs was originally US 62 - City Route.

Old Highway 62 near Busch

The route was originally a trail known as the Ozark Trail, which was the main series of routes in the area prior to the construction of U.S. Route 66. The Ozark Trails Association was responsible for maintaining and marking the routes, with William Hope Harvey in charge. Harvey wanted an auto trail from Oklahoma to his resort town Monte Ne, which he established after retiring from the railroad business.^[8] He had grand visions of trails connecting Monte Ne with St. Louis, Kansas City, Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City, and points west.^[9] U.S. Route 62 from Gateway to Eureka Springs was also designated part of The Jefferson Highway, although the highway was not really marked and frequently shifted.^[10] The highway was listed as a "Proposed Primary Federal Aid Road" on a state map in the first issue of "Arkansas Highways Magazine" (1924), but not numbered.^[11]

The road brought lots of traffic through the hills of Arkansas, previously resistant to development. Eureka Springs was a popular stop on the route, with many motor inns and a vibrant downtown. Nearby Arkansas Highway 23 (The Pig Trail) further added tourists to the community.^[12] Further east, cities of Mountain Home, Cotter, and Flippin grew significantly with US 62's traffic.^[13] Rough terrain interspersed with large waterways caused the need for large bridges, including the Cotter Bridge (which replaced a ferry system) and the St. Louis-San Francisco Overpass.^[14] A 1981 study indicated a need of 31 climbing lanes from Harrison to Hardy (approx. 110 miles (180 km)) necessary for safety purposes, indicative of the rough terrain.^[14]

Some historic alignments of the old road still exist with original pavement. One section, built between 1932 and bypassed in 1952, is located between Busch and Eureka Springs on either side of the White River. On the north side of the river Carroll County Route 109 follows the alignment to the former river crossing, where only concrete bridge piers remain to be seen. On the south side County Route 107 continues southward, eventually rejoining the modern alignment. This section was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.^[15]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Washington		0.0	0.0	US-62 west – Muskogee	Oklahoma state line
	Summers			AR 59 north – Siloam Springs	west end of AR 59 overlap
				AR 59 south – Van Buren	east end of AR 59 overlap
	Lincoln	10	16	AR 45 south – Canehill
				US 62B east – Prairie Grove
	Prairie Grove			US 62B west – Prairie Grove
		17	27	AR 170 east
	Farmington	21	34	AR 170 west (South Hunter Street)
	Fayetteville	23.9	38.5	I-49 south (US 71) / AR 180 east (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard / AR 16 east) to US 71B – Fort Smith, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville National Cemetery	west end of I-49 / US 71 / AR 16 overlap; US 62 west follows exit 62
see I-49
Benton	Bentonville	44.6	71.8	I-49 north (US 71) / AR 102 west (Southeast 14th Street) – Bella Vista, Bentonville, Centerton	north end of I-49 / US 71 overlap; US 62 east follows exit 86
	Rogers	51.0	82.1	AR 94 east – Rogers Business District	west end of AR 94 overlap
		51.4	82.7	AR 12 east / AR 94 west (North Second Street) – Little Flock, Pea Ridge, Historic District, Hobbs State Park Conservation Area, Prairie Creek Park, Rogers Historical Museum	east end of AR 12 / AR 94 overlap
		57.8	93.0	AR 72 west – Pea Ridge
	Garfield	62.8	101.1	AR 127 – Beaver Lake, Lost Bridge Park
	Gateway	66.7	107.3	AR 37 north – Seligman, MO
Carroll				AR 187 north – Beaver, Holiday Island
				AR 187 south – Beaver Dam, Beaver Lake
		79.5	127.9	AR 187 north
	Eureka Springs			Historic Loop - Eureka Springs Business District	former US 62B east
				AR 23 north – Holiday Island, Beaver	west end of AR 23 overlap
				AR 23 south – Huntsville	east end of AR 23 overlap
		92.2	148.4	AR 143 north / AR 980 – Grandview, Airport
	Berryville	95.0	152.9	US 62S
		96.1	154.7	AR 221 south (West Carl Avenue)	west end of AR 221 overlap
				AR 21 north / AR 221 north	east end of AR 221 overlap; west end of AR 21 overlap
				AR 21 south – Kingston, Boxley	east end of AR 21 overlap
				AR 103 south – Rule
	Green Forest			AR 103 north – Oak Grove
				AR 311 north (Carroll Avenue)
				Tyson Avenue (AR 311 south)
Boone	Alpena	114	183	US 412 west – Huntsville, Springdale	West end of US 412 overlap
		116	187	AR 392 east – Batavia
		119	192	US 65 north – Branson, MO, Springfield, MO	interchange; west end of US 65 overlap
	Harrison	122	196	AR 980 – Boone County Regional Airport
		124	200	AR 43 north
		124	200	North Main Street - Business District	former US 65B south
				AR 7 north – Bergman, Lead Hill, Diamond City	west end of AR 7 overlap
				US 65B south / AR 7 south – Jasper, Russellville, Business District	east end of AR 7 overlap
				US 65B north (South Main Street) – Harrison Business District, Northark College South Campus
	Bellefonte	131	211	AR 206 west
		132	212	US 65 south – Little Rock	East end of US 65 overlap
Marion		143.9	231.6	AR 125 south – Eros, Bruno	west end of AR 125 overlap
	Pyatt	144.4	232.4	US 62S – Pyatt Business District
		150.1	241.6	AR 125 north – Dodd City	east end of AR 125 overlap
		153.0	246.2	AR 202 east – Summit
	Yellville	154.5	248.6	US 62B east
		154.7	249.0	AR 14 west – Summit, Lead Hill	west end of AR 14 overlap
		154.7	249.0	AR 14 east – Ozark Folk Center State Park, Blanchard Springs Caverns, Buffalo National River Buffalo Point	east end of AR 14 overlap
		159.9	257.3	AR 178 east – Flippin, Bull Shoals, Bull Shoals White River State Park
		162.5	261.5	AR 101 south – Rea Valley
		163.1	262.5	US 62B east – Cotter
Baxter	Cotter	165.9	267.0	US 62B west / CR 1 (Denton Ferry Road) – Cotter Business District
	Gassville	167.3	269.2	AR 345 south (Cotter Road)
		168.0	270.4	AR 345 north (Lakeview Drive)
		168.3	270.9	AR 126 north – Ozark Regional Airport
		171.3	275.7	AR 126 south – Buffalo City
	Mountain Home	173.6	279.4	US 62B east – Mountain Home
		174.2	280.3	AR 201 – Arkansas State University Mountain Home Campus
		176.5	284.0	AR 5	interchange
		178.2	286.8	AR 178 (Buzzard Roost Road)
	Mountain Home	179.3	288.6	US 62B west – Mountain Home
		183.6	295.5	AR 101 north – Gamaliel
Fulton		193.7	311.7	AR 87 – Vidette, Elizabeth
	Viola	201.6	324.4	AR 223 – Moody, MO, Bexar
	Salem	210.4	338.6	US 62B east
		211.0	339.6	AR 395 south
		211.4	340.2	AR 9 to AR 395 north – Business District, Mammoth Spring, Melbourne
	Glencoe	219.0	352.4	AR 289 south – Horseshoe Bend
		226.2	364.0	AR 289 north – Saddle, Mammoth Spring
Sharp	Ash Flat	228.6	367.9	US 167 south (Ash Flat Drive) – Batesville
	Cherokee Village	232.3	373.9	AR 175S north – Cherokee Village
		237.4	382.1	AR 175 south (Stone Creek Road) to AR 289 – Cherokee Village	west end of AR 175 overlap
		238.2	383.3	AR 342 east (West Riverview Drive) – Harold E. Alexander WMA
	Hardy	238.9	384.5	US 63B south – Hardy, Historic District	west end of US 63B overlap
		240.2	386.6	US 63 north – Mammoth Spring	east end of US 63B overlap; west end of US 63 overlap
				US 63B north – Hardy
		245.3	394.8	AR 175 north – Wirth	east end of AR 175 overlap
		250.4	403.0	AR 58 west – Williford
		252.4	406.2	AR 58E west – Williford
Lawrence	Ravenden	256.8	413.3	AR 90 east – Ravenden Springs
	Randolph	No major junctions
	Imboden	260.9	419.9	AR 115 south – Smithville, Cave City
		261.5	420.8	US 63 south / US 412 east – Imboden Business District, Black Rock, Hoxie	east end of US 63 / US 412 overlap
Spring River		261.7	421.2	St. Louis-San Francisco Overpass
Randolph	Pocahontas	272.1	437.9	AR 166 south – Old Davidsonville State Park
		274.1	441.1	US 67 south – Walnut Ridge	west end of US 67 overlap
		274.1	441.1	AR 90 north (Broadway Street) to AR 115 – Ravenden Springs, Pocahontas Business District, Historic Courthouse
		276.6	445.1	AR 166 north – Engelberg
		285.2	459.0	US 67B north – Biggers
	Reyno	289.2	465.4	AR 328 west – Reyno
Clay	Datto	291.6	469.3	US 67B north – Datto
		293.7	472.7	AR 211 north – Success
		296.7	477.5	AR 980 – Airport
	Corning	300.3	483.3	US 67 north – St. Louis, MO	east end of US 67 overlap
		304.3	489.7	AR 135 south – Paragould
	McDougal	309.0	497.3	AR 141 south – Boydsville
	Pollard	316.2	508.9	AR 139 north – Qulin, MO
	Piggott	322.3	518.7	US 49 south / AR 1 south – Paragould	west end of AR 1 overlap
		324.0	521.4	AR 139 south – Holly Island
		324.3	521.9	AR 1 north – Holcomb, MO	east end of AR 1 overlap
		329.9	530.9	US 62 east – Malden	Missouri state line (St. Francis River)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

References

Route map: Bing / Google

1. "Area Attractions - City of Lincoln, AR." Website. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
2. "Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park." Area Profile. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
3. "Schools of Arkansas - Northwest Region." Schools profile. Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
4. "Pea Ridge National Military Park." National Park Service. Park Profile. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
5. "Sharp County, Arkansas." National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. Listings. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
6. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. AHTD Randolph County map Retrieved on June 17, 2010.
7. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. AHTD Clay County map Retrieved on June 17, 2010.
8. "Lynn McWhorter Mabry Collection: William Hope "Coin" Harvey." University of Arkansas Libraries - Special Collections. ABOUT WILLIAM HOPE COIN Article. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
9. "Highway A-7, Tyronza Segment, Tyronza, Poinsett County." Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. Article. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
10. "Culture and history of Eureka Springs, Arkansas." Eureka Springs Historic Profile. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
11. Paul Gabriel, ed. (January 1924). "Before you, Citizens of the "Wonder State", are your "Arkansas Highways"" (PDF). Arkansas Highways (Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Highway Department) 1 (1): 11. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
12. "Culture and history of Eureka Springs, Arkansas." In Eureka. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
13. Arkansas. (1981). "The Effects of ferry replacement and bypass construction on U.S. 62 in Baxter County. Little Rock, Ark." Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
14. Arkansas. (1981). A Corridor study U.S. 62 Harrison to Hardy. Little Rock, Ark: The ASHTD.
15. "NRHP nomination for Old US 62, Busch Segment" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved 2015-03-10.