Talimena Scenic Byway
oklahoma • start • page 1 • 2 • 3
continued
Lake Wister
is just a few miles south of Poteau and very convenient to any of the sites along the
northern side of the Ouchita National Forest. Talihina is only about 20 minutes south,
Heavener and the Runestone Park is southeast about 15 minutes and the Talimena Drive is
only a few miles further. The nearby town of Wister doesn't offer much, a gas station and
one drive-in burger joint. But we did discover a really great junk store, and the
proprietor was as interesting as the inventory.
The larger town of Poteau is only a few minutes away to the north, and twisty roads snake out in almost every other direction. Just behind our cabin was a county road that followed the northern shoreline of the lake most of the way around. Zinging the Triumph up this tree-lined route in the early morning fog was a real treat. The scenic overlook you'll find on this road offers a great view of the entire lake.
The nearby town of Heavener is worth a visit. Just outside of town is Runestone State Park which features alleged hieroglyphs of ancient Vikings. This is moderately entertaining, the hiking trails that meander throughout the park are even better. There are also plenty of gas stations and eateries in Heavener if you need to make a pit stop before the Feature Attraction begins. We stopped by the "dollar store" and discovered a regional version of vienna sausages...
Can't imagine what they really look like, but that label is
great.
Something I really love about the Talimena Drive is the diversity. Sure, the roads are exhilarating, and the scenery is beautiful. But what makes it such a great destination is the wide variety of nearby sights and attractions. Regardless of whether you rolled into town on the heaviest touring bike built in Russia or the latest knee-dragger, it's a great place to ride.
