Missouri’s Most Scenic Road is a Run Through the Ozarks – Really

If you want to drive Missouri's most scenic road, you need to be prepared to make a run through the Ozarks. Literally. The name even says so.

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Missouri does have its share of beautiful roads to drive, but the most scenic isn't really a question because there isn't even really a close second. It's the Ozark Run Scenic Byway. Only In Your State recently highlighted it as their choice for most scenic Missouri roadway and they're not wrong.

I featured this roadway a year ago and at that time, the scenic byway was just a proposal. Now, it's officially a must-drive Missouri path. It's 78 miles of Show Me State paradise. Gorgeous views...everywhere.

The official Ozark Run Scenic Byway maps the journey for you:

The Ozark Run Scenic Byway starts at the Big River near Washington State Park, reaches westward to Courtois Creek in Berryman, and heads south through the St. Francois Mountains and the historic towns of Caledonia, Pilot Knob, Ironton, and Arcadia, and ends near the Black River.

The route is starting to gain more notoriety as you're starting to see travel and driving YouTubers and other social media folks documenting their journeys down this Missouri route.

The Ozark Run Scenic Byway has different day trip route options that you can drive which make for a more manageable way to experience this beautiful part of Missouri. The Meramec Sprint is especially nice, by the way. Heard it from a friend.

There are other highways like those that follow the Mississippi River which are nice, but when it comes to #1, the Ozark Run Scenic Byway sits at the top of the list.