Missouri Highway 90: Southwest City to Noel

Join us for a pleasant 11-mile journey along Missouri Highway 90, tracing a gentle eastward path through the heart of McDonald County’s rugged Ozark hills and hidden hollows. This drive kicks off right at the Arkansas border, where Missouri Highway 43 heads north into the small community of Southwest City. This little town, nestled snug against the tri-state corner of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, still carries the laid-back vibe of a rural crossroads town — you’ll pass modest homes, a few local shops, and a hint of the agricultural backbone that sustains the region.

After threading through Southwest City, we swing east at the junction with Missouri Secondary Highway J, marking the true beginning of our time on Highway 90. Just a mile ahead, the highway intersects again with MO-43 — here, Highway 90 branches off fully, charting its own course through the quiet folds of the Ozarks. The scenery quickly settles into the rhythm of rolling hills, forested ridges, and the occasional open pasture. On warm days, this stretch feels like a postcard of rural Missouri: old barns lean gently into the breeze, roadside wildflowers color the shoulders, and the canopy of oaks and hickories arches overhead in places.

Roughly seven miles in, we drift down into the village of Noel — a riverside town known more than anything for its summer reputation as a float trip headquarters along the Elk River. Entering Noel from the west, Missouri 90 crosses Route 59 North before hugging the town’s older streets and rustic stone buildings. To stay on Highway 90 through town, we make a quick left at the intersection with MO-59 South, following the road as it threads between local businesses, old storefronts, and the riverfront. The drive concludes downtown at the junction with Missouri Secondary Highway H, right in the middle of this quirky little Ozark getaway spot.

If you’re in the mood to explore more while you’re here, Noel is worth parking the car for a bit. Try lunch at one of the local diners, rent a canoe, or just stroll along the riverbank. The surrounding bluffs and clear river water are classic Missouri Ozarks — the kind of place where time slows down just enough to remind us why these old highways matter.