While the Canadian Rockies town with the same name may get all the hype, Arkansas’s Jasper is just as grand in its own way. After all, it’s home to Arkansas’s Grand Canyon, a spectacular viewpoint to take in the Ozarks valley. Around a 3.5-hour drive west of the city of Pocahontas, Arkansas, the small town’s charming vibe — the population is under 500 — is also mixed with its reputation as a popular stop for motorcycle riders. It’s also the Elk Capital of Arkansas, with a herd of 450 of the mammals roaming the corridor around the Buffalo River, where they can be seen in Boxley Valley, Steel Creek, and Kyle’s Landing. But more than anything, the wide open spaces in Jasper provide a calming backdrop to reconnect with nature, with mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, fishing, caving, and hiking all popular in the area.

The weather in this Newton County city is marked by muggy and hot summers and cold and wet winters. From June through mid-September, highs are in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit and lows are in the 60s and 70s, with the most humid conditions coming in late July, when it can feel muggy 76 percent of the time. Winter highs are in the upper 40s to 50s, with lows in the 30s, while spring and autumn temperatures float between the upper 30s and low 80s. Rainfall peaks in May and November, so pack that umbrella and raincoat if you’re planning on staying in one of Jasper’s cabins during those periods.

Arkansas’s Grand Canyon

At the deepest part of the Ozarks Plateau is a viewpoint so striking that it’s been billed as Arkansas’s Grand Canyon. Sure, it doesn’t compare to the Arizona national park and technically is more of a valley than a canyon, but the vantage point from the Cliff House Inn’s parking lot — about 2,100 feet above sea level — is still a breathtaking spot to take in the grandeur of Vendor Valley (also known as Big Creek Valley), which is surrounded by seven Boston Mountain peaks.

Jasper Town Square

Snap a photo in front of the nine-foot statue of Newt the elk, explore the oddities at Emma’s Museum of Junk, or catch the farmers’ market in front of the stone courthouse. But definitely make time to kick back and relax in one of the permanent rocking chairs spread throughout the town’s center.

Mystic Caverns

Just about 11 miles north of town in Harrison is a pair of caves that are naturally set at a comfortable 59-degree temperature. Mystic Cavern features a 30-foot-tall calcite formation called the Pipe Organ, and Crystal Dome Cavern has a 70-foot dome with a dripstone formation resembling a crystal bell.