EVENTS, EXPERIENCES, EXHIBITS, ETC.
COMPILED BY PAT HENDERSON
Known for its indoor entertainment, Branson, Missouri, also
includes a number of outdoor offerings that give visitors
diverse, up-close encounters with nature. The city, which is
located in the Ozark Mountains, provides easy access to lakes,
hiking trails, climbing sites and other recreational activities.
One of the most popular sites is Dogwood Canyon Nature
Park. At the 10,000-acre park, set among the mountainous
Missouri landscape, groups can stroll the banks of trout
streams and see dozens of waterfalls and ancient burial
caves. The streams hold many rainbow trout, and the park
offers guided catch-and-release fishing, fly-casting clinics and
self-guided fishing excursions.
As part of the guided Wildlife Tram Tour, visitors board an
open-air tram that takes them through bluffs, stone arches
and canyon walls. The two-hour ride includes a brief stop to
feed the resident trout, and it showcases the area’s wildlife,
which ranges from bison and longhorn steers to deer and