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 The
Ozarks region is full of natural wonders
from thousands of caverns to outdoor
wilderness with breath-taking views as
well as a profusion of man-made lakes,
along with an amazing array of man-made
ways to explore them. Drive by car to
state parks, sail upon a lake, ride a
mid-century train through pristine countryside
or explore protected species in venues
such as the Butterfly Place and Wings
of the World at Talking Rock Caverns
The wonder of exploration is yours during
your visit to Branson. Use
the directory and map below for exact
location in Branson.
Branson Scenic Railway - 206 E. Main
Street / Branson / Call 417-334-6110
for information. Offering 40 mile round trips excursions
through the local countryside, the Branson
Scenic Railway offers multiple departures
daily from the historic Branson Depot
between March and mid-December. Ride
the rails on the Ozark Zephyr in restored
rail cars from the 1940s and 50s. Narrations
on local history and the unique trains
cars are part of the package offered
on all excursions.
Bull Shoals Lake - US Highway 160
/ Isabella & Theodesia / Missouri
/ Call 417-273-4020 for information.
The Bull Shoals Lake area is a great
venue for fishing, hunting and water
sports. Located southeast of Branson,
lake access can be found at Isabella
and Theodesia. The lake straddles the
state line with Arkansas and possesses
an abundance of natural beauty. Please
note, a large portions of this lake and
its tributaries are in Arkansas, licenses
and regulations for both hunting and
fishing may differ in each state. Be
aware of each states regulations and
make sure licenses are valid for use
in specific locations. / Open year-round
The Butterfly Place - 2400 State
Highway 165 / Branson / Call 417-332-2231
for information. Located at the Welk Theater complex,
This man-made live butterfly exhibit
has over 1000 living butterflies housed
in a garden filled with tempting floral
and nectar-producing plants. This place
is ideal for capturing unique photos
of these beautiful creatures. Also within
the complex is a poison dart frog exhibit
as well as some tropical birds. / Open
March through November / Family rates
and senior citizen discounts available
Dogwood
Canyon Nature Park - 2038 W. State
Highway 86 / Lampe / Missouri / Call
417-779-5983 for information.
Located on the south side of Table Rock
Lake, Dogwood Canyon is a10,000-acre
nature park and is considered one of
the regions most beautiful scenic areas.
There are self-guided walking and biking
tours as well as guided tram tours plus
horseback riding and trout fishing. /
Hours vary / Open year-round with seasonal
activities
Lake Taneycomo - South and east and
northeast of Branson. Flowing through
downtown Branson, Lake Taneycomo with
it’s cool clear waters is known
as one of the best trout fishing locations
in the country. With the Shepherd of
the Hills Trout Hatchery located along
it’s banks, local and visiting fly
fishermen have found a renown location
to catch rainbow and brown trout. Formed
by the completion of Powersite Dam in
1913 near Forsyth, Lake Taneycomo is
actually a lake, but it has the look
and meander of a river. When Table Rock
Dam was completed in 1958, Taneycomo
became a cold-water lake as the outflow
of the new dam pulled colder water from
the bottom of the huge Table Rock Lake
feeding the older lake with an ideal
recipe for a healthy trout environment.
• Fishermen & Hunters - Check
local fishing and hunting regulations
concerning licenses, open seasons for
specific fish species, daily bag limits,
catch and release programs as well as
any Missouri Department of Health fish
advisories.
Roaring River State Park - Route
112 / Cassville / Missouri / Call 417-847-2539
for information. The park is the site
of the Emory Melton Inn and Conference
Center, and offers trout fishing, hiking,
eagle watching, hatchery tours and a
nature center. The park also has dining
and picnic facilities, a playground and
a swimming pool. / Open year-round
Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery -
483 Hatchery Road / Branson / Call 417-334-4865
for information. The largest trout hatchery
within the state of Missouri, the fish
hatchery is also includes aquariums and
nature exhibits. The Conservation Center
hosts an introductory video on the work
of the hatchery. There are hiking trails,
picnic areas and fishing facilities on
Lake Taneycomo. / Open year-round / Free
Table Rock Lake - West and south
of Branson / Dam & Lake is controlled
by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers
/ Call 417-334-4101 for information.
Table Rock Lake was created when the
Table Rock Hydroelectric Dam was created
on the White River in 1958. The dam,
located about six miles southwest of
Branson became a additional source of
power for the area but also created a
crystal clear lake which has become as
fisherman's paradise. The lake also offers
a host of outdoor activities including
boating, skin diving, watersports, hunting
and hiking. • Fishermen & Hunters
- Check local fishing and hunting regulations
concerning licenses, open seasons for
specific fish species, daily bag limits,
catch and release programs as well as
any Missouri Department of Health fish
advisories. Also note, some small portions
of this lake and tributaries are in Arkansas,
licenses and regulations for both hunting
and fishing may be different in each
state. Be aware of each states regulations
and make sure licenses are valid for
use in specific locations.
Table Rock State Park - Route 165
/ Five miles west of Branson / Branson
/ Call 417-334-4704 for information.
Located along the 43,100-acre Table Rock
Lake, the park includes a marina with
boat and jetski rentals. Additional offerings
include parasailing, scuba diving, swimming
areas, hiking trails and picnic facilities.
/ Five miles west of Branson / Open year-round
Wonders of Wildlife - 500 W. Sunshine
Street / Springfield / Missouri / Call
877-245-9453 for information.
A 92,000-square-foot museum and aquarium
located in Springfield, the Wonders of
Life is a wonderful family adventure.
There are over 250 species of animals
on premises with a 220,00 shark tank
and a 140,000-gallon community pond harboring
river otters, beavers, bobcats and fresh
water aquatic species. The museum also
has a cavern simulation and a live bat
habitat. / Open year-round
The Ozarks has thousands of wonderful
and mysterious caverns, ready to explore.
Several good choices are located nearby,
including two within the immediate Branson
area, no wonder Missouri is also known
as the Cave State. We also list several
caves and caverns just south of the state
line in Arkansas, most are within a hours
drive of Branson.
Blanchard Springs Caverns - Mountain
View / Arkansas / Call 800-757-2246
for information. Administered by
the U.S. Forest Service, this pristine
cavern system offers several different
tours based on skill levels. The Dripstone
Tour is 1 hour long and accessible to
walkers, strollers and wheelchairs. Discovery
Trail Tour is a mid-level tour of the
caverns and takes 1 1/2 hours and offers
some challenges with 700 stair steps.
The Wild Cave Tour is for true spelunkers,
a 3 to 4 hour climb and crawl tour open
to a limited number of participants.
/ Discovery Trail & Wild Cave tours
open seasonally / Dripstone Tour - open
year-round
Bluff Dweller’s Cave & Museum
-SR 59 - 2 miles south of Noel /
Missouri / Call 417-475-3666 for
information. Used by Native Americans
as a campsite, this cave system also
includes a shallow lake and rimstone
dam as well as active and growing cave
formations.
Bull Shoals Caverns - 1011 C. S.
Woods Boulevard / Bull Shoals / Arkansas
/ Call 870-445-7177 for information.
Located near Mountain Village 1890, the
cavern has forests of colorful stalactites
and stalagmites as a myriad of beautiful
formations. The cavern system dates back
to 350 million years.
Cosmic Cavern - 6386 N. Highway 21N
/ Berryville / Arkansas / Call 870-749-2298
for information. This natural cavern
features two bottomless lakes, blind
lake trout, Silent Splendor room with
long soda straw formations, all ready
to be explored in a one and 1/2 hour
tour.
Crystal Cave - 7225 N. Crystal Cave
Lane & Route H / Springfield / Missouri
/ Call 417-833-9599 for information.
An historic cave with signs of Native
American habitation, Crystal Cave offers
an 80 minute tour of this underground
wonderland. Natural paths and hand-railed
stone steps lead to unique formations
such as the Upside Down Well, Rainbow
Falls and the Cathedral. / Open year-round
Fantastic Caverns - 4872 N Farm Road
125 / Exit 77 off I-44 to Route 13N /
Springfield / Missouri / Call 417-833-2010
for information. Take a relaxing guided
trip via jeep drawn-tram through a majestic
limestone cave system, the ride takes
about 50 minutes. The cave is open year
round except for certain holidays and
is a great cave experience for all family
members regardless of age or physical
challenges.
Hurricane River Cave - US 65 / Conway
/ Arkansas / Call 870-429-6200
for information
Less than an hour from Branson, the cave
full of unique formations and is home
to the bones of ancient species including
prehistoric bears and a saber-tooth cat.
A 2000 year old skeleton of a human rests
where it was found. / A spelunkers delight,
a wild caving tour is offered by appointment,
a boat ride on an underground river is
also part of the wild caving tour. /
Open March through October
Marvel Cavern - Silver Dollar City
- 399 Indian Point Road / Branson / Missouri
/ Call 800-952-6626 for information.
Located in Silver Dollar City, this natural
cave was the original draw around which
in later years, an amazing amusement
park was built. A winding staircase descends
to 300 feet to America’s largest
cave entrance room, after an hours tour,
visitors ascend via a cable train.
Old Spanish Treasure Cave - 14290
North Highway / Sulphur Springs / Arkansas
/ Call 479-787-6508 for information.
A place of mysteries, the cave walls
contain fossil remains of past creatures
who lived in a once ancient sea; the
cave also has a legendary history of
being a place where early Spanish explorers
hid treasure. Tours include a choice
of a one hour guided tour or an Adventure
(down and dirty spelunkers) Tour open
to limited numbers with beginning cavers
welcome.
Onyx Cave - Onyx Cave Road off US
62 / Eureka Springs / Arkansas / Call
479-253-9321 for information.
Located six miles south of Eureka Springs,
the cave offers spectacular formations,
easy access and a headphone tour.
Talking
Rocks Cavern - 423 Fairy Cave Lane
/ Highway 13 / Reeds Spring / Missouri
/
Call 800-600-2283 for information.
Just off the beaten path yet only five
minutes form Silver Dollar city, Talking
Rocks Cavern is not as large as some
caves, the formations here are amazing
with calcite cascades. Visitors can experience
what it was like to explore a newly found
cave. / Other attractions adjacent to
the caverns include: Wings of the World
• Cave Country Miniature Golf •
Speloebox • Treetop Tower &
Gemstone Mining / Open March through
the summer, call ahead for hours.
Truitt's Cavern - 313 South Main
Street / Lanagan / Missouri / Call 417-436-2259
for information. Another natural, underground
cavern in the Ozarks, Truitt’s has
guided tours into the underground cave
as well as above ground activities including
gemstone panning and a gift shop. First
open to the public in 1940, the cavern
highlight includes an underground dining
room. / Open year round
Reserve
Early...while your preferred accommodations
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