HIKING

There are some great hiking trails around the area. I bought books by a local author that gives great detailed information on most of the trails. www.hikebranson.com I leave one in each cabin for guests to use but they can be purchased at several places around Branson. They are $20 and I found mine in old downtown Branson at the Downtown Branson Association Office. I have not tried all the trails yet but I am working on it. The book is great as it gives times and level of difficulty for each hike. The Old Soldier’s Cave trail is an interesting one. The Henning Conservation Area is great! The White River Trail System (10+ miles) is for mountain biking as well as hiking. Our son brought his bike one year and said it was a great trail. My friend and I hiked it recently and loved it!! Maps can be found at the Ranger Station at the State Park. There are 3 trailheads now (both near the State Park). It is designed so that you can do it all or just sections.
At the Notch cabins, there are some hiking trails around the cabin and the condos. At the Branson Cedar cabins, I like to walk around the golf course and Phase 1, where the other cabins are. It is not really a “trail” but mostly follows the old golf cart paths. There is a short woodsy trail behind our cabins. Both can be good stimulating walks! Big Cedar has a really nice wilderness trail that is about 2 ½ miles. There is also a 5K track at Big Cedar. You do not have to be a guest to use these trails.
Dogwood Canyon is a beautiful place to visit! www.dogwoodcanyon.com There are trails to hike and a wildlife tram ride through the woods. It is a very manicured wilderness oasis in the woods. There are charming bridges and waterfalls! Magnificent! They even have a restaurant there now. There is a 6+ mile, paved biking, walking track and then some wilderness trails. The tram goes even further where wildlife are roaming free. They get very close to the tram but appear to be very docile. If you have the time, it is a great change of pace and well worth a visit.