One Word Describes Dogwood Canyon Nature Park – Incredible!

If you love the great outdoors as I do, then you're going to love Dogwood Canyon Nature Park located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains near Branson, Missouri.

This paradise on earth is surrounded by towering trees and lush green forests as far as the eyes can see. If you are looking for a great place to take the family this summer, you can't go wrong with this amazing destination that I experienced just a few years ago. With over 10,000 acres to explore be prepared to stay all day in order to truly enjoy this park owned by (CEO) Bass Pro Shops, Johnny Morris. There are several different types of activities available for all ages including the walking tour, bicycle tour, Segway tour, Jeep tour, or tram tour. Of course, this all depends on how adventurous you're feeling. My advice if you decide to take the walking tour make sure you have some comfortable shoes and plenty of drinking water because the journey is a 6.5-mile round-trip. The best part is that the walking path is completely paved unless you decide to go off the beaten path to check out some of the waterfalls along the way.

Along your trek, you will be totally immersed in the beauty of the surrounding mountains, limestone cliffs, and waterfalls that are breathtaking. One of my favorites along the way was the Glory Hole waterfall that was brimming with rainbow trout you can visibly see on the surface of the natural spring water that runs through the canyon valley. Some other highlights of Dogwood Canyon are the natural-made treehouse, the wilderness chapel where folks can actually get married, an old-fashioned Chuckwagon entertainment venue where visitors can congregate for weddings, reunions, or cowboy-style  BBQ dinner.

On my adventure, I decided to go on the tram tour where the host told us about the history of the canyon, and the native Indians, and cowboys who once roamed the land. You'll also learn about the different types of wildlife that make this canyon their home. From black bears, coyotes, raccoons, possums, beavers, wild hogs, deer, longhorn steer, elk, and of course, bison. The bison along with the steer and elk are roaming free in the valley on the far ridge of the canyon in the state of Arkansas. You will be able to take some great pictures up close of these magnificent beasts. Dogwood Canyon is like no other park, well-known celebrities, professional golfers, athletes, and even U.S. presidents have all either visited or fished this beautiful canyon in the countryside. In fact, visitors are encouraged to bring their fishing pole and fish for free, no license or sticker required to fish at Dogwood Canyon. You can catch and release or take home what you catch.

Country superstar Luke Combs even loves fishing at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.

Make sure you visit the small museum, souvenir shop, or grab a fresh-made sandwich in the restaurant. I decided to eat outdoors on the huge patio overlooking a huge bluff and waterfall. If you're looking for someplace to put on your bucket list, Dogwood Canyon is the place. As a matter of fact, I may just have talked myself into going back this summer!

On a scale of 1-10, I give this place a 10+

Visit Dogwood Canyon Nature Park for more information.