Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park in Lampe, Missouri is about 30 miles from Branson. https://dogwoodcanyon.org It was founded by Johnny Morris and well worth the journey for the experience. The park is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Adventures/activities available in the park include; trout fishing, horseback riding, wildlife tours on a segway/tram/back of a jeep, hiking, biking, and so much more. We chose to pay general admission (about $20 each) and hike the canyon. If you want/need to ride the tram, it is best to pay online ahead of time to reserve your seat. They sell out in advance pretty early. There is a five attraction “Explorer Pass” for those who have time and what to do more than just the canyon. It has different prices for different days and seasons so check online pricing before you go.
Hickory Ridge Trail
We started out with a quick off the path loop on the Hickory Ridge Trail. It was a .4 mile loop up and around a burial site with a quick look over the bluff into the canyon below. The burial site described the graves oriented east-west, and the body was placed inside so that on rising from the grave on Resurrection Day the person would face Christ, who would appear in the eastern sky. Travis made the decision that he wants to be buried facing East.
Animal Bridges
The path through the park crossed over the water multiple times. Each bridge had a different animal displayed on the handrails of the bridge. The jeep took the trail through the water but for the most part, the trail was shared by hikers and vehicles. It was all very well laid out and safe. I’m sure I missed several!!!
Amish Bridge
There was a bridge that was constructed by the Amish using only hand tools. Travis pretending to dive in is quite funny since he does not swim. He is great to stop and strike a pose for a photo for me though.
Hope Wilderness Chapel
Hope Wilderness Chapel appeared to be used as a wedding chapel. There were dressing rooms for the bride and groom, as well as a deck looking over the water at the front of the church if you chose to get married outside. The website has details on all the wedding options in the park.
The Gideons left several bibles on the podium. As I walked into this chapel, I was overwhelmed with the need to pray. Travis and I shared time together to pray for our families and thank God for how he has blessed us. I was laughing and crying as we left to continue our walk.
Time to Turn Around
People were able to stop at several places in the park to feed the trout (or fish for trout). There were two beautiful waterfalls at the end of the trail for the hikers. The people on the wilderness trail in the jeeps went farther and were able to view the bison and elk in the nature preserve. We snacked and took pictures gathering energy to head back.
We found a trail that went straight in and them back out. I don’t remember the name and didn’t take a picture of the sign. It was right after the rest stop area that I also did not take a picture of. As we hiked up the path it narrowed, and the sides climbed much higher. It is amazing to see how nature has created a way for water to flow and carve its way through the rocks.
Arkansas or Missouri/ Fun in Both
Restroom were spaced out throughout the canyon as needed. Modern day looking outhouses at their finest. Luckily, I did not need one. We saw one older house/building toward the end of the trail before we turned back. We did not walk up the hill to check what it was. The park is located in two states, Arkansas and Missouri. You can stand on either side of the sign or as Travis chose to do, just stand in both states at once.
Pine Ridge Pass
We didn’t have a map as we walked through so we missed the 1.2-mile Pine Ridge Pass South on the way in. Oh my gosh was it ever steep going up. I don’t think it would have been as tough if it had not been gravel going straight up. Once you reach the top and start around the loop you can enjoy the scenery again instead of focusing on sucking air into your lungs. AND this was close to the end of our 8.2 miles. Definitely do this on the front end of the hike. We finished the hike on the paved trail and stopped to check out the treehouse and eat in the restaurant. For more details on the restaurant options, check out the blog post https://mtnestrs.com/2022/03/spring-break-2022-in-branson-mo/.
