Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
Park
Nature & Parks
Nature preserve open for hiking, biking, fishing & tram tours, with a cafe & cabins for rent.
A 3.8 mile one way trail (with sites branching off of it) that I was able to job 2.2 miles into before it was getting close to closing time. Easily the best nature trail I've ever been on. I will make it back here one day to finish the trail. Still full of incredible views. Waterfalls what seems like every 100 yards, eagles overhead, trail following the river, and if you can make it to the end there's an overlook for bison. Drove 2 hours and jogged 4 miles, worth it!
Collin Q — Google review
We loved visiting this place and had a really great overall experience, but be aware that there is no water offered along the trail unless you’ve got cash. That would have been great to know before we got over a mile in. Not much info was provided. We rented bikes, but it was all pretty pricey. The views are incredible and I think it’s worth the expense at least once. Everything is wonderfully well kept. That alone is worth seeing. Going here gives you such an appreciation for nature and the outdoors. I highly recommend it!
Sheena Y — Google review
Wow, this place is phenomenal. Privately owned park and once of the most immaculately manicured places we’ve ever seen. You can walk, rent/bring bikes, ride shuttles, shop, eat, or just wander around. We weren’t able to spend much time there, but what we saw was beautiful.The gift shop is fancy and high priced. The mill building consist of the restaurant and museum. The restaurant looked really nice and has a beautiful view. We didn’t eat here because we were short on time… they also close prior to dinner. The museum is like a private collection of local natural history and then the other side teaches about the mill’s history.We walked down to the wedding chapel and around there but had to turn back after that. Every building and structure was heavy timber and beautifully made.We wished we could have spent more time here and will definitely try to come back at some point. It is worth noting that this is a day use only park and there are no overnight accommodations, though that would be really neat!!
Ashley S — Google review
This place is beautiful!! There is so much to offer. We took the tram tour, and it was worth every penny. Our tour guide, J.R. was amazing, super friendly, and very informative. He made sure we had a wonderful experience. We arrived during a cold front and didn't bring blankets. He made sure to help us locate different blanket options in the store and get them before the tour started. You can walk/hike, rent bikes, ride horses, fish and so much more. Food was also good at the restaurant. Had a wonderful day and would revisit again and again. Great place for views and to spend quality time with family/friends.
Kandis C — Google review
Such a beautiful place. The only thing wrong with our visit was it was a very hot day. We took the tram ride and it was worth the extra cost. There are a variety of things to do like horseback riding, biking, fishing and hiking. Easy to spend an entire day. They have a great gift shop and restaurant if you are wanting something to eat or drink.
Mike T — Google review
A beautiful place to enjoy nature. Park entrance is not overpriced for a privately funded park. Some of the amenities such as the tram and bike rentals are a bit inflated however. In order to secure a spot in the Tram is is highly recommended to book ahead of time. The bikes are first come first serve so come early if you want your pick. The restaurant has one of the best brisket sandwiches I have ever had and the sundaes for dessert sure hit the spot after hiking outside all day. There are no food or drink spots along the almost 4 mile path so plan ahead before you start your day. My kids loved the little tree house and educational talk at the amphitheater. It is clear that much of the landscape is not organic, but it is still a beautiful place.
Corrine W — Google review
Spectacular, open year-round, but best in Late Spring, a brief period in fall when colors are changing, and if you're brave and want to bundle open, pretty in Winter especially after some snow.We took the tram ride. It was well organized and highly informative and goes quite a ways back in the canyon. This place is a photographer's dream. We were lucky enough to have Bison right next to the tram at one point including babies. Saw other wildlife close up but I heard it's more common to see them at a distance so don't expect this to be a zoo-like experience.The visitor center has incredible architecture and is fascinating to explore. The restaurant, albeit a little pricey, is worth the price for the above average food for a visitor's center and the spectacular waterfall views.There's so much to do here. You can rent bikes or go fishing on your own or guided or even take a jeep tour. In the heat of the Summer though, the visit would be less enjoyable as you can't swim in any of the bodies of water in the park.
Jeff C — Google review
Beautiful. Must see. Tram tour was amazing and worth every penny. Totally relaxing. The scenery was breath taking. Our guide was great. Enjoyed the museum and gift shop as well. We wanted to eat at the restaurant, but it closed super early. I enjoyed this the most of everything we did in Branson.
Deanna K — Google review
Exceeded expectations. We took the tram tour which was expensive and the grounds were expansive. Covered about 7 miles in 2 hours. Our guide did a great job taking it slow and giving us time for pictures, questions, etc. He spoke clearly and we thought the sound system on the tram was excellent. Could hear everything he said loud and clear. The wildlife viewing was an added bonus as were the treehouse, displays, etc. We had lunch on the patio looking out at the waterfall. Pricey but decent. I understand you can rent bikes for $16/day. The park admission is not cheap though.
Stephen B — Google review
This Nature park is beautiful. We rented bikes for about $15 each. The trail is 6.5 miles round trip, and there are several waterfalls to see. The grounds are mowed. You can eat at their restaurant. It looked like the average pricing for eating was $17-25. We didn't have time to eat because we spent so much time on the paved trail taking pictures. We saw a group that was taking a tour on their trams that got to stop and eat in a pavilion on the trail. There is also a chapel where you can get married. It was gorgeous overlooking a waterfall.
Becca I — Google review
Beautiful place to spend the day! Be sure to get your tickets to the park and activities ahead of time, and on their website. The website is a little confusing, but worth the effort.The entrance fee was worth the ability to walk the trails and see this beautiful place. Though I think I'd rent a bike.Really enjoyed the horseback riding and the tram. It was elk rutting season, and the bull got a little close to the tram for us, but seeing the animals in the open was the highlight.Highly recommend it and plan to go back!
Merritt L — Google review
My wife and I had an amazing time! The highlight of our day was the tram tour we took with Rick as our driver - je was knowledgeable, informative, and very entertaining!We would recommend this place for anyone who enjoys nature!5 STARS!
Lake R — Google review
Beautiful, beautiful park. Tons of waterfalls along a paved, easily accessible route. You can walk, rent a bike, bring your own bike, or ride the tram. We wanted to do a tram ride, but they don't run very many and were all sold out. Quite pricey to get in. It was $80 for our family of 4 and we were only able to go late in the afternoon so only had about 2 1/2 hours. Would like to go again and take the tram and also dine there.
Sonna E — Google review
What a wonderful place to visit! Definitely recommend taking the tram tour. Our experience with the bison and elk was definitely a close encounter. Our tram guide was excellent and had a lot of good information. He was very thoughtful of all the riders, too.We ate lunch on the patio with the sound of the waterfall at our backs.We will return again sometime!
Kelly B — Google review
Beautiful but can be crowded. I recommend going early in the morning if possible. Plenty of parking early but few spaces available by noon. I recommend making online reservations for the tram before arriving because space is limited. Prices we paid were higher than quoted online but the site does warn that pricing is flexible so I wasn't too surprised. The restaurant has a limited menu but the food was good but kind of expensive.
George P — Google review
It was fascinating riding on the tram through the park and observing elk up close (superbly up close!) & also bisons & long horns. Superb commentary by tram driver-guide. Very beautiful nature park - where you can also cycle through. Well worth the time & tickets!
Cara C — Google review
Love love love! Today was our first time at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park and we just added it to our “Must Do” list for when we vacation in Branson! The scenery was magnificent! We also did the horseback riding tour and rented bikes for additional fun! All of the staff were friendly and greeted us well. Our only wish is that we would have gotten there earlier to be able to see everything. We got there at 11:00 and they close at 4:00 today so we missed out on some stuff. You can easily spend the entire day there!
Keitha D — Google review
So beautiful and so much fun for the whole family. I went with a three year old and had a fantastic time. He walked the entire trail and enjoyed it! There was so much to see, it kept him entertained the whole time. With fairly level paved trails it was easy for him to navigate and there were little areas to go off the main path to see different interest points. It wasn’t crowded so he was able to explore at his own pace. Perfect for all ages and wheelchair accessible for most of the hike. There is also a tram for an additional cost if mobility is an issue. There are so many options for activities that you could come back several times and do something different each time. Look at the website for choices and prices. They also have a restaurant by the beautiful waterfall at the front of the park that we didn’t get to visit but it looks amazing.
Nora H — Google review
We enjoyed our time at Dogwood Canyon. It was a fun experience to see all the trout and waterfalls. I will recommend that if you plan to buy tickets to any of the tours, do it ahead of time or you will end up like us and everything will be sold out. We decided to do the walking trail. There are both paved and nature trails. We stayed on the paved trail but I believe it was about 7 miles long from the start to the end (14ish miles round trip). We were very sore the next day as we didn’t prepare for this. However, I will say the Golden Trout at the end are neat to see. There are bikes you can rent as well. We opted for walking, but after realizing how far it was, we had wished we would have done the bikes. If you are doing the paved trail, you will not have access to see the Buffalo or other animals that you would see on the tram. Overall it was a fun experience that we plan to come back and enjoy the tours.
R. T — Google review
The grounds were immaculate with stunning scenery. We did a tram tour with James as our guide, we could not have had a better guide!!! After our tram ride we hiked, fished, and ate at the restaurant, the food at the restaurant was excellent and the cold draft beer hit the spot to finish our day at Dogwood Canyon.
Daniel N — Google review
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a must see! We visiting on a cool overcast morning in July for an 8am tram ride. Our guide Angela was awesome, very friendly and knowledgeable! There are numerous water falls along the tram ride with tons of opportunities for photos. We lucked out during ride through the elk and bison area. All of them were near the path and even blocked the roadway for a while! It was great to see the wildlife up close and personal! The history and artifacts that the park showcases is quite amazing. This park is non profit so everything goes right back to preserving the magic of the park. We encountered lots of employees throughout the ride and all were very friendly! Definitely recommend visiting if you are in the area!
Sarah C — Google review
We love Dogwood Canyon! We have been 3 times now. We always do the team tour however our next visit to Branson we are going to spend a day here walking the trails. Even though the trees are still brown, it was quite beautiful. I am going to find some of my green pictures to post too! It's so relaxing. Our tour guide was great. We had the same guy twice now. Definitely recommend spending a day out here when in Branson.
Kristin W — Google review
Had a lovely visit. Definitely pre-book the tram and/or horseback rides before your visit so the tickets aren’t sold out. Everything was sold out for the day by the time we arrived and we didn’t go during peak season. We ended up renting bikes, which was a great way to see it all.
Katie C — Google review
A peaceful place to escape to. The grandkids enjoyed exploring the museum, the playground, and feeding the fish at the waterfall. There wasn’t a lot of people, so you can get some good pictures. The tram ride extended the views along the creek which brought us to see the buffalo and elk roaming freely along the park. We still haven’t been able to dine indoors due to long waits, however, the outdoor restaurant was very friendly and we didn’t have to wait too long for our food. We’ve visited a couple of times and will return to see the dogwoods in bloom.
Janice G — Google review
What a great place to go for a paved walk! It is long so bring your walking shoes! We went on a very slow day, which was great for us.You’ll even cross into Arkansa!!There’s bathrooms and places to buy water along the walking path.We had lunch on the patio next to the waterfall and it was a great time.
Maria W — Google review
Beautiful place to visit if you enjoy walking. Little expensive to just enter, in my opinion, because it doesn't include anything other than walking trails and the small museum. Was too tired from walking to try out the restaurant, but the food looked good!
Chad H — Google review
I definitely recommend the tram tour. I especially enjoyed all the knowledge that tour guide Joe shared about the multiple skeletal remains found in the caves. It was a thrill to see the elk, longhorns, and bison (especially the white bison) on the premises.Plan to spend a few hours, or like me, 2 entire days. There are hiking trails, bring your own bike or rent one there, horseback, fishing,etc. Some activities are pricey. But they go to help further the conservation efforts. Peaceful and beautiful nature park!
Maria E — Google review
Easily the best activity I did when visiting Missouri. This park is beautiful and well worth the admission. So many waterfalls and beautiful historic sites to see I recommend renting bikes and taking the 6 mile round trip trail to the end of the park. So much wildlife to see also!
Collin M — Google review
AMAZING!!! Truly wonderful experience! The tram ride with Rachel as our tour guide was excellent! She’s knowledgeable, friendly and such a great host! Her personality & the love she has for her job is exceptional.We ate at the restaurant and had Bri as our server. Service phenomenal, food fabulous. Cookie dessert is a MUST!The tree house is so unique and interesting. Every little detail is special. If you have an opportunity Dogwood Canyon needs to be top on your list!!
John A — Google review
This was one of the nicest and most picturesque nature parks here in the midwest that I've been to. We will definitely be back again! We took the 2 hour tour, and the tour guide was very informative and had a great sense of humor. Figure at least half a day if you plan to make the most out of it. The food at The Mill was delicious as well.
Michael G — Google review
Beautiful park! We walked the trail and saw a lot of beautiful waterfalls. You also cross the state line into Arkansas. And we got to see a wild beaver. So beautiful.
Katherin H — Google review
Definitely won’t be back. My family and I spent $100 or so to just walk the trail. A huge chunk of the water was drained and giant pumps were running, there was no mention of maintenance on the website or anything. Then when we made it back to the falls and went down what appeared to us to be some rock steps and sat by the water on some large rocks, an employee on a golf cart made a special trip over to yell at us and lecture us for sitting there. We looked all around and there were no signs at all saying not to go down the steps, or not to sit there or anything so….I guess we were just supposed to know. We were having a decent visit before getting chewed out in front of other guests by employee man, but definitely didn’t have a good $100 walk of embarrassment back to the entrance. I only say we had a two star time instead of 1 because the guy that checked us in was very nice friendly.
Katrina H — Google review
This park is a gorgeous place for a walk and to get out with family! We spent the morning walking the trail and enjoyed seeing all the nature, water features and serenity. It was a brisk 35 degree morning, and we walked the entire trail, and enjoyed every bit.We saw both parent eagles, and their nest, and also saw a juvenile eagle near the nest!The tram is an additional cost, but we feel that we were able to enjoy more of the park without tram.
Janet S — Google review
This is a very special place in so many ways. We took the tram ride around the property & saw a herd of bison and a herd of elk, along with too many fat trout in the clear water to count. Our guide, Barry, made the trip memorable and really fun for everyone. The beauty of the many waterfalls and geology was explained where young and old were entertained while learning.Hiking & biking trails are maintained and not to be missed. 🐕 Friendly too.The restaurant overlooks one of the falls and the food was delish.Highly recommended!
B B — Google review
This trip we decided to do the walking trails. We walked the full 6+ miles. These are lots of trails you can take off the main paved road. We did most of them. Dogwood Canyon is beautiful no matter what season it is when you go! We got the combo tickets for Dogwood Canyon & WOW. It was definitely worth it!
Joye D — Google review
We had an excellent time at Dogwood Canyon. Even our toddler enjoyed it! JR was our tram driver & guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and you could tell he LOVED what he was teaching about (especially the animals). Beautiful place!! We would definitely go back.
Kaity D — Google review
Amazing national park. Entry is pricy but worth it if you are planning to make a half or full day of it.The horseback riding is wonderful, staff is amazing and very kid helpful. One of the best rides we have been on. Highly recommend reserving early and for the first ride of the day.
Ryan S — Google review
I'm always impressed with Dogwood Canyon Nature Park! As a photographer I love photographing weddings, and families at this beautiful park! Today, a park Ranger, Ray took such great care of me and my clients today! I photographed a proposal and they helped me make the moment perfect! James the tram driver is amazing as well! The wedding coordinators are so helpful, kind, and knowledgeable too! I can't say enough great things about this park and the people who work there!
Sheri H — Google review