Active Pursuits

Fisherfolk favor Table Rock Lake for bass and Lake Taneycomo for trout. State Park Marina, on Hwy. 165 inside Table Rock State Park (tel. 417/334-BOAT [334-2628]; www.stateparkmarina.com), is Branson's closest marina and offers everything from pontoons and WaveRunners to ski or fishing boats, as well as activities like parasailing and scuba diving. Table Rock Lake also has several public swimming areas and the 2.2-mile Table-Rock Lakeshore Trail. Outdoor enthusiasts should also head to Dogwood Canyon Nature Park (tel. 417/779-5983; www.dogwoodcanyon.org), a beautiful 2,200-acre wooded wilderness 35 miles south of Branson with spring-fed streams and waterfalls, accessible via a 6.5-mile hiking and biking path (rental bikes are available) and 2-hour wildlife tram tours that also take in a refuge for elk, bison, Texas longhorns, and other wildlife. Horseback rides and trout fishing are also available (fees charged for each activity). Several of the Branson area's dozen golf courses, open to the public year-round, are described in the brochure "Golf Branson," available at the Welcome Center. Eighteen-hole Branson Creek Golf Club (tel. 417/339-4653; www.bransoncreekgolf.com) is one of Missouri's top public courses.