Branson is located in southwest Missouri, 40 miles south of Springfield, in the center of the Ozark Mountains. Branson makes a convenient base to sample all of the outdoor activities that the scenic Ozark Mountains region has to offer, including hiking, biking and bird watching. Close to Branson, Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake and Lake Taneycomo offer all kinds of water sports.
Boating
Table Rock Lake is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which provides boat launch sites to get you onto the water by canoe, kayak or motorboat. More than 100 private resorts and marinas also provide boating services around the lake and organize on-water activities. Docks and boat launches on Bull Shoals Lake provide access to the clear waters. Take a boat out onto this lake for an afternoon of water skiing or try sail boating.
Hiking
The Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area is right in the heart of Branson on Fall Creek Road, overlooking Lake Taneycomo. The 130-acre park provides a full range of trails from easy to strenuous. Part of the wilderness area trail stretches along the lakeshore from downtown Branson to the city of Reeds Spring. The trail is paved and also suitable for bikes. A rugged historic trail leads upward with 315 stone steps. A newer trail is flatter, but all have scenic views.
Golf
Branson has nearly a dozen golf courses ranging from par-3 courses to 18-hole championship courses. Thousand Hills, Branson Creek and Pointe Royale are popular golf attractions. All have scenic courses and well-kept greens. Thousand Hills is a challenging course to test your skill and features long fairways and greens. Branson Creek Golf Club is a 7,000-yard championship-level golf course designed by Tom Fazio. The club offers golf instruction and a spacious practice range. Murder Rock is another 18-hole option located just south of Branson.
Fishing
With three lakes, Branson offers all the fishing you need. Bulls Shoals Lake and Table Rock Lake are good for bass fishing, and Lake Taneycomo is the place for trout. Table Rock fish species include large mouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, bream and panfish. Go in spring and fall for the best large mouth bass fishing. Bull Shoals Lake offers a full variety of warm water species. Both have no closed season. Lake Taneycomo features quality rainbow and brown trout fishing year-round. You need a valid Resident or Non-Resident Fishing Permit, available locally or online.
Swimming
Table Rock Lake provides swimming areas including Moonshine Beach, a sandy beach for safe family swimming and sunbathing. Branson's specialist aquatics center is located outside the recreation center at Branson RecPlex. The swimming center features a zero-depth entry leisure pool, pool with water slides, lap lanes for serious swimming and a diving well. Relax after your swim in the picnic area.
Weather
Activities such as hiking, swimming and boating in Branson take place in the summer, when visitors and residents enjoy warm temperatures and low rainfall. July sees an average temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter is also a good time for Branson outdoor activities due to low snowfall and daytime temperatures averaging 42 degrees Fahrenheit in January. The average yearly snowfall is 18 inches. The wettest month of the year is November, but rain is generally evenly distributed throughout the year.
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