Located north of Branson is the Busiek State Forest which is owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. This forest offers mountain biking and hiking trails, horse trails, camping, and an outdoor shooting range. Busiek State Forest covers an area of 18 miles of hiking trails in three levels of difficulty ranging from easy to moderate. These hiking trails are marked in different colors depending on difficulty. The nice creek that runs through the area is the highlight of the trails. Along this nice creek, the trails run through several valleys, and some wooded hills. Overall, these great hiking trails offer great outdoor activities.
A wonderful and fulfilling vacation with your family at the Busiek State Forest in Branson will give you more fun with its nature activities such as hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Busiek State Forest was named in honor of Dr. Urban and Erma Marie Busiek when in 1981 the state purchased the first sections of the land from them. The 2,505 acres of the land area of the forest are all accessible for hiking, camping, biking, and more. Busiek State Forest provides visitors multiple recreational opportunities. Although the forest doesn’t have spectacular waterfalls or amazing rock formations, it does offer panoramic hilltop views of the Ozarks which can be great for any outdoor fun activities.
This state forest has a stream called Woods Fork Creek that runs through the middle of the forest. The stream is clear and around knee-deep in springtime. The forest’s well-marked trail system provides great fun for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Deer hunting and fur trapping is allowed in the forest at certain times of the year. The hills of the forest have an elevation of 980 feet to 1,200 feet above sea level, so the use of motorized vehicles is prohibited.
The state forest features a shooting range and primitive camping at designated areas which are available by permit only. There are no amenities in the area or potable water. At the mountaintop of the forest, there is a hidden secret treasure and a cemetery. No one has ever been buried in this cemetery for a long time. The headstones aren’t readable anymore because the cemetery was erected during the time of the civil war.
Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area has 9 campsites, an unsupervised shooting range, and 18 miles of hiking trails. This forest and wildlife area can be accessed through U.S. Highway 65. It is located 18 miles south of Springfield and 15 miles north of Branson. The nine primitive designated campsites in the forest are all near to the eastern trail system. Mark Twain Forest is actually close to the state forest but they are separated by several private tracks of land.
If you are looking for a wonderful vacation that is filled with fun and nature-friendly activities such as biking, hiking, and horseback riding, visit the Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area in Branson and stay at the best accommodation at Thousand Hills Golf Resort.
