Whether you are a hiker or you just want to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors, there is no harm in checking out the Busiek State Forest in Branson, Missouri. It is one unique piece of land that you would not find geography like it in any other place. Also, Missouri is known for its beautiful forests, making the Busiek State Forest one of its greatest pride. It is also known as Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area and it is perfectly located directly off Highway 65 in the Mark Twain National Forest. The southwest part of Missouri, after all, is the best place to visit to witness beautiful land formations and jaw-dropping sceneries.
The Busiek State Forest will never do you wrong because of the activities you could just engage in during your visit. You can be one with the outdoors and nature with so many activities. Below are some of the activities you can do in the beautiful forest.
Have some action in the heart of the Busiek State Forest as you explore the 2,505 forested acres and 14 miles of trails with varying difficulty. The forest offers you a little bit of everything as you go deeper into the woods. You just might want to grab your best pair of walking shoes and your backpack to have this unique and awesome adventure only at the Busiek State Park Forest. Just remember be cautious; watch out for signs for ease of navigation and direction, loose rocks along the trails, and some snakes during the warm season. You could know more about the trails by visiting the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website.
If you are looking for the best horseback riding experience in southwest Missouri, you might want to check the Busiek State Forest. There are terrains that vary depending on which trail you ride. You can either choose from a relaxed trail like the Red Trail, which only provide the horse and the rider a shorter trail along the flat parts of the forest. Or a challenging one like the Silver Trail, which have large rocks and nearly vertical uphill slopes that would definitely require some physical fitness and skill on both the rider and the horse. The challenging trails may be hard but the reward of the views you will see on top of the trail would definitely be magnificent! All trails, both easy and challenging, provide the horse and the rider obstacles such as creek crossings, rocks, the occasional fallen tree, mud holes, and wildlife encounters. These are not to stop you from enjoying but to make your experience more fun and exciting. And you don’t need to worry because there are numerous places along the different parts of the trails where you can stop to water and feed your horse.
The Busiek State Forest is well conserved that you will be able to see various life forms that differ from season to season. You will never get tired of visiting the forest to see some Redbud and Dogwood trees that burst with flowers during the spring. During the summer, it would be a nice time to see sycamores along the creek banks leaf out. These not only give you something to see but also give you shade from the sun during the hot season and enjoy the nature as wildflowers begin to bloom or simply have a picnic. Autumn is also another good time to visit the forest to check out the colors of the leaves that have fallen on the ground. The Busiek State Forest is also home to various animals, such as Whitetail Deer, Red-Tailed Hawks, assorted finches, Blue Jays, several varieties of warblers, and smaller critters like rabbits, armadillos, and squirrels. If you just can’t get enough of Busiek, you better grab you backpack and tents and get a permit from the conservation department and camp at the beautiful creekside campsites! Just don’t forget to pick up all your trash!
The Busiek State Forest is definitely a great way to experience the beauty of the Ozark Mountains. Plan your next visit to Branson and don’t forget to check out Busiek!
