Fall is a beautiful time of year in the Ozarks. With so many forested hills and ridges, there is no shortage of trees to paint to season different shades of gold, red, orange and brown! One of the best ways to see some of the best fall color is to take a driving tour – many folks come from miles around just to take a scenic jaunt in the car around the area. The best time of year to catch the color starts in October and ends in early November. So pack up the car and get ready to take one of these great self-guided tour routes put together by the Branson Chamber of Commerce! Be sure to stop by the Branson Welcome Center on the way to pick up a map or two.
Driving Tour #1 – Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City – Est. Time: 90 minutes
This beautiful scenic drive highlights great fall color foliage, lake and mountain views, and the opportunity to cross two historic truss bridges. Indian Point and Dogwood Canyon are some great side trips to take while on this tour – Indian Point features a zipline that flies you through autumn colored trees, and Dogwood Canyon offers hiking and horseback rides through fall colored country!
Driving Tour #2 – Downtown Branson, Forsyth, Rockaway Beach – Est. Time: 70 minutes
This fun auto tour will take you through the heart of quaint and original Downtown Branson. While this part of town is charming at any time of year, there is just something about fall that gives it an extra splash of character! This tour also highlights some stellar views of Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake – both lakes are picturesque and feature lots of tree studded shorelines, making for some great fall color. A side trip on this tour is down scenic Y Highway!
Driving Tour #3 – Bull Shoals Lake, Peel Ferry, Mark Twain Natl. Forest – Est. Time: 4 hrs
This is the longest driving tour on the Chamber of Commerce list, but it is certainly worth it! This route will take you through two states that boast the best fall color in the Ozarks – Missouri and Arkansas. On this trip, you will wind through Mark Twain National Forest, and be rewarded with a look at Central Bull Shoals Lake; the lake is known for good fishing, so you might want to include a pole or two in your road trip gear! You will also have the opportunity to see Peel Ferry; this is the only public ferry in the Ozarks, so you won’t want to miss this stop!
These are just a few of the driving routes you can take to see amazing fall color. Grab a map and a camera and find your own!
