Branson Landing’s Boardwalk and the downtown trail system are ideal for your morning run
Branson is mountainous/hilly pretty much everywhere you go, but along the shores of Lake Taneycomo in downtown, things are relatively flat. That’s why so many locals and visitors head to the Branson Landing Boardwalk and connected trails as a preferred place for a jog.
Here’s a few great ways to enjoy a jog in Downtown.
There and back
Park in the north Branson Landing parking lot near North Beach park. From there, head south along the Branson Landing Boardwalk, and continue south along the southern parking lot until you get to the Lake Taneycomo bridges and Lakeside RV Park. Take in the amazing views, and then head back. It’s a roughly 1.5 mile round-trip and should take about 20 minutes.
Loop through Historic Downtown
This path starts at the same spot as the above jog. Except when you get to Bass Pro Shops, turn right and go around the southern end of the store. Then continue your run on Branson Landing Boulevard. You can continue straight to return to your car, or cross the street at the train depot and continue jogging through Historic Downtown. If you go that route, turn right onto Commercial Street, and follow it back to Branson Landing and your car. This trip is about 1.5 or 2.0 miles and should take about 30 minutes.
Boardwalk and Branson Trails
This is a great run if you’ve got an hour or more for your run. Start at the same spot as the above two runs, and continue south to the Lake Taneycomo bridges as in the first course. However, in this case keep going through the Lakeside RV park and past Scotty’s Trout Dock. You’ll come to the railroad bridge, and there’s a narrow opening where you can continue running. Once past the trestle bridge, you’ll continue on Lake Drive, then right on Canal Street, left on Cliff Drive, and the left on Hawthorn. You will arrive at Alexander Park, a great place to take a break (restrooms are open during daylight hours).
You can turn around and go back at this point OR continue on along Sunset Road. This will take you under the U.S. 65 bridges and to Sunset Park, where there’s a great walking path and exercise stations. After enjoying the view and taking a break, you can head back the way you came. Roundtrip is about 4 miles and will take about an hour to complete.
Want more?
Don’t stop at Sunset Park. On the western end of the park you’ll see a small parking lot, and the trail continues as a dirt road, then as a dirt trail. It continues up the mountain and ends at the Lakeside Wilderness Area, which can be accessed from the trailhead behind Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre on the Country Boulevard “Strip.”