Dogwood Canyon Nature Park sprawls across the Missouri-Arkansas border, just south of Branson, MO., and is reached on Missouri Highway 86. Saturday September 27th, 2003, with cameras in hand, the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas, took a private tour of this incredible 10,000-acre parcel of unspoiled Ozarks landscape. The first parcels of the property were acquired in 1990, by Bass Pro Shops' founder, Johnny Morris, whose dedication to conserving our natural environment has become the cornerstone for development of this spectacular wilderness experience. Members and guests were amazed by the abundant wild life and natural beauty of the park.

We arrived at the park around 3:00, on a cool fall evening. The weather was perfect, the group spent an hour hiking along an incredible trail that led across various bridges, including a covered bridge, that crossed the Little Indian Creek. The water was incredibly clear, displaying the many rainbow trout that could be witnessed leaping from the creek to catch the mayflies that flew low along the waters edge.

Around 5:00, after a short time in the valley, we boarded our tram for the guided photo tour. Our host was a wealth of information, and provided a spectacular trip. Stopping frequently for the many waterfalls, natural sites, and wildlife, the tour truly provided an abundance of photographic opportunities, during the two and half hour excursion.

Whether it was the Ground Hog that stopped only inches from us, rare Flowers, majestic flowing waterfalls, Wild Turkeys, White Tail Deer, Elk, Buffalo, or any number other unique sites, Dogwood Canyon will be remembered as a spectacular trip for a very long time.