Ruth And Paul Henning Conservation - A Hidden Ozarks Treasure

So wow, I found a hidden treasure in Branson Missouri, which is part of the Ozarks, this last fall (2020). I can't tell you how many times I have drove past this place and didn't know what it was. There are a couple area's you can access this park from. One of the access points is along Highway 76/376 near Shepherd Of The Hills (watch for the sign). The other point is along Sycamore Church Road near Roark Creek.

I was looking for a nearby area to take some fall photos and I wanted to also capture some waterfall (my favorite thing to photograph). I did my research and discovered this park. We got up really early on Halloween morning and headed to Branson to capture some sunrise photos. It was a beautiful foggy morning.

I couldn't believe how I had never been here before and I've lived in this area my whole life.Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area is in the White River Hills of western Taney County and is part of the White River Bald's Natural Area.

We started at the entrance near Shepherd Of The Hills. There is a beautiful expansive view of Branson and the rolling Ozarks hills from the parking lot that is breath taking. After getting a few photos from there, we started our hike. This is a hike trail that may be difficult for some.Most of this 1,534-acre area consists of rocky and bumpy trails, steep hills, and forest wooded areas.In the fall, you have to be extra careful as the leaves can make it slick, especially if they are wet.

There was beauty everywhere you looked. The further down the hill you get, you run into natural running water creeks with lots of waterfalls. You can even find some little waterfalls in the middle of the walking trail after a rain. With that being said, the best time to see the waterfalls is during the rainy season, or after some heavy rainfall, as these are rain water creeks. For the largest waterfall that is 12 feet tall, you do have to go off the trail to see it (you can hear it as you get closer), but it is worth it!

It is such a beautiful hike. We went down to the bottom area and walked along the creek, then we went back up the hill to the parking lot. Not having enough time to walk it all, we drove over to the other entrance off of Sycamore Church Road and found a few more treasures along Roark Creek including an old railroad bridge and Sycamore Log Church.

We spent hours there and still didn't get to see everything. I plan to go back there during the spring season when the beautiful spring colors pop out to get some more photos and to explore this beautiful land. To check out some of the photos I've uploaded to my website, click on the link below. I'm still adding photos so feel free to check back to see more of them.
https://5-jennifer-white.pixels.com/art/ruth+and+paul+henning+conservation