By Harold Merton

Camping and RV parks have become very plentiful in the past decade around Branson, Missouri, probably a reflection of the popularity of country music among those of us who like to vacation in our RVs.
If you pick up any of the major campground guides you will find a large
choice in that area.

We had the good fortune to discover The Wilderness at Silver Dollar City when we were doing stories in the Branson area. This RV park is located right on Silver Dollar City property, around the corner from the entrance to this massive theme area in the woodlands of the
Ozark mountains. Herschend Family Entertainment owns a number of attractions including Silver Dollar City, The Wilderness, The Branson Belle Showboat and a hot night amusement park, that unfortunately was not operating when we were there. When we were talking to the publicity people at HFE on another story they invited us to visit the campground to see what it was like. It certainly was a delightful experience.

The RV sites were well laid out in an attractive wooded area around the registration building, office, pool and store.

Their washroom facilities were excellent and just a few stops from our
large pull-through site was one of the satellite buildings that housed
excellent shower and washroom facilities. It was comfortably heated during our visit in March.

They have many pull-through sites to accommodate larger rigs and 50 amp electrical service and TV cable is standard on many of the full hookup spots. There are also a number of 30 amp sites and they can look after the tenters too as they have a good number of exclusive tent pad sites.

Log cabins are big at The Wilderness and I must say that they are the most elaborate I have ever seen to date. We watched as they constructed new cabins and they are true log cabins built the old-fashioned way. You may choose from basic to full service cabins with fireplaces, jacuzzis and kitchens. Each has a back porch with barbecue and it is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the scenery. They would make a good spot for relatives who want to camp with you when you don't have enough room in your RV. You could camp on one of the RV sites and they would be just a short walk away in the rustic cabin area.
These deluxe cabins (some with three beds) rent in a range of about $109 to $165 a night depending on features, in high season, less of course off season.

The cabin sites are to the right of the main building while most of the RV
and tent sites are to the left and behind the building. The entire park sits
in a delightful setting among the beautiful trees of the Branson mountain
area. In the main building you'll find the office and general store, along with a delightful game room and a TV lounge. Washrooms are located on one end of the building while the swimming pool and playground are located at the other end.

The Wilderness is not difficult to find as it is right on the Silver Dollar City property on the north west outskirts of Branson. Any of the local tourist maps will probably show the location. If you are travelling west on Highway 76 you turn left onto State Highway 265 south. They are one-half mile down the road. They also offer a shuttle service several times a day to the front gate of Silver Dollar City (to be featured in the next issue of Scope) and many RVers prefer this method of transportation. Check out the shuttle times when you check in. If you plan to visit Silver Dollar City itself prepare for at least one day there. You'll find there is plenty to see and do! We really enjoyed our stay at The Wilderness and hope to visit with them again in the future.

The Wilderness at Silver Dollar City
Log Cabins and RVs
5125 State Highway 265
Branson, Missouri 65616
1.800.477.5164

Also see the Branson Page for attractions and tours.

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