To cross Bull Shoals Lake on
the last remaining free automobile ferry boat in the state,
proceed north on Hwy. 125 to the lakeshore and to Hwy.
125 Park at Peel. The ferry boat operates in
daylight hours and the trip takes about 10 minutes to cross
the lake.
Peel Ferry Crosses
Bull Shoals Lake
Map location: B-5
Shortly
after leaving the ferry, you can see the sundial in the campground.
Designed and built by longtime area resident Mark Werner,
it’s been there since 1982. Then, take Hwy. 160 west
into Branson.
Hwy. 125 Park Campground
Solar Hook Sundial
Map location: B-5
If you choose to
keep your automobile on dry land, the
scenic route will be curvy, but still shorter than the
distance along the more-traveled route of U.S. Hwy. 65.
Going west from the Peel turnoff,
you’ll be on Arkansas Hwy. 268 for a short time,
to Lead Hill. At Lead Hill, you may follow Hwy. 7 to the
lakeshore and the community of Diamond City. There you
will find a Corps of Engineers’ park, boat launch,
swimming beach and campsite, as well as a large commercial
boat dock, the Diamond Hills Country Club and 18-hole golf
course, open to the public, and a selection of cabins and
motels.
Diamond Hills Country Club
Map location: B-3
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Scenic
Hwy. 7 is ‘Best’ in
Driving Fun
Highway 7 is an excellent stretch of road
in northern Arkansas for motorcycles or automobiles.
Arkansas Scenic Hwy.
7 begins here at the shore
of Bull Shoals Lake, winding through the Ozark hills. Car
and Driver magazine has termed Hwy. 7 the “best of
the best” scenic, “fun to drive”
American highways.
Driving west again
on Hwy. 14 is a journey through pleasant countryside, cattle
farms, and hill country vistas. Another chance to head
toward Bull Shoals Lake for a stop at the water’s edge is Hwy. 281 north, to Tucker
Hollow Park. This is a smaller park, but ideal for the naturalist
who wants to “escape from it all.”
Motorcyclists on Hwy. 7
(Photo provided by the Arkansas
Department
of Parks and Tourism.)
Map Location – B-3 & C-3
As
you approach Omaha, be prepared for increased traffic,
including tour buses. The roadside is dotted with numerous
billboards advertising the musical theaters of Branson.
You will undoubtedly recognize some of the names of stars
and their successors who perform here day-in and day-out.
If you’re looking for music in the style of the Lennons,
Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Mickey Gilley, Pam Tillis,
plus a host of stars who come in for a night or a week’s
performances, most Branson theaters operate nearly year-round,
with a break in their schedules during the months of January
and February. Travelers also go to Branson for the outlet
shopping malls, craft malls, amusement parks, and restaurants.
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