[title subtitle=”WORDS Catherine Frederick and Jaclyn Slifer
IMAGES courtesy Big Cedar Lodge”][/title]
With the summer months in our rearview, the arguable favorite season is upon Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri. Just eight miles from Branson, the majestic Ozark retreat is known across the country as America’s premier wilderness resort. And with Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris as the owner, the resort offers a wealth of outdoor activities. Every fall, the 4,600 acres of Big Cedar Lodge are set ablaze in autumn colors, reflecting off the still blue waters of Table Rock Lake.
The land Big Cedar sits on was first developed in the early 1920’s as a luxurious country retreat for two prominent Missourians, business entrepreneur Jude Simmons and Frisco Railroad executive Harry Worman. Several original structures still stand today, having been converted into the property’s restaurants. Since opening in 1988, Big Cedar hasn’t wavered from the mission of providing genuine Ozark hospitality.
Lodging options abound at Big Cedar. Guests can enjoy glamping in the great outdoors with all the comforts of a luxury resort or cuddle up next to a fire in one of the many cabins, cottages, and suites all around Big Cedar. Every room has plush, cabin-style décor that seems to instantly let you know you’re on vacation and miles away from everyday burdens. Camp Long Creek recently joined the roundup of extensive room types.
Big Cedar is known for many things, but bass fishing and top-notch golf immediately come to mind. This year, Big Cedar officially debuted Payne’s Valley, the first public-access course in the U.S. designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design, elevating Big Cedar Lodge as a premier destination for golf by attracting some of the world’s leading course architects, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Tom Fazio, Gary Player, Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods to create nature golf at the resort. Payne’s Valley joins four existing and top-rated courses at the resort – Buffalo Ridge Springs (Tom Fazio), Ozarks National (Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw), Mountain Top (Gary Player) and Top of the Rock (Jack Nicklaus).
But the outdoor adventures don’t end there. An impressive array of options at Bent Hook Marina include wakeboards, water skis, paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats; all available to rent and explore Table Rock Lake. Lady Liberty, Big Cedar’s luxury yacht available for sunset cruises and group rentals, captures the beauty and sophistication of a by-gone era while employing the modern amenities of today. The yacht has a distinctive cool, nautical vibe, bedecked in classic blue and white and shiny wood finishes. Also available is yoga paddle-boarding as well as unique nighttime paddleboard tours.
For those who don’t really have their sea legs, the endless acres of Big Cedar and nearby Dogwood Canyon Nature Park provide infinite land adventures. In keeping with a focus on wellness, yoga hikes are a great way to enjoy the breathtaking views and crisp, changing leaves. In addition to unparalleled biking and horseback trails, visitors can also hop in a tram or jeep for a tour of towering bluffs, waterfalls and get up close and personal with wildlife like bison, deer and massive Texas longhorn cattle. The less-adventurous equine-lovers can travel around Big Cedar in style during a horse-drawn carriage ride.
After a couple days exploring the Ozarks by land and lake, the best reward can be found at the 18,000-square-foot Cedar Creek Spa, where expert spa staff stand ready to pamper. One of the most popular treatments is the Big Cedar Signature Massage. Starting with a deeply relaxing massage, the therapist gently compresses cedar and eucalyptus-steeped hot towels on the arms, legs and back. The skin is then treated to a soothing rub of cedar, sage and citrus body butter with moisturizing shea and jojoba ingredients. The indulgent process is heavenly in both touch and aroma.
There are nine restaurants between Big Cedar, Top of the Rock and Camp Long Creek, all of which reflect the delicious Midwestern cooking that the region is known for. Devil’s Pool, a rustic, log-styled restaurant, originated in the 1920’s and is known for its generous home-style dishes. The hickory-smoked prime rib and smoked trout are not to be missed! The legendary Singin’ Cowboy, Clay Self, is a regular performer, entertaining diners at the more casual Buzzard Bar downstairs. For visitors wanting to wear the chef’s hat, Big Cedar offers Backyard Baskets full of all the fixings to grill up a private family dinner on your own outdoor deck.
Big Cedar Lodge offers endless entertainment for you and your family and much of it can be found at Fun Mountain. Complete with go carts, a ropes course, bowling, laser tag, bumper cars, a full arcade, a climbing wall, golf simulator, billiards, a kid’s climbing area, a nature discovery center, and an adventure club, this world class attraction offers year-round fun for all ages. Whether you’re climbing to the top of the rock wall or zooming down the slide of the pirate ship, you’ll delight in the adventure of Fun Mountain, created for the kid in all of us.
Big Cedar also offers a wide selection of activities around the property including basketball, horseshoes, miniature golf, sand volleyball, shuffleboard and tennis. But when the games have been played, nothing says good old-fashioned family fun like taking a dip in one of the resort’s pools or bobbing around in the lazy river, weather permitting, of course.
With so much available on property, choosing what to do first is always exciting. The beauty of Big Cedar is that you can have as little or as much adventure as you want. It’s the destination where you can just as easily do everything under the sun or sit back, relax and just enjoy the staggering beauty of the Ozarks.
Plan your adventure at bigcedar.com.
