Things to do nearShepherd of the Hills Inspiration Tower

Shepherd of the Hills Inspiration Tower rises from land made famous by Harold Bell Wright's 1907 novel The Shepherd of the Hills, one of the first American books to sell more than a million copies. Wright spent time in the Ozarks near what is now Branson, Missouri, and the characters and cabins he described were drawn from real people and real places on this very property. Today the Shepherd of the Hills attraction preserves that heritage through a working homestead, a reconstructed Old Matt's Cabin, and the tower itself, which serves as both a functional landmark and a tribute to the region's literary identity.

From the observation deck, visitors take in a broad sweep of the Missouri Ozarks, a landscape of forested ridges, clear-water streams, and the distant shimmer of Table Rock Lake. The tower's elevator carries guests to the top quickly, though the panorama rewards a slow, unhurried look in each direction.

On the grounds below, horse-drawn wagon rides, a zip-line canopy tour, and an ATV adventure course give families and outdoor-minded visitors a range of ways to engage with the terrain. The open-air theater stages a long-running outdoor drama each season, drawing audiences who want to experience Wright's story told against the very backdrop that inspired it.

The Ozark landscape here feels genuinely preserved rather than manufactured, and that authenticity sets Shepherd of the Hills Inspiration Tower apart from many of Branson's more commercial attractions, making it a worthwhile stop for anyone seeking a deeper connection to the region's natural and cultural roots.