🌤 Weather at Shepherd of the Hills State Park by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35–79 °F | 63–92 °F | 35–84 °F | 24–53 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Ozark Beach, 11 mi away, elevation 834 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
Shepherd of the Hills State Park, formerly Ozark Mountain State Park, is a Missouri state park under development just outside Branson in western Taney County. Missouri State Parks, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, is developing it. The park is not yet open for regular visitation: in October 2026 its Missouri State Parks page showed “Park Closed”.
The state bought the 1,011-acre property in October 2016 as Ozark Mountain State Park and renamed it in May 2022. This page explains where the park stands, what the land protects and what Missouri State Parks plans to build, as of October 2026.
Quick Facts
| State | Missouri |
| Nearest City | Branson |
| County | Taney County |
| Park Size | 1,011 acres |
| Established | 2016 (property bought in October 2016) |
| Renamed | May 2022, from Ozark Mountain State Park |
| Status | Not yet open for regular visitation (October 2026) |
Can you visit?
Not yet. Missouri State Parks lists the park hours as “Park closed” and describes the park as under development and not yet open for regular visitation. When the park was renamed in May 2022, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources also said it was not open to the public yet.
Public meeting on October 22, 2026. Missouri State Parks invites the public to a town hall-style meeting about the park at 6 p.m. on October 22, 2026, in the park’s old equestrian barn at 4424 Sycamore Church Road. Staff will report on the park’s development and answer questions. For details, call Table Rock State Park at 417-334-4704.
From Ozark Mountain to Shepherd of the Hills
The State of Missouri bought the property in October 2016, acting as trustee for natural resources, with natural resource damage funds that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources had recovered. The purchase is part of the Statewide Groundwater Restoration Plan, and its purpose is to restore and preserve the 1,011-acre watershed that feeds Roark Creek and its groundwater.
On May 4, 2022, Missouri State Parks announced the new name, Shepherd of the Hills State Park. The proposal came from the Society of the Ozarkian Hillcrofters, and the department weighed comments from four public meetings held at the park. The name honors Harold Bell Wright’s 1907 novel “The Shepherd of the Hills”, which refers to the town of Garber and the Roark Valley. The announcement fell on Wright’s 150th birthday.
The land and its history
The park covers dolomite glade-covered knobs, savanna and woodland, springs and streams. Over two miles of upper Roark Creek flow through it, including the lower reaches of its East and West forks, which meet inside the park seven stream miles above Lake Taneycomo. Roark Creek stops flowing in dry periods but keeps permanent pools that support aquatic life. When it announced the new name in 2022, the department said the park has more than 700 known plant species, 53 breeding bird species and more than 400 acres of glades.
Artifacts on the property date to at least 6,000 B.C. Homesteaders moved into Taney County from 1873 to 1910, and the Garber Schoolhouse, built around 1903, still stands inside the park. The 2022 plan counts 21 structures on the property, among them a log cabin, barns and the equestrian barn.
What Missouri State Parks plans
The park’s Conceptual Development Plan, approved in April 2022, lists these ideas. None of them is open yet:
- a south day-use area with parking, a vault toilet, potable water, picnic tables and an interpretive kiosk
- a service area in the existing equestrian barn, which will also house the park office
- a north day-use area near the Garber Schoolhouse, reachable on foot only
- a basic camping area with walk-in platform tent sites, and a primitive special-use camping area
- hiking-only trails, an ADA trail and a connector trail to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area
- a restored log cabin for backpackers and an overlook on a bald knob
The plan is linked from the Missouri State Parks page for the park, where you can also check its current status.
Explore More Parks in Missouri
Until Shepherd of the Hills State Park opens, choose another Missouri state park for your trip. Discover more parks in our Best State Parks in Missouri guide, or use our Park Finder to search by activity, location, or features.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this page presented this park as open, with visiting hours, general Missouri camping, cave and float tips, wildlife and nearby attractions that do not apply to a park that is still closed. In October 2026 we rewrote the page using information from Missouri State Parks and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
More parks nearby: Stockton State Park is within about an hour’s drive, while Pomme de Terre State Park lies within about an hour’s drive.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Shepherd of the Hills State Park
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Responsible pet owners and their pets are welcome in Missouri state parks and historic sites, with pets leashed and under control.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- Leash not longer than 10 feet required at all times; portable fences and shock collars do not satisfy the requirement.
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- Pets are not allowed in public swimming areas or on beaches.
- Cabins & lodging statewide rule
- The 'Cabins for Canines' program opens about 30% of lodging units to dogs (max two dogs per unit) at roughly 15 participating parks including Lake of the Ozarks, Bennett Spring, Echo Bluff and Roaring River; per-dog per-night fee varies by unit type.
- Pet fees statewide rule
- No day-use pet fee; Cabins for Canines charges a per-dog, per-night lodging fee (varies by unit).
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- Maximum two dogs per campsite; pets not allowed inside any park building.
Are dogs allowed at Shepherd of the Hills State Park?
Responsible pet owners and their pets are welcome in Missouri state parks and historic sites, with pets leashed and under control. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via mostateparks.com. More: Missouri state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Location
Plan your gear for Shepherd of the Hills State Park
From our editorial guides, matched to this park’s activities:
