“Even through the snow we can sense spring,” said Paul Miller, General Manager, Branson Tourism Center. “When the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announces the opening of its Table Rock Lake campgrounds and the availability of its day passes can spring be far behind?”
Miller points out that in a recent press release the Corps said it would be opening its Table Rock Lake Campgrounds for the 2010 season in two “rounds.” The first round will be on April 1 when the “Cricket Creek, Campbell Point, Cape Fair, Indian Point, Long Creek, Mill Creek, Old Highway 86 and Viola parks will open for camping.” The second round will be on May 1 when Aunts Creek, Baxter, Big M, Eagle Rock and Viney Creek parks will open.”
The Corps also announced the availability of “2010 Day Use Passes” for $30.00 each. Holders of “Golden Age/Access Passports, ” “America the Beautiful Senior” or “Access Passports” will receive a 50% discount on the purchase of an annual “Day Use Pass.” The “Day Use Pass” may used any day use area managed by the Corps nationwide at no additional cost. At Table Rock Lake, day use fees are charged at the Aunts Creek, Baxter, Big M, Campbell Point, Cape Fair, Cricket Creek, Cow Creek, Eagle Rock, Indian Point, Long Creek, Mill Creek, Moonshine Beach, Old Hwy 86, Viney Creek, and Viola parks.
According to online Corps information the Day Use Passes only cover the day use fees it is authorized to charge as part of deficit reduction provisions of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. Those fees include a fee of $1 per person, but not more than $4 per vehicle charged at developed swimming beaches and $3 per vehicle at selected boat launching ramps with no fees for children under 12.
The passes do not cover other “use fees” such as camping or picnic shelter reservations fees. The “day use fee” does not apply to campers at a given facility because those costs are already included in the camping fee.
Miller points out that one of the Branson area’s most popular swimming areas and boat launching facilities, “Moonshine Beach,” located near Table Rock Dam, is a “day use facility.” In addition to its large swimming beach and boat launching area, its amenities include a play ground, showers, picnic areas, flush toilets and showers. It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. He went on to say, “The primary value of the ‘Day Use Pass’ is for those people who will be using the facilities on a repetitive basis over a period of time. The majority of the Branson Tourism Center customers using “Moonshine Beach” while vacationing in Branson simply pay the $4.00 per day use fee each time they use the beach.”
For further information on the recreational activities available at Table Rock Lake, or Branson’s other two lakes, Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake, please contact Branson Tourism Center (BTC). It is one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services and sellers of Branson show tickets, attraction tickets and lodging. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.
