Attractions/Location
There are several different routs to take when driving to Bull Shoals lake from St. Louis or any other eastern city. A traveler can take HWY 5 north to HWY 178, turn left (west) towards the town of Bull Shoals and arrive at the site of Bull Shoals dam. Or for a better, more scenic route, the traveler can travel west on WHY 62 from Mountain Home, thence to Filppin and north on HWY 178 to Bull Shoals Lake.
The town of Bull Shoals was settled prior to the Civil War and was known as Newton Flat. In 1945, when he learned that Bull Shoals Lake was planned, land developer C.C. Woods bought the town, advertised it as a resort property, paid for paving three miles of HWY 178, and established a post office at the base of Bull mountain.
Thanks to its strategic position near the Bull Shoals dam, the lake, and the White River below the dam the town of Bull Shoals is very popular with retirees. The pleasant little village is also the site of a huge marina, Bull Shoals Boat Doc, where visitors can rent virtually any kind of water craft, from paddleboat’s to houseboats.
On top of Bull Mountain, Visible for miles, is the Top O’ The Ozarks Tower. An elevator lifts visitors to an observation deck well above the treetops for a panoramic view of Bull Shoals Dam, the lake, the White River, and the town of Bull Shoals. IF you are squeamish about heights, at least drive to the top of the mountain, where the view from ground levels is well worth negotiating the steep, winding road to the summit.
Arkansas sprawling Bull Shoals State Park is laid out on both the lakeshore and the riverbank of the White below the dam, with campsites and a dock along the river. The park also offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and an amphitheater where exceptionally worthwhile interpretive programs are presented during the camping season.
Just down river from Bull Shoals State Park is Gaston’s a famous trout resort on the White River. The restaurant at Gaston’s is built on stilts over the river, and offers a unique vantage point from which to enjoy the beauty of the river and watch the fishermen and the hummingbirds outside the glass walls. Inside the stunning building, the walls and ceiling are crowded with antiques and primitives.
