Skip Silver Dollar City for a day: 4 Branson credits on 76
The Ozarks clone of a Pigeon Forge alpine dump — shorter, cheaper, and
honest about it. SDC is a full day. This is west 76, one spinning
kiddie, then Hwy 165 south for Runaway. No hotel math. Thunder still
wins.
Core credits4 at 4 stops
Time~3–5 hours
Tickets only~$70 + tax
StartShepherd's, 10am
LodgingNone — day loop
OverflowRe-rides, not SDC
Count alpines, or skip this page.
Three of four are mountain coasters. Coaster Count often files them in
their own bucket. If you only count traditional sit-down credits,
Silver Dollar City is the day — not this. This loop is thinner than
the Smokies. That is the point.
The mapped order
Start west so you are not fighting 76 the wrong way. Copperhead opens
earliest. Then drop east along the Strip for Track 3 and The Branson
Coaster. Finish south on Hwy 165 at Runaway so you never double back
from Table Rock. Overflow is a second lap, not another town.
Schematic, not turn-by-turn. Stops 1–4 are the core day; dashed
north line is SDC, which you skip.
How the clock actually works
Budget 20–40 minutes per alpine if you park, buy one
ride, ride, and leave. Waivers eat the first stop. Track 3 is a
pay-per-ride FEC — you are in and out in fifteen if you skip the
karts. Four stops plus 76 crawling is a 3–5 hour
afternoon when it is walk-on. Re-rides are how you stretch it, not a
fifth venue.
Ticket ballpark for one adult, one ride each, no lodging:
$17.95 + $11.99 + $19.75 cash + $18 ≈
$70 before tax. Card at Branson Coaster is $20.49.
Super tickets and gem-mine bundles are the trap.
Stop by stop
1. Shepherd's Adventure Park — Copperhead Mountain Coaster
6021 W 76 Country Blvd · $17.95 + tax driver · typically 10am
Furthest west, earliest posted coaster hours — that is why it is
first. They advertise the longest downhill in Branson (~3,350 ft
down, ~4,800 ft total). You control the brake; dump it if you came
for a credit, not a scenic cruise. Night LED is for a different
itinerary unless you are looping back after Runaway, which you
should not.
Buy the single driver ($17.95 + tax). The $49.95
Super Ticket folds in tower, ropes, and park admission you do not
need. Coaster tickets can be bought without gated park admission.
Check in for a paper ticket even if you prepaid. Sun–Thu close can
be 5pm; Fri–Sat they post 10pm. Call 417-334-4191
if the sky looks stupid.
2. Track Family Fun Parks — Spinning Coaster (Track 3)
2505 W 76 Country Blvd · $11.99 · Tanger Outlets
The only traditional-ish credit on this list. RCDB files one
spinning family coaster at Track 3, in front of the outlets — not
the high-rise karts at Track 4 or 5. Atlas tags the venue
stop. You are here for one $11.99 ride.
Do not buy a 2-hour or all-day pass for a figure-eight
spinner. Skip Wild Woody, SkyScraper, and mini golf. Hours move by
date and weather; in shoulder season attractions can open late.
Confirm at bransontracks.com before you count on a noon window.
3. The Branson Coaster
2115 W 76 Country Blvd · $19.75 cash / $20.49 card · typically 11am
Dual-track alpine, same company energy as the Dells mountain
coaster. Posted hours wander on their own site (Sun–Thu 11–6 or
11–8; Fri–Sat 11–10). Adult single is $19.75 cash,
$20.49 card, tax-in on their board. Re-ride $12 cash.
Buy the coaster only. The Adventure Pack, gem bags,
and printed photo are the trap. They like 11am opens — do not
arrive at 10. Call 417-544-8068 if lightning is in the county.
4. Branson Mountain Adventure Park — Runaway
935 State Hwy 165 · $18 + tax daylight driver
South of the Strip toward Table Rock — the geographic awkward one.
Hit it last so you are not doubling back from Shepherd's. First
alpine in town; they still sell it as longest/fastest in the
Midwest. Daylight driver is $18 + tax; night is
$20.50. Same-day re-rides $13.50 + tax.
Fill the Adventure Agreement before you get in line. No day pass.
Hours live on their calendar and die in thunderstorms — 1-800-371-7027.
One lap, leave. The Flyaway zipline is a different afternoon.
Overflow if 76 behaves
Core loop is 4 credits. These are how you sniff at a longer day
without pretending Silver Dollar City is a 40-minute grab.
Second laps, not a fifth park
Same lots · re-ride menus beat new venues
Copperhead re-ride $12.95 + tax. Branson Coaster re-ride $12 cash.
Runaway $13.50 + tax. That is how you pad the clock if you started
at 10 and still have light. Track 3 is not worth a second spinner.
Do not add Silver Dollar City
Branson · Atlas full · 7 coasters
Outlaw Run is the day — not a dash after Runaway. Mark it Avoid if
you are reproducing this loop. Track 4/5 karts are not RCDB
credits. Inspiration Tower and gem mines are not either.
What this day refuses to be
Not a Silver Dollar City guide, and not “every credit in the Ozarks.”
Not lodging, shows, meals, or gas — tickets and clock only.
Not live wait times. Alpine stacks when a motorcoach unloads.
Not turn-by-turn. Use the planner for a hub pin and drive order if
you want a map that moves.
Airtime Atlas
