Meet the Woman Who (Literally) Paved the Way for Glamping in Branson, Missouri

In Branson, Missouri, where neon lights, mountain coasters, and live dinner shows tend to steal the spotlight, something quieter—something arguably more adventurous—hides just a few minutes beyond the Strip. It involves canvas tents, winding trails, and one woman who decided to quite literally build something from the ground up.

Meet Halley Fleming, the force behind Ozark Mountain Adventure, Branson’s very first glamping resort. If you’re picturing something quaint and rustic, or a simple passion project, think again. Fleming didn’t just launch a new concept; she carved out the path for it locally, navigating everything from unprecedented regulations to the physical act of shaping the land itself.

The idea first sparked across the country, during a spontaneous road trip stop at a KOA campground in Colorado. With no reservations and limited nearby options, Fleming booked a glamping tent for the night. By morning, the seed was planted. “It just felt right,” she says, a phrase that would go on to guide nearly every major decision that followed.

From CMO to Small Business Owner

At the time, Fleming was working as Chief Marketing Officer at a bank in Branson, Missouri—a stable, high-level role by any measure, one most would consider the epitome of success. But back home, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d stumbled onto something bigger. Much bigger. 

Fleming and her husband already owned 58 acres of raw land across from her house (a spontaneous purchase in its own right a few years prior), and over the next few years, that land would slowly transform into a vision. The catch? Branson city officials didn’t know what “glamping” was.

“When I went to get permits, there wasn’t really a category for it,” Fleming explains. Requirements intended for full-size homes were levied on her tented sites, including a minimum water capacity far beyond what she needed. It was frustrating, expensive, and at times, discouraging. “I asked myself many times why I was continuing on with it,” she admits.

Building Branson's First Glampground

Still, Fleming kept hurdling over every obstacle. And in doing so, she helped shape the framework for all future glamping businesses in the area.

The real twist in this story isn’t just the red tape Fleming navigated. No, it’s how hands-on she became in the process. To bring her vision to life during the pandemic and to cut costs, she taught herself how to operate heavy machinery, including a skid steer, excavator, and dump truck. “I love challenges, and I never thought in a million years I’d be driving heavy equipment, but I love it,” she says. “That’s my therapy.”

That mindset—equal parts practical and creative—shows up all over the property. Before construction started, Fleming and her children camped all over the land, comparing the best views, mapping trails, and letting the terrain guide most decisions. Today, the resort features four “glampsites,” each shaped by what the land naturally offered. For example, “Bedrock” incorporates stone found on the property, a workaround that turned into a defining design feature during a time when lumber prices were sky-high.

Glamping at Ozark Mountain Adventure

Now open seasonally March through December, Ozark Mountain Adventure offers more than just a unique place to stay. Guests can explore six miles of trails, fish in a half-acre pond, or settle in for stargazing events hosted in partnership with the Springfield Astronomical Society. It also offers independent self check-in, adding to that off-the-grid, choose-your-own adventure feel.

While the business sees its fair share of local staycationers, many visitors come from far beyond the Ozarks. Fleming says a large portion of her guests, often families or couples, are international travelers looking to experience a different side of both Branson and America as a whole.

For Fleming, though, success isn’t measured in occupancy rates or expansion plans. It’s something simpler and, in her view, far more meaningful. “Being in tune with my kids and involved in their activities, that’s my number one success,” she says. “If you can wake up every day and love what you’re doing, you’ve carved your own path.”

These days, she continues to grow Ozark Mountain Adventure organically, so far adding one new site each year. There’s no rigid master plan; just a willingness to follow what works, stay curious, and, when in doubt, trust the same instinct that started it all.

Because the formula hasn’t really changed. It still just feels right.