Ha Ha Tonka State Park
With its intriguing history and outstanding geologic features, Ha Ha Tonka State Park is one state park that should not be missed. The park is a geologic wonderland featuring sinkholes, caves, a huge natural bridge, sheer bluffs and Missouri’s 12th-largest spring. The ruins of a turn-of-the-century stone castle overlook these wonders and offer impressive views of the Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka Spring.
A series of trails and boardwalks makes it easy for visitors to experience all the park has to offer, from its historic castle and geologic wonders to its woodlands and open rocky glades.
In 1903, Robert M. Snyder, a wealthy Kansas City businessman, visited the area and was so impressed that he began purchasing land to build his private retreat. He envisioned a European-style castle with 60 rooms and a center atrium rising three and one-half stories to a skylight. He also planned a water tower, greenhouses and stables. The materials were extracted from the area, with sandstone quarried nearby and transported by a mule-drawn wagon and miniature railroad. Construction began historic photo of the syder family with father and four sonsin 1905 but was halted a year later with the death of Snyder in one of the state’s first automobile accidents. Snyder’s sons finished the structure in 1922, although not quite as elaborately as originally planned. The castle originally overlooked a small spring-fed lake. In the 1920s, Snyder’s fought to stop the construction of Bagnell Dam but failed. The resulting Lake of the Ozarks divided the estate and consumed the small lake.
Ha Ha Tonka Spring is Missouri’s 12 largest Spring with a daily flow of more than 58 millon gallons.
A muskrat swimming in the spring at Ha Ha Tonka spring.
Where it is:
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is located in central Missouri near the town of Camdenton on the South end of the Lake of the Ozarks.
Directions
Take I-44 exit 150 (Richland). Drive north on Hwy 7 for 32 miles, then north on Hwy 5 for three more miles. Turn west onto US Hwy 54 for 2.5 miles. Just before the bridge turn left onto an unnamed road. Drive a half-mile. Turn right and drive 1.5 miles. You’ll see a castle-like rock sign on the right. Turn right and drive a half-mile to the castle.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a karst showcase, since it has a natural bridge that is 70 feet wide, spans 60 feet and reaches more than 100 feet in the air.
Cost:
There is no fee for Ha Ha Tonka State Park.
Hours:
Park Grounds
April through October (On-Season)
7 a.m. to sunset, daily
November through March (Off-Season)
8 a.m. to sunset, daily
The outdoor interpretive area, restrooms and brochures are available during these times. The park gates close at sunset.
Park Office/Visitor Center hours
April through October (On-Season)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
On occasion, the park office may be temporarily closed while park staff assist large groups or conduct outdoor interpretive programs.
November through March (Off-Season)
The office is not regularly staffed. Park staff are usually available in the park daily. The office telephone is monitored for messages between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
On the following days (actual or observed), staff will not be available and park buildings will be closed: Thanksgiving Day; Nov. 24, 2023; Christmas Eve; Christmas Day; New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Lincoln’s Birthday; and Presidents Day.
The water tower was burned by vandals. Today, only the ruins remain.
Facilities:
The Visitor Center for Ha Ha Tonka is very small, but it is a great spot to stop to pick up a park map. The center also has a small gift shop, restrooms, and an outdoor kiosk about the park.
Location Contact Information:
Ha Ha Tonka State Park Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Missouri
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