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4935 Robin's Circle
Osage Beach, MO 65065
P: 573-348-2275
F: 573-348-1696
info@lakelinks.com
Bagnell Dam
Caves
State Park's
Willmore Lodge
Swinging Bridge
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Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is Missouri's newest State Park. The State of Missouri purchased the land
in 1978 and opened it to the public as a State Park. It comprises about 3,000 acres on the Niangua
Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, five miles southwest of Camdenton. It's natural beauty, scenic lake
view and man-made wonders will amaze you.Ha Ha Tonka is Missouri's premiere showcase of karst geology and the park is unique in the qaulity and number of it's remarkable geological features. A natural bridge, 70 feet wide, spans 60 feet and reaches more than 100 feet into the air. The Colosseum is a steep-sided sinkhole measuring 500 feet long and 300 feet wide. Whispering Dell sink basin is 150 feet deep with two bluff shelters- Counterfeiter's Cave and Robber's Cave-both of which were used as hide-outs by criminals in the 1830's. Rumor has it that the Indian's used it as well. 
Tall bluffs-250 feet high-tower over the gorge through which Ha Ha Tonka Spring, Missouri's ninth
largest, discharges approximately 48 million gallons of water daily, making this area of the lake an
excellent fishing spot. All of those wonders are the result of the collaspe of underground caverns
in ancient geological times. Today, the Spring is issuing from the mouth of a portion of the cave
that still exists and continues to be sculpted within the earth.
Trails and boardwalk make it easy for visitors to experience this honeycomb of tunnels, caverns,
springs and sinkholes. Trails daint the hillside ranging from half mile to seven miles. Visitors
can peer into caves, trek thorugh and
around sinkholes, or climb from the spiring to the remains of the castle on sooden steps that rise
over the spring chasm. A visitor center features a large relief map of the park carved from stone
and you will find information spots before each trail that will give you
great insights into the areas beauty and marvel. The park also has several large shetler area for
group gatherings, one sits at the water's edge, and of course there are playgrounds and public
restrooms. These can be reserved for a fee and this is encouraged. Along the hillside and
near trails you will also find numerous picnic tables for your family picnic.
Perhaps the greatest man-made beauty sits high on a bluff overlooking Ha Ha Tonka Spring and the
Lake of the Ozarks. High on the scenic bluff sits the ruin of a stone mansion that represents the
most intriguing story associated with the park.Robert M. Snyder, a weathly Kansas City businessman, first visited the site in 1903 and was so impressed that he eventually purchased more than 5,000 acres. He envisioned a private retreat with a Europeanquite as elaborately as originally planned. Eventually, the property was leased for use as a hotel, until tragedy struck in 1942. The entire interior was gutted by fire when sparks from a chimney ignited the roof. The carriage house burned the same day and in 1976 the water tower was burned by vandals. Today only ruins remain of the castle.  The Lake area is blessed with four Show Caves (out of Missouri's 22): Bridal Cave, Jacob's Cave,
Ozark Caverns and Fantasy World Caverns. The lake offers the only tourist destination in the
United States with four Show Caves within 30 miles of each other.So, no matter where you're staying at the Lake, you're not far from one of our beautiful underground caverns. A 93 mile triangular drive around the Lake of the Ozarks will take you from cave to cave and reveal - along the way - the fantastic scenery for which the Lake is known. The Lake is also fortunate to be close to Fantasy Caverns, Meremac Caverns and the Mark Twain Cave.  Want-to-be spelunkers can experience geology, hydrology and anthropology in these underground
classrooms. There are awe-inspiring formations, composed over millions of years, including massive
columns, huge stalagmites, millions of "soda straws," balanced ecosystems, animal life, plant
life and history. One of the best things about visiting a cave, especially at the lake when it gets
so hot, is that no matter what the weather or season, the temperature is approximately 50-60
degrees year-round, varying slightly with each cave. You will want to plan a vacation day to
visit one of our show caves! |