Widely considered one of the shining jewels of the Missouri State Parks system, Ha Ha Tonka State Park, just outside Camdenton, has the distinct honor of being named “the most beautiful place in Missouri” by Condé Nast Traveler. It was voted the fourth-best state park in America by readers of USA Today.
According to the local Ozark folklore, the park’s name - Ha Ha Tonka - is derived from the local Osage Native American phrase thought to mean “laughing waters,” in reference to the large natural spring that pumps out over 48 million gallons of water per day.
A BRIEF HISTORY
For more than two centuries, as the first white explorers and settlers came to the area in the early 1800s, the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape has always been a draw. In the early 1900s, Robert McClure Snyder, a wealthy Kansas City businessman, purchased a large portion of the park with a vision to build a European-style country escape. Construction of the estate began in 1905 utilizing hand-quarried stone from the property that was transported by mules along a rail system that can still be seen today. However, progress was halted with Snyder’s death a year later in one of the state’s first automobile accidents. The home was eventually completed by Snyder’s sons and later operated as a hotel before tragically burning down in 1942. In addition to the outer walls of the estate, the remnants of a stone carriage house and tall water tower are all that remain of the original structures.
THE PARK TODAY
Today, the park’s main attraction is the ruins of Snyder’s “castle” perched high on a bluff overlooking Ha Ha Tonka Spring, where its shockingly blue water feeds into the Lake of the Ozarks.
Over half a million visitors each year make the trek to Ha Ha Tonka to view the ruins as well as explore the 14 different hiking trails and numerous natural highlights, including Ha Ha Tonka Spring, which is the twelfth largest in the state.
Ha Ha Tonka is Missouri’s premier showcase of karst geology and features a massive natural bridge, and a steep-sided sinkhole named “The Colosseum,” which is a 150-foot deep sink basin that was believed to be a meeting place for local native tribal leaders. In addition to the bridge and Colosseum, there are two bluff shelters that were used as hide-outs by bandits in the 1830s and the imposing 250-feet high bluffs that tower above Ha Ha Tonka Spring.
HIT THE TRAILS
Ha Ha Tonka’s 13 walking trails, covering more than 15 scenic miles throughout the park, make it easy for visitors to experience the honeycomb of tunnels, rock bridges, caverns, springs, sinkholes and other natural areas. Visitors can peer into caves, climb 316 steps from the spring to the “castle” on a wooden boardwalk that circles the spring chasm, or navigate well-worn paths through the woodland area and the park’s glades.
A favorite among regular visitors is the park’s longest trail, Turkey Pen Hollow. This 6.5-mile hike winds through the scenic and rugged Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area. A couple other of the park’s most popular trails are the 0.4 mile paved “Castle Trail” which leads up to and around the remains of the once-elaborate country estate, and the 1.4 mile “Spring Trail” which provides a wonderful view of Ha Ha Tonka Spring before ascending up toward the castle ruins.
Ha Ha Tonka visitors can also embark on a different kind of trail – the Big Niangua River Trail, whose aquatic trailhead is located near the rental kayak fleet at Ha Ha Tonka Cove. This 13.5 mile aquatic paddling/boating trail showcases the park’s storied natural history, including Onyx Cave, the Tunnel Dam Powerhouse and Whistle Bridge, along with spring-fed creeks named after counterfeiting gang members that once called the park home.
MORE OUTDOOR FUN
Ha Ha Tonka also offers opportunities for fishing and swimming in addition to boat docks, picnic tables, pavilions, and a visitor center complete with a topographical map of the park carved out of stone.
Friendly naturalists that are always on hand at Ha Ha Tonka to answer any questions visitors may have about the park, its history, and fascinating features. In addition, there also are self-guided trail maps and species note cards to help visitors at the parks learn about all the different plants, trees, and wildlife.
Located on the Niangua arm of the Lake, Ha Ha Tonka State Park is accessible by water as well as by land. Ha Ha Tonka is open year-round from 7 a.m. until dark and admission is free.
