Trip Summary

Favorite Experiences

What I Wish I Knew

Trip Summary

When you think of Missouri, you think of St. Louis, right? The Gateway Arch! Kansas City! Barbecue! But there is so much more to Missouri! When on a road trip, my husband and I wanted to explore some of the off-the-beaten-path sites, including places to camp and hike, so we headed to the Lake of the Ozarks State Park near the middle of the state. And it was one of our best stops!

We were traveling with a sky tent (which is a small tent on top of your truck that you can fold up), so we wanted to look for a campground near the lake where we could stop for the night and enjoy the sights and sounds of the park! Lake of the Ozarks State Park Campground answered that call and then some! It had cheap rates (we booked a “basic” site, though you have a choice of camping sites based on whether you want to have electricity). You can even reserve a yurt so you don’t need to bring a tent at all! You could also reserve the site ahead of time (this is highly recommended for any camping site as good places fill up very quickly!).

The reservation process was very easy and the website offered maps of all the campsites, so we picked one of the remaining spots near the water. The day before our reservation, I got a message that I could confirm my reservation online, so when we arrived at the park, all I had to go was give my name at the front office, and we were waved on through.

While the campground itself is large, the sites themselves are spacious, too, and you can still enjoy some peace and quiet at your spot. Each site is backed by forest, so firewood is easy to find, too, and even if you don’t have a lakeside spot, you can easily hike down the hill to enjoy the water.

That is what we did as soon as we set up our tent. The lake was down a steep hill, so we grabbed our phones to take pictures and hiked down to the shore to enjoy the view until the sun set. It was so peaceful! Not many people were on the lake as we visited in the fall, so it was quiet, calm, and the only things you could hear was the wind through the trees behind you. A great way to spend the late afternoon/early evening!

Yet the best part of the night still awaited us! The deer! Deer are EVERYWHERE and will wander all over the park, so we got so many cool sightings as we relaxed by the campfire. When it got dark, my husband would hear them and point his headlamp toward the forest, and all these eyes would be staring back at him! It was so neat! The deer hung out all night and into the next morning, because as we packed up to go, we saw several more deer families wandering around. I have honestly never seen that many deer at one time, so it was just amazing to see that much wildlife!

So for its cheap rates, close proximity to the lake, ease of booking, and bonus wildlife, this campground gets high marks!

Lake of the Ozarks State Park Campground: A

Believe it or not, that wasn’t even the best part of the stop! When I was looking for stopping points for our road trip, the Lake of the Ozarks looked like a good fit, but did you know about the state park right next to it? Ha Ha Tonka State Park? I hadn’t heard of it either! I didn’t even see it on the map, but when I was researching trails to hike nearby, some hikers recommended Ha Ha Tonka, and at first, I had to chuckle. Ha Ha what?

But it’s amazing! SO gorgeous and SO many trails! Seriously, don’t miss this spot if you are driving through–it is seriously so beautiful and a lovely place to spend the day! It boasts a castle (seriously!), sinkholes, a natural bridge, and a beautiful spring, and has all kinds of trails ranging in difficulty, so there is something for everyone!

The most famous trail is undoubtedly the Castle Trail as it is one of the easier ones, is paved, and goes to the famous stone castle. It also has some great overlooks where you can see the spring and across the state park for miles.

The castle itself is a large stone structure. The roof is gone from a previous fire, but the walls are all still standing, and though you can’t go inside (they have a perimeter set up around it and people stationed nearby are pretty strict about not letting anyone inside), it is a pretty place to observe and take pictures. I think, at one point, visitors could go inside and wander, but due to too many people climbing on the rocks and defacing the property, the perimeter was set up, and then another bigger one outside of that, so just be respectful if you go.

So for the ease of the trail, the gorgeous overlooks, plentiful signs offering facts about the castle’s history, this trail gets my full recommendation!

Ha Ha Tonka Castle Trail: A

However, you can’t just do one trail while you are there! There are so many, but wanting to prioritize which one would be best for the time we had, we decided to hike the Spring Trail next. This trail traveled down the hill where the natural springs were and then looped back up, so after reading about the trail on my favorite AllTrails website, I discovered that the best way to travel is was counter-clockwise (so you see the springs first and are going DOWN all those steep stairs, not up). That ended up being a very good choice, because although we were going against traffic, the vast majority of people were out of breath and hanging on the stair rails trying to recuperate, so it was nice to avoid all that exertion. And those are steep stairs, so I wouldn’t recommend the trail if you have mobility issues or are out of shape. But the trail IS gorgeous! So many times, we stopped to take pictures, because there were so many beautiful sites!

After leading you past the springs and along the water, the trail loops back up the hill toward the parking lot, and this is where the trail gets less interesting as it goes over the backside of the hill which is rocky and does not have any trees (which makes for a hot hike if the sun is out). Even though it was uphill, it was still easier than going up all those stairs on the other side of the trail, but even so, bring water if you take this trail!

So for its beauty, easily marked paths, and unique springs, this trail gets high marks! There are no overlooks on this trail, though, and the backside of it is nothing but a craggy, bare hill, so if you can only do one trail, I would do the Castle Trail as it offers more (though, this one is still beautiful!).

Ha Ha Tonka Spring Trail: A-

So if you are near the area, definitely pay Ha Ha Tonka and Lake of the Ozarks a visit! They are beautiful spots, and you can easily spend a few days here and not be bored because of all the things to see and do! I know I enjoyed my stay here and will definitely go back if I am in the area again!

Favorite Experiences

So much of this trip was a surprise, and those are the best experiences! From the deer in our campground to the evening by the lake shore to the trails at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, I’d have to say the whole thing was a favorite! Originally, this place was just going to be a pit stop on our road trip, but this place offered so much more!

The overlooks on the Castle Trail were my favorite sightseeing activity, the campsite was my favorite of the road trip because of the ease in booking and finding it, and the deer were an awesome bonus.

The peace and quiet of the lake while we sat on the shore and just enjoyed the view was also so relaxing, and given the fact that we took the road trip for an escape from work and stress, the experience was exactly what we needed.

What I Wish I Knew

While I booked our campsite months in advance, I wish I knew how quickly sites booked up, because we got the absolute last basic site near the water, so if you are going to camp anywhere, book as early as you can! The sites are also placed strategically around bathroom areas, so while a vault bathroom was near our site (and it was predictably gross), there was a larger (nicer) bathroom area with plumbing and showers a short walk away, so just take note of the maps when you are booking a site. And pay attention to the bathroom signs, especially early in the morning when it is dark, ha! The morning we left, we went to the bigger bathroom to change and get ready to leave, and I went in the ladies’ room, and a few minutes later, I noticed someone who sounded like my husband in the next stall. I yelled out, “Hey, what are you doing in here? This is the girls’ bathroom!” “No, it’s not, it’s the boys’ bathroom!” “No, you are in the wrong one!”

It wasn’t until I took him outside and showed him the sign that he saw that yes, indeed, it was the girls’ bathroom, ha! Luckily, we were the only ones in there since it was so early in the morning, but he commented that he was wondering why the bathroom was so clean! Haha, so just be mindful to double-check, and you should be good!

For the trails, I got all I needed to know from the AllTrails website, so I definitely recommend checking out that site before you go! There are a lot of trails here ranging in length and difficulty, so you will be able to find something to your liking, I’m sure! However, the parking lots are a little difficult to tell which trail they are for from the road, so you may want to get a map at the front office if you don’t want to pull over each time to check out the sign at the trailhead.

All in all, though, it’s a great spot for couples, families, and individuals, so be sure to stop if you are in the area! I know it would be a great spot to visit in the summer, too, and there are ample opportunities for boating, water sports, and fun!

I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:

TikTok: @touristyteacher

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Facebook: @touristyteacher

Happy travels!