Ha Ha Tonka State Park

This is one of my favorite trails in the Ozarks, and I have done many many a trail! My girlfriend actually showed this spot to me many years ago. I had a local drone real estate photoshoot get cancelled and was lucky enough to be in the neighborhood, so I stopped by and grabbed these photos! I thought all was lost when it started to rain, but i just sat and enjoyed the sounds of the rain, and it eventually cleared up, revealing a double rainbow sunset! Ill provide those photos below!

I went with an old college buddy of mine to go hiking with. It was very beautiful and the temperature was great in the fall season. Quite a few different critters, such as an American Woodcock, Mallards (Wood Ducks too, but were farther away), and a small assortment of reptiles and amphibians. Most of the hiking trails were fairly easy to get through, Devil's Kitchen has narrow trails and rocky cliffs, but it was a lot of fun to see! Due to the season we were in and worries for the bats, the caves were closed down for exploring.

Clean and well maintained park. Something for everyone. The hike to the spring was real nice, with only one area that was rugged but definitely doable if you are mobile. Worth the view! Rent kayaks, fishing, playgrounds, picnic areas and plenty of benches to rest on. Bluffs, creeks and good sized lakes. Beautiful area.

This is a rare gem of Missouri. One of the only interesting things in this state to be honest but it's a good one. The overlook is gorgeous. It's a nice easy hike.

This is a great park with lots of cool things to see and great scenery, more so at certain times of the year. I have been going there for 20 years & always enjoy stopping when in the area. A lot has changed over the years, but still a beautiful place to see at no cost.

Home run! Many hikes, all levels...one is a long a beautiful blue natural spring lake, another is ouch... incline 330 steps....bring water... Very nice state park... coming to this state .. checking it out is a must.

This is an amazing site that I have seen change throughout the years. We (visitors) are the problem. Please stay within the walkways and admire the beautiful region. There are many hiking and photo opportunities. Wear good shoes and know there will be walking involved. Now, for the folks who can't figure it out. You are not special, don't walk three wide with your group, share the path. Don't write/carve your name, glad you visited but that's what the pictures are for. Stay on the trails, you destroy the area with off trail exploring. And lastly, pick up your trash. Thank you and enjoy your visit to our state parks. But leave them for the next generation to enjoy.

Just beautiful, there are so many attractions to do, hiking, exploring, boating. Very beautiful and differently would need more than one day to truly appreciate it. There are also remains from a castle and water tower which provides some historical scenes. I highly recommend visiting, I will visit again ISA

A Must-Visit Gem in the Ozarks! Our visit to the Castle at Ha Ha Tonka State Park was nothing short of magical! The ruins of the castle perched high on the bluff offer stunning panoramic views of the Lake of the Ozarks that are absolutely breathtaking. As history lovers, we were fascinated by the story of the Snyder family and the grand vision they had for this estate. Even in its ruined state, the castle exudes a unique charm that transports you back in time. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/prxknt7V6N8 The park itself is a treasure trove of natural beauty. We loved exploring the hiking trails, especially the one leading down to the crystal-clear Ha Ha Tonka Spring. The combination of rich history, beautiful scenery, and well-maintained trails makes this park a true gem in Missouri. Whether you're into history, nature, or just looking for a peaceful retreat, Ha Ha Tonka State Park has something for everyone. We'll definitely be back to explore more!

Love coming here for a hike or a quick stroll. So many options. Pathways are always cleared and areas tidy. Love the 13 different trails you can do and I suggest them all. You can even trail here by water which is awesome!

This is a FREE state park!!! It has great hiking trails from paved and easy to rugged. We hiked up to the castle, water tower and natural bridge. We also did the more challenging red rim/spring trail. We opted not to go down the 300+ stairs to see the springs however the stairs were wooded and looked well maintained. There is plenty of parking throughout the park and the visitors center has maps. If you are a birder this place is awesome!

Somehow in all these years at the Ozarks this was our 1st visit. We were not disappointed- cute visitor center and restrooms right when you enter the park. Plenty of parking , paved, throughout and trail maps. Trails are well marked, wood walkways in places and beautiful views from several trails. The Castle is an interesting visit for sure but take the water tower trail and keep going to the natural bridge area. We made the entire loop on a perfect day weather wise. The steps, 300+ down to the spring, we did not do.

We went on the spring trail, and it was terrific. This trail can be taken by most and is very short. 58000 gallons of spring water flows from this spring. If you are in the area, don't pass this up.

Happened upon this park. We went to 2 caves and happened to see this on the map. Well worth the stop. We came at a bad time ...way too hot for us. 99-107 all week. So hiking wasn't comfortable, and we dont have a boat. But both the ruins and the naturalbridgee were very short walks from the parking lot ..maybe 350ft. It was so hot that both walks had us sweating. But was interesting to see. This whole trip we just keep saying ... boy this would be gorgeous in the fall. This would be great on a cool fall day when the leaves are colorful... go hiking. Oh its free so if your in the area ... take a look. The views looking down at the water were lovely.

This park is tremendous & beautiful!!! We loved seeing the views and the ruins. Also the Natural Bridge is amazing along with the natural springs!!! It's a must see in Missouri!!! Xoxo

Very beautiful Trails! Highly recommend for people that have a good active life , the pretty's spring Water and over 300 stairs and very interested history! Good for people love natural nature

One of.... if not the most scenic of the Missouri state parks. Along the southern edge of Lake of the Ozarks, this place offers everyone wants. Whether you want to look at the castle ruins or water tower (pictured with this review), or walk some trails, Ha Ha Tonka is worth the drive. Trails vary in length but can be challenging depending on which one you take with hills, walking along rock faces or ending at the lake in one case. You have a nice view of Lake of the Ozarks from the scenic overlook at the castle ruins or from a pier to simply sit back and relax. No camping but plenty to do and see here. It's an hour-plus drive for me but worth it every time I go. If you want to see one of the jewels in Missouri... come to Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

I loved seeing the abandoned castle at Ha Ha Tonka state park! We were just driving through the Ozark area heading back towards Arizona and after a quick google search, this was a must-stop-and-see attraction!! I'm really glad we did - it did not disappoint. There is a brief history on the abandoned castle itself and while you can't walk into it, you can view from about 100ft away from 3-4 sides of it. If you follow the trail around, you will get to a viewpoint that provides an amazing look down into the Ozark lake with surrounding tree covered hills. There were no fees to enter the park - that was awesome! Note: The parking lot closest to the ruins only holds a handful of spots so you'll likely have to park at the lower lot and walk the trail. The trail itself is only about a 10 minute walk mostly uphill and it's a little steep. Not terrible but may be tough near the end for some.

My buddy and I recently rode our motorcycles down route D through the park. We were heading from the Lake of the Ozarks to Springfield. We didn't walk the trials, of which there are many so this review is strictly for riders considering this route. I would rate road conditions and scenery as a 5/5. Amenities are about a 3/5 so bring water and a full tank of gas. There are plenty of nice sweeping curves. Nothing too technical, but with as the route passes through the park and if you are from north to south it exits into some mildly inhabited areas, so you will want to be on the lookout for cars traveling entering and exiting the road. It's an easy day ride and not excessively long. Newbie riders will enjoy the ride but as an experienced rider it is still a fun and thoroughly enjoyable experience which I highly recommend.

This was a great place to spend part of our day. The visitors center had restrooms and rangers who were able to help us plan our day. We started at the castle ruins and then headed to the natural bridge. We had lunch near the playground before checking out the natural spring. We did several trails and the park had great signage to direct people where to go. My one and only complaint was that when we got to the castle ruins, there was a tour bus where the majority of people were walking the trail and smoking. I would assume that a state park is a non-smoking area and it would have been great if someone was enforcing that around one of the main attractions.

It's so beautiful and probably my favorite place to go to relax! It's always clean and pretty year round. To any tourists coming to the lake, they absolutely have to see the state park!

A jewel!! This park has everything, walking trails, historic buildings and amazing views. There is a handicapped accessible parking area to the castle and numerous pick-nic areas. We love coming here as often as possible.

I came here primarily for the castle ruins (which has a very interesting history--you should look it up). If you follow your GPS, there is a parking lot right at the bottom of a short, gentle incline that will take you straight to the site. There are several trailheads in the area too. Many beautiful overlooks and benches on which to rest. The park also has other sites people love to frequent, such as the natural bridge and balancing rock. There are natural springs and some bodies of water are a gorgeous, photo-worthy shade of turquoise. This is an expansive park at the lake of the ozarks and covers thousands of acres.

Sinkholes, caves, bluffs, a spring... and of course the ruins of a turn-of-the-century stone castle. This state park is LEGIT. Five reasons Ha-Ha-Tonka State Park is a must-see. 1. Fourteen trails, ranging in difficulty and length. 2. Missouri's 12 largest spring lives here and it is freaking beautiful. It is so colorful and picturesque-- I had only really seen something similar in Claude Monet paintings. 3. Handicap accessible! Their maps do a fabulous job outlining whether trails are gravel, paved, boardwalk or natural. 4. Bird watchers paradise. While I don't have the patience to bird... I love that their site has a list of all the species that have been spotted at the park (165 to date) and even a list of the most recent birds recorded with dates. (The last ones recorded were last week!) 5. Kayak rentals are available! Single or double, two hours to all day. Our next trip we are totally exploring the caves and checking out the huge natural bridge. No doubt.

We love to hike at Ha Ha Tonka and have hiked every trail here. We've hike at all times of the year, hardest for us is summer because of the bugs, humidity and heat BUT it's gorgeous! This time or was in the 30's so we chose The Acorn Trail since it's short but beautiful. Came across an armadillo this time.

Sooooo cool!! My boyfriend and I went to visit Ha-Ha-Tonka State Park when in the area visiting the Lake of the Ozarks. Ha-Ha-Tonka State Park is incredible! The park is filled with all different kinds of old castle ruins that visitors can choose to walk or hike around for free. My boyfriend and I parked the car and had a blast hiking and exploring the area. I just loved seeing all of the amazing castle ruins! Very, very pretty! This is a MUST STOP for anyone in the area! What a fantastic experience!!

A beautiful Missouri State Park! My only complaint is that I visited on a 98 degree summers day, which kept me from seeing everything I wanted to explore. The hike down to the natural bridge and back left me dehydrated and exhausted, so I skipped the hike up to the castle ruins, since the small parking lot at the top of the hill was filled. Trails, amazing scenery, historical, geologic formations, lake access and springs. The best state park that I have visited in the area.I will return or a more temperate day.

I love visiting this state park! The history is neat and it's a very well kept park! The boardwalks and trails are maintained in great shape and in some places it's handicap accessible. Most of the points of interest are right off the road making them easy to get to. It's a must stop if you're in the area!

I've been visiting here since the mid 1980's and the park has improved in many areas. They have done much too stabilize the castle ruins and the work much improves look. Parking is somewhat of a challenge when they are busy, which is quite often as the popularity increases here. We have been on many of the trails, some are a nice stroll while others cc'ing be a bit of a challenge. We like walking to the spring and then climbing the stairs that loop around the gorge thAt lead up to the castle ruins. The spring is quite beautiful and the park offers different views of f the spring and river that flow into Lake of the Ozarks if you want to seek them out. Fall is an exceptionally beautiful time to visit when the trees are putting on their fall display. The vision of the original owner might have been different, but this is gem in the Missouri state park system, we are lucky to have it.

What an amazing place to hike! We started at the Castle and hiked to the water tower, then to springs, the island, the natural bridge and back to the Castle. Yes it was a lot of stairs but well worth it. Castle was amazing and we had a fun time hiking around. Wished it was still open to explore as it used to be but stupid people do stupid things so it is not. The fall foliage was incredible and we had some great views. Springs were full and flowing hard as it rained the day before. Some trails were slippery due to that. The natural bridge was cool and we hiked over and then under. Take a day and enjoy this park!

A can't miss stop while you're at the lake. Plenty of picnic areas, restrooms, and the views, and peaceful in the off season.

Great hike. Historic location. Wide path. Great views. Great place for a picnic. Best on a cooler day!

As a child and teenager, I have been to this area numerous times, but somehow never went to Ha Ha Tonka. We decided to make our vacation this year to the Lake of the Ozarks since long distance travel in 2020 is not so great. So I went on the interwebs and looked for things to do. This was one place that kept coming up as a top place to visit so we made it a priority to visit. I'm glad we did. The natural beauty here is spectacular. A nice, but challenging trail to get to a spring was our first adventure. We then trekked over to a natural bridge that was quite a cool sight to see. Finally we walked up to the castle remains and water tower. The views back down to the spring and lake were excellent. To see it all you'll do a lot of walking and sweating in the summer, but it is definitely worth it.

My friend adores hiking in Ha Ha Tonka State Park, so for her birthday celebration two of us took her there over Veterans Day weekend. Despite the chilly weather, we had a GREAT time! Our first shout-out goes to the Visitors Center; even when the Ranger Station is closed, the bathrooms are OPEN, HEATED, and have plentiful supplies (like soap and hot water). We did visit the Ranger Station while we were there, and my friend bought a hiking staff and a park medal, which one of the rangers kindly nailed on for her. The park is extremely well-kept, with excellent signage on the trails, easy access to trailheads, and a state park map that is accurate and very user-friendly. The best part of the park is that every trail is different in the scenery it traverses, the level of difficulty, and the length. We hiked five different trails over the course of two days, and every single one was delightful! Our favorite was the Spring Trail, as it followed the lake shoreline to the spring, then climbed up the bluffs in a series of stairs. At the top we were able to see the old water tower, and then walked along the ridgeline to the old post office. The Island Trail is accessed off the Spring Trail and winds around the island between the spring and the lake. It did have some steep parts, but we were rewarded by excellent views across the lake to the bluffs where the castle sits, filled with roosting turkey vultures. We enjoyed the Castle Trail, which winds through the woods from the lower trailhead past the Carriage House to the castle itself, then out to the bluffs where we took several photos of the stunning scenery. The Lake Trail leads off from the Castle Trail and winds through the woods down the side of the bluffs to the lakeshore. We felt this was more strenuous as some parts of the trail had washed out in recent rains, making the descent fairly challenging. Our final hike was the Colosseum Trail, which winds under the Natural Stone Bridge (really cool!) and then through the "colosseum" (a deep sinkhole) before looping back to start along the side of the bluffs. We enjoyed every single hike through absolutely stunning scenery and appreciated our many stops at the Visitors Center over the course of the weekend. We only wish we could have stayed longer, to hike MORE trails! Next time, we will!

This was our first time here really loved it the dogs loved it too. Wish we could seen inside the Castle but they have it blocked where you can't. The views were amazing very interesting history story as well we really loved our time here we will be back to explore the other trails to see what they have to offer.

Haha tonka is a beautiful place to visit year round! Dog friendly, family friendly! They have moderate hikes to more intense (stairs) hikes. The natural spring that flows to the lake. The castle.. All together a fun place to visit!

Was tough but fun! Some of the trails are not very well marked but you can use Google map also. Bring water, you'll need it!

If you looking for a short hike with good views make sure you get on castle ruins road to see the castle. It was really hot out so we couldn't be out long with kiddos. This was perfect

Beautiful hiking trails, you have to check out the old ruins and walk along the spring. The water is so clean and clear and the trails are well maintained and easy to walk, I would consider this a must if in the area.

Ha-Ha Tonka State Park was a great addition to our trip and I would love to go back and further explore. Our initial goal was checking out the castle ruins. It is fun to imagine what life may have been like inside those castle walls. The castle was built in the early 1900s by a wealthy Kansas City businessman. He was unable to see the completed project as he was killed in a car accident shortly after the construction began. His sons finished the castle in 1922 and it burned in a fire in the 1940s. Unfortunately, over the past couple of years the remaining walls have become unstable so you are no longer able to get close to the ruins. Our next stop was a short drive and hike down to the natural spring. As most springs are - the water was crystal clear and full of color. The hike to the spring was challenging at times with some rough terrain, but the scenery was beautiful. There were interesting historical elements along the walk as previous residents of the area would pump water out of the spring for daily life. Ha-Ha-Tonka has a little bit of everything - scenery, history and exercise, I highly recommend!

This State Park makes Missouri shine. When visiting the Lake of the Ozarks, you must plan a visit to Ha-Ha-Tonka. This State Park has something for everyone. Study the trails before you arrive to have a game plan. Once you see the area, your mind will start to wander. There is just so much to see and do. You really need to plan a few hours or a return visit to see all of the exciting parts of this park. One of the coolest things is to park a car at the top of the Spring Trail (across from Old Post Office). This trail descends over 200 vertical feet using 312 stairs to a natural spring. People in your group who are not interested in that type of hike down can move the car to the Tonka Spring Road Parking Lot. Your friends can then walk towards the Spring on a flat and easy path that will connect with the group that came down the 312 stairs! Bring swimwear if the weather and season permits. After all this hiking you may want to take a dip to cool off. Ha-Ha-Tonka is worth the hype. Very cool!

I had SUCH a good time wandering around here! The trails are very well-kept, there's so much of it you don't really have to worry about it being crowded. It's a bummer the castle is closed off, but I get it, safety first. Especially after watching some kids disrespect the fence, I can't imagine what they would have done to the actual castle. It was fun to learn about the history of the castle and see the cool views from the top. It was also cool to trail down and around and see the castle and cliffs from the bottom. 10/10 would recommend and will be back.

A lot of walking/hiking trails to choose from and pretty views. Easy to get lost though so I would recommend starting out on the shorter trails first and definitely go with a friend if it's your first time.

Great place to hike and see the castle ruins. We love seeing the springs and the paths are well maintained.

What a fantastic find! Definitely make sure you visit the castle and the bridge. So beautiful!

I've been here many times and it's always pretty cool. Learning about the castle is interesting and the hike up there is fun and scenic.

Best park in the Ozarks! A must do while at the lake! Have been many times and many more to come.

Exciting, beautiful piece of nature with so much to see and do. From the castle ruins to the mystic trails, we were kept busy and enjoyed every minute.

Great place to walk and hike around, see elevated views of the lake and see the ruins of the Ha Ha Tonka castle. The trails are not hard if you're a moderately experienced hiker and you can learn quite a bit about the castle ruins by reading the signage posted. The trails are not hard if you're a moderately experienced hiker and you can learn quite a bit about the castle ruins by reading the signage posted. It was sad to return and see that a fence has been built up around the ruined so you can't walk up to the castle itself, but it appears that there have been vandalism issues in the past. It stinks that others had to ruin it for the average visitor that just wants to appreciate the ruins and learn a little bit about them. A fun place especially if you have a kids who need to burn off some energy!

The state park is very interesting. I have watched it change over the years. They have built many trails it is particularly pretty in the spring when the dogwoods and redbuds are in bloom. Reading all the information about the history of the park is fascinating.

Such a beautiful place to take your family. Nice trails for anyone to get through. I have 2 babies and we all had such a great time enjoying the beautiful views and animals all around to see. The spring is preserved so well it almost looks fake

I have been coming here since I was a kid and after traveling halfway across the globe, it is still one of my favorite places to go hiking. The spring is always beautiful and if your up for the challenge the stairs to get to the castle are always worth it. Lots of ways to get to different parts of the park. I love it here!

very big park with lots of different trails. each trail is marked with distance, average time it'll take, and difficulty. theres plenty of markings to know youre on the right track as well. lots of parking lots scattered around too. some of the nice trails leads to a castle, natural springs, lake of the ozarks, and over 300 stairs. it gets pretty crowded in the afternoon so come in the morning. some trails are shaded and some are open so bring water and sunscreen! overall nicely kept park with trails. best of all is its free.

We love visiting HaHa Tonka and hiking the trails there. Pay close attention to your maps! Great state park and we'll maintained

Very good trail, well kept and pretty. Make sure to bring bug spray, because spring and summer months have a ridiculous amount of ticks. Would not advise bringing your dog, we spent about 3 hours pulling ticks off of her when we finished.

Was just as beautiful as I hoped when I searched it before going to ozarks. It was so beautiful I decided to propose by the ruins on the over hang. Going to be something we remember for the rest of our lives! Was a bit of a let down that we couldn't walk through the ruins but the views from the top are spectacular! And most importantly, she said yes!

Beautiful place to experience! Hiking,history & just checking out the grounds. Awesome!