Exciting Things To Do From Top to Bottom in Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Map of Things To Do at Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Think of this interactive Ha Ha Tonka map as your treasure map if you’re searching for natural gems. It contains all the hiking trails, including trail descriptions and interactive points with photos for the highlights.
Pro-Tip - You will need to click the link into the actual article to get the map 😉
At the top of the list and the top of the hill sits the Ha Ha Tonka Castle Ruins. Kansas City businessman, Robert McClure Snyder, started construction on the castle in 1905, only to die in a car crash in 1906.
Just below the castle ruins, you’ll find the Ha Ha Tonka Natural Bridge. The bridge is 70 feet wide, spans 60 feet, and reaches more than 100 feet in the air.
Thirteen trails crisscross Ha Ha Tonka State Park with more than 15 miles of marked routes. Highlights include: the Ha Ha Tonka Castle ruins, crystal blue Ha Ha Tonka Springs, several karst features such as the natural bridge, Devil’s Bathtub, and several sinkholes.
Details for each trail are provided below and on our interactive Ha Ha Tonka Park Map.
– Acorn Trail (.9 miles / blazed green) is a self-guiding interpretive trail that leads hikers through an open woodland and glade complex.
Island Trail (.4 miles / blazed Green) This trail circles a small island formed by the Ha Ha Tonka Spring Run entering Lake of the Ozarks. You’ll see karst features like the Balanced Rock Boulder and Island Cave (gated).
Ha Ha Tonka State Park has three picnic areas for everybody who loves eating in nature. Each one has ample parking and restrooms. However, the experience at each is as diverse as Ha Ha Tonka Park itself.
Ha Ha Tonka State Park does not have a campground per se. There is a special-use camping area designated for organized youth groups, but there’s also something for everyday adventures – backpacking off the Turkey Pen Hollow Trail.
Ha Ha Tonka Spring is the park’s namesake. In the native Osage Indian language, it means laughing water. We didn’t hear the water giggling on our visit, but our eyes exploded with joy.
Ha Ha Tonka State Park has not one but two public boat docks. The first one is adjacent to the picnic shelter on the south side of the spring. This dock is a beautiful spot for fishing or playing in the water, even if you come by car.
Don’t have your own boat but still want to explore the Big Niagara River Trail? Ha Ha Tonka offers kayak rentals from April through October. A two-hour rental is perfect for exploring the no-wake zone surrounding the park.