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Ha Ha Tonka State Park,
Missouri
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Gerry and I have been in Linn Creek since August
10th, and we still haven’t run out of interesting things to do and
see. Ha Ha Tonka State Park located five miles southwest of Camdenton
off U.S. 54 on Highway D is a definite "must see" if you’re in the
area.
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The ruins of an old European-style stone castle
perched on a cliff and dark caves add an aura of mystery to this 2,993-acre
park. The park overlooks the Lake of the Ozarks and is a classic example
of topography known as karst, which is characterized by caves, underground
streams, natural bridges and sinkholes.
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The story behind Ha Ha Tonka’s castle tells of
a wealthy businessman who was so impressed by the area’s rugged grandeur
that he envisioned a private retreat on the 5,000 acres he had purchased.
In 1905, construction began on this dream however a year later, construction
was temporarily halted due to the businessman’s untimely death. The
castle was ultimately finished and the property was leased for use
as a hotel until 1942 when the castle and carriage house burned. Sadly
to say, vandals burned the 80-foot water tower in 1976. Today, only
ruins remain.
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Visitors can peer into a bat cave, hike to the
theater like Colosseum once used for Indian tribal meetings, view
a 70 foot wide natural bridge, trek through and around sinkholes,
visit Missouri’s ninth largest spring, climb to the castle ruins,
or hike the fifteen miles of trails which lead you through spectacular
scenery.
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Be sure to pickup a trail guide as trails in
this park range from an easy boardwalk stroll to mild, moderate, strenuous,
and rugged terrain. I think our favorite trail was Devil’s Kitchen,
which is about a mile via rugged terrain. We sure were glad we had
our hiking sticks on this one! If you go, be sure to keep your eyes
open for thong trees.
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While you're there,
see the old Post Office. Established in 1872, and was closed down in 1937. |
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For additional information on Missouri State
Parks, log onto www.dnr.state.mo.us/dsp
or
call 1-800-334-6946. |
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In our opinion, one of the area’s best eateries
is Burgers’ Smokehouse located on Highway 54 in Osage Beach. The country
ham is absolutely delicious.
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If you get the urge to go shopping while in Osage
Beach, be sure to visit the Factory Outlet Village on Highway 54.
With over 100 stores, the village is a shopper’s paradise.
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If you’re in the mood for a music show, we recommend
Main Street Music Hall located on Highway 54 in Osage Beach. Sit back,
relax and enjoy country music favorites and sentimental 50’s memories.
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Just for kicks, Gerry and I visited Old Time
Photos of You by Yesteryear Images. The main shop, on Bagnell Dam
Strip, Business 54, has two floors of backdrops and over 1,000 costumes.
We had quite an enjoyable time selecting our "old time image". This
is a unique experience we recommend to all.
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