Park Trails

Acorn Trail

This self-guiding interpretive trail leads you through an open woodland and glade complex that is maintained with periodic prescribed fire. A trail guide is available at the trailhead and at the park office. There are eight stops along the trail that correspond with the guide.  The trail is located within the Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area recognized for its high quality natural communities. More than 300 native plants have been recorded in the area surrounding the trail. This gravel surface trail is moderately steep for the first 200 feet. Between interpretive stops one and two, you will notice that the landscape is a rocky, irregular, cherty surface, has more sun exposure and an abundance of blackjack oak trees. As you end your hike on this trail, between interpretive stops seven and eight, you are on a south-facing glade with a scenic vista of an Ozark farm and wooded ridge tops beyond.

Boulder Ridge Trail

This gravel trail begins at Spring Trail and makes a loop around the long narrow ridge top southwest of the lake parking lot. The terrain is moderate to rugged with uneven and rocky surfaces and some moderate elevation changes. The initial section of trail travels in a counterclockwise direction, passing through oak woodland until you encounter a rocky area. At this point, the trail veers to the right, down the slope to a county road.

After crossing the county road, you walk up an old roadbed making a left turn up stone steps to a loop section of the trail. Walk this loop in a clockwise direction. You will travel through a rocky woodland area with a large area of huge sandstone boulders, bluffs and shelves. The trail passes through this area of large lichen-covered boulders along the ridge. The final segment of trail affords views of Lake of the Ozarks. Eventually, you will return to the start of the loop on the old road bed, then cross back over the county road. 

Castle Trail

The upper parking lot has limited parking and is recommended for people with disabilties and the elderly. More parking is offered at the lower lot, which is the first lot you driver past. From there, you will take a shaded walk through an open oak woodland area. As this trail joins the upper portion, you are treated to two side views of the carriage house ruins. There is a water fountain at this junction and an interpretive kiosk with information on the park’s history. The upper portion of the trail features three scenic overlooks. There are 12 park benches along the trail, as well as on the overlooks.  This paved trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible from both castle parking lots.

Cedar Trail

This natural surface trail begins near the Post Office Shelter and makes a short loop around the picnic sites to the rear. Tree identification labels are posted to help familiarize you with some of the park’s native tree species. Deer emerge from the woods on evenings to graze on the grass around the shelter.

Colosseum Trail

This natural surface trail winds under the natural bridge and through a large sinkhole, the Colosseum, and is part of the Ha Ha Tonka Karst Natural Area. In spring, you will be treated to a lovely view of flowering dogwood, redbud and serviceberry from the wooden platform where this trail begins. The natural bridge is a massive stone arch left behind when the cave system around it collapsed. It spans 60 feet, is 100 feet high, and is 70 feet wide. The natural bridge was used as a route to the castle until it was closed to vehicular traffic in 1980 because it was too narrow. It is an impressive geological feature and one of the highlights of the park. After a heavy rain, water often cascades off the back side making its way to the lowest point in the sinkhole beyond.

The Colosseum Sinkhole is 150 feet deep. Spring wildflowers are abundant in this sheltered enclave, especially in the section just beyond the natural bridge where the trail is immediately adjacent to one sheer bluff side. As you start your hike out of the sinkhole at the south end, you will step between large boulders – evidence of the rocky ceiling that one covered this cave room. It is a long, steep climb out of the sinkhole to near the top of the ridge, but the views of the old post office, spring and castle ruins at the top are a great reason to stop to catch your breath. The figure-eight loop then takes you across the top of the natural bridge and back to the trailhead. 

Dell Rim Trail

Initially, this trail goes through a rocky south-facing glade area, where you will see an abundance of wildflowers. The first highlight along the trail is a one-way series of steps that lead to the water tower. The tower was constructed in 1905 to supply water to the castle. An interpretive panel gives information about the water tower, including a description of how the water was pumped from the spring below. There is also a picture of the style pump used in those days. The wooden boardwalk then leads visitors to an overlook above the 150-foot deep Whispering Dell Sinkhole. Another interpretive panel at this overlook provides information on karst topography and sinkholes. This initial section of trail is wheelchair accessible. 

The trail continues from the Whispering Dell overlook with a series of steps that connect the trail to Colosseum Trail, Spring Trail and Devil’s Kitchen Trail. As you circle the Whispering Dell Sinkhole, look back across and see the overlook and water tower across the void.  Follow the red blazes and Dell Rim Trail will take you part way down the 316 wooden steps to Ha Ha Tonka Spring, ending at a second overlook into Whispering Dell Sinkhole. The boardwalk to the first Whispering Dell Overlook is stroller and wheelchair accessible, but the step portions after Whispering Dell to the second overlook are steep and can be difficult for some hikers.

Devil's Kitchen Trail

This natural surface loop trail takes you through dry chert woodland and glade communities before entering the Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole. The sinkhole contains a geologic feature known as Devil’s Kitchen, which is a small cave shelter. After descending off the glade and through a woodland, you will notice that the ground around you has large areas of rock. You will come upon an opening in the rocks to the right of the trail. As you travel further down and around these rocks, you will find yourself at the entrance to the cave shelter. If you investigate back into the opening, you will be treated to a view of the sky through the chimney at the rear of this cave. 

The trail continues past the Devil’s Kitchen feature to a steep concave bluff wall known as Devil’s Promenade. To reach the Devil’s Promenade, you must step across a small gap in the bedrock surface of the trail. After Devil’s Promenade, the trail climbs out of the sinkhole and crosses a county road, Post Office Road. Once across the road, the trail continues through an open woodland to the Post Office Day-Use Area, where it crosses State Road D. Follow the large footprints painted on the road surface to cross the road safely. An overlook here has a nice view of the castle across the spring chasm and an interpretive panel on the historic town Hahatonka. 

The trail joins tSpring Trail, Colosseum Trail and Dell Rim trail at this point, so watch for the brown blazes to follow Devil’s Kitchen Trail back to the top of the natural bridge.  From here, you will cross State Road D into the Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area parking lot where you started. 

Dolomite Rock Trail

This trail consists of two loops. The south loop is one-half-mile long and starts at the overlook. It has 10 stops with an interpretive brochure describing the natural features. The trail takes you past both River Cave sinkhole entrances and along Dry Hollow, a tributary to River Cave.You will learn about the interaction of water with the surrounding bedrock, and the plants and animals that live in this environment. You will cross a dolomite glade and woodland and learn about managing these natural communities with fire.

An intersection near interpretive stop 9 gives you the option to see more woodland and glade communities through the two-mile north loop. The additional loop crosses a large dolomite glade and dry chert and dolomite woodlands. The effects of the periodic prescribed fire are evident here with the great diversity of native grasses and wildflowers. The loop takes you back to the intersection of the smaller interpretive loop near stop 9. The interpretive loop will then return you to the River Cave Day-Use Area. The interpretive loop takes about 30 minutes to walk.  A brochure for the interpretive portion is available at the bulletin board.

Island Trail

This rugged loop trail takes you past Balanced Rock; a large cylinder-shaped dolomite boulder sitting on one end. As you walk this trail, you will catch two glimpses of old abandoned water pipe. This is all that remains of the pipe that carried water from the mill site to the water tower above. The trail then takes you to the confluence of Ha Ha Tonka Spring and Lake of the Ozarks. Following the loop from here, you can walk along the spring channel to a small breached dam, where the spring water runs over large boulders. The trail continues to Island Cave, a small, gated cave that is located on the north side of the island above the spring channel. For information on entry into Island Cave, you should contact the park office. The loop then leads you around the rocky east and south sides of the island, where you return to the Spring Trail. You can also access white connectors 3 and 4 to shorten or enhance your hiking experience.

Lake Trail

This trail leads you from the northern boat dock on Lake of the Ozarks to the castle ruins and the rest of the park’s trail complex. If coming by boat to the park, the trail is located on the 15 mile marker of the Niangua Arm of the lake. An interpretive kiosk at the trailhead has a map and information about the park.  This trail climbs 250 feet and has a natural gravel surface. You will be hiking through open oak woodlands. The trail intersects with Quarry Trail at the small quarry. Ten greenhouses were built as part of the Robert Snyder estate. The greenhouses were removed and sold after Snyder’s death, but the foundations and excavations remain. One small area was excavated in the late 1990s to enhance interpretation of this cultural feature. Lake Trail takes you to the castle ruins where it ends at the intersection of Castle Trail. 

Oak Woodland Interpretive Trail

This is a paved wheelchair and stroller accessible trail with four stops. There is an interpretive panel at each stop discussing the use of prescribed fire as a management tool. The area has been managed with controlled burning since the mid-1980s. The panels identify characteristic plants of the park’s Ha Ha Tonka Oak Woodland Natural Area. 

Spring Trail

The first .40 mile of the trail is paved and takes you along the shoreline of Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka Spring. This is a great trail to hike if looking for spring wildflowers. One of the first stopping points is at the site of the old gristmill that was burned in 1931 to make room for the Lake of the Ozarks. A spillway, raceway and grinding stone remain at the mill site. A small trail shelter with tables and an interpretive display are also located near the old mill. Spring Trail continues toward Ha Ha Tonka Spring along the shore of the old mill pond. The mill pond is a great place to watch for wildlife including turtles, frog and toads, and green herons. At the end of the mill pond is another raceway that acts as a dam to the spring water during normal water levels. During high water, water runs over the raceway and flushes out the mill pond into the lake.

Shortly after the second raceway, the trail surface changes from pavement to wood boardwalk. At this point a small overlook offers a nice view of the channel and is a great place to look for muskrats, otters, ducks and other aquatic wildlife. An interpretive panel on this overlook has information about the spring’s recharge area, temperature and aquatic plant life. The boardwalk has several short sections of steps leading back to the site where the spring surfaces and to four more interpretive panels  

As you near the spring, you squeeze between large rocks that were once part of the ceiling over this collapsed chasm. After exiting the rocks, there is an old pump south of the trail. This pump was used in the 1940s to pump spring water to a small log cabin at the top of the hill. The spring emerges from the water-filled cave at the base of the small bluff. The average flow is 58 million gallons a day.  It is a half-mile from the trailhead to the mouth of the spring. Many visitors turn back at this point. 

The next section of the Spring Trail ascends 316 wood steps, climbing 200 vertical feet, and can be strenuous. At the top of the steps, you can choose to follow Dell Rim Trail to your left to go to the castle ruins, or turn right to continue on the upper section of Spring Trail. You get a spectacular view over the spring waters and see the 250-foot bluff with castle ruins atop. Continuing on, you catch a glimpse of the century old post office building along Highway D. Shortly after this, you can choose to take a white connector trail back to the mill site to end the hike early or continue another loop of Spring Trail by taking the trail to the left. This stretch parallels Highway D and eventually crosses a dolomite glade and heads back into woodlands. This trail will wind back to the trailhead at the lake parking lot. If desired, the .10-mile white connector may be used to shorten the hike.

Turkey Pen Hollow Trail

This trail passes through high quality dolomite glades and woodland plant communities. The area in and around this trail is managed with periodic prescribed fire. The trail goes by a large sinkhole, an access to the park’s special-use camp, a primitive backpack camping area for large groups, and through Turkey Pen Hollow. After you pass the connector trail leading to the special-use camp, you travel across a large south-facing glade. Lower on this slope is an intermittently wet seep area. The large outcrop of rock is the remnant of the Red Arrow fault line that runs through this part of Camden County.

This rock area is where layers of bedrock have shifted in a vertical manner and in other places one layer of rock has pushed other rock layers above it. After you reach the ridge top beyond and hike for a short distance, you can decide to shorten your hike to 4.75 miles by taking white connector 1. Along white connector 1, you will find an intermittent pond. This pond often holds water in the spring and is home to frogs, salamanders and toads as evidenced by the cacophony of their calls both during the day and in the evening.  The primitive backpack camping area for groups of seven or more is located on the two-mile segment of trail after you reach the ridge top, and is in a sheltered valley on the east side of this trail. While smaller groups are not required to use the designated area, they must camp at least 100 feet from the trail, 200 feet from any major public use area, and at least one-fourth mile from the trail entry/exit point.

Quarry Trail

This trail takes visitors through two quarry sites, where sandstone was mined to build the castle, carriage house and water tower. At the trailhead near the castle ruins, the trail passes next to the site where 10 greenhouses were constructed as part of the Robert Snyder estate. The greenhouses were removed and sold after Snyder’s death, but the foundations and interpretive panels are available for viewing at the site. The quarry areas can be deceptive as they are not the depth we are used to seeing today. These were areas where the sandstone layer was close to or extended above ground level to make its removal easier. To transport the stones from the quarry to the castle, they used a small gauge track and cart system pulled by mules. 

The trail also features views of Lake of the Ozarks from a large dolomite glade on the west side of the trail at the half-way point. You can shorten or enhance your hike by accessing white connectors 5 and 6. To use either of the white connectors, you should watch for the white blazes. You can leave the trail at the carriage house site to make a shorter walk to the parking lot.