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Fall Hiking Series: Ha Ha Tonka

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Ha Ha Tonka is a Missouri state park in Camden County and a true treasure of our state. With tall bluffs, scenic views, unique geologic sites, and castle ruins, it is a super unique and something for everyone adventure.

Being down in Camdenton at the Lake, I think some people overlook this park. But this is a destination in itself!

Ha Ha Tonka Quick Facts:

  • over 17 miles of trails
  • located at Lake of the Ozarks
  • Amenities include: picnic sites and shelters, kayak rentals, fishing dock, boat docks, a special-use camping area

This is a wonderful location for a fall hike because of the gorgeous scenic views. You really can’t avoid it here- everything is beautiful!

The castle ruins are probably the number one attraction. The word “castle” is somewhat misleading, but it is probably the closest thing to a castle we have in the state of Missouri. It was a stone mansion built in the early 1900s by a wealthy family. It was later a hotel and then burned down in the 40s. The gorgeous stone arches and palatial window spaces do look very castle-like, and my kids were amazed.

The trail to the castle ruins is paved and it is handicap accessible. It is also perched atop the bluffs overlooking the spring and lake, so it is an incredible sight. We saw tons of hawks flying right by us, and it was a really special moment for our family. The water tower is also there that you can hike up to and it is another pretty hike, but not handicap accessible.

Another amazing sight is the spring. It’s a beautiful hike with a wooden boardwalk alongside the spring and the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. The boardwalk leads to the spring and then a 300-step staircase up the bluff which is also beautiful, but maybe not for everyone. You can turn around and go back down the boardwalk. There’s also a small old millstone and some remains of an old mill. This was one of my kids’ favorite hikes. They couldn’t get enough!

The most impressive geological wonder of the park in my opinion is the large natural bridge. There is a beautiful trail that goes down under the arch, down into and up out of a large sinkhole, and along the bluff, then back over the natural bridge arch. There are some drop offs, but it’s still pretty kid-friendly.

Another nice thing is that many of the trails connect. So you can really customize the length of your hike(s). I love this as we have kids who can be unpredictable when it comes to hiking. Some days, we’re doing 6 miles and other days we can barely handle 1.2. 😀

We ended up grabbing a really good deal on Booking.com for a last minute time-share that wasn’t booked right on the Lake. It was super nice and perfect for us! We spent the day at Ha Ha Tonka, and actually went back for more the following day. A perfect fall weekend!

Witness

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More than a few years ago, someone told me and my ex-husband that the purpose of being and having a partner was to bear witness to one another’s life. When she said it, I didn’t give it a ton of thought. It was a hmm moment, and then I don’t think I thought much more about it. More than a few years down the road from when I first heard that comment, it hit me.

I was talking to said ex-husband and during the conversation, I remember, thinking, “Wow. This man does not know me or my life anymore.”

It goes beyond just not knowing what’s going on, but it’s the lifestyle, the daily players in your life, the current goals, just everything. After my divorce, my entire life changed. My lifestyle, my daily routine, my goals, my values, my mindset- all of it. The way I did life changed. It’s amazing how someone who so intimately knew those things once, suddenly doesn’t. Or maybe not so suddenly.

Anyway, maybe all that is a whole other post. The point of this one is, that not too long ago, my current partner and I were talking. And it just hit me like, oh. This is what it means to bear witness to someone’s life. This is the privilege of partnership. It’s not just knowing those details of daily life of the other. It is the deep honor of witnessing another’s life experiences, suspending judgement, being a loving support, a safe space, holding space for them, and mutual vulnerability.

It’s also practicing vulnerability and speaking our truth. Learning our truth, being our true selves, and exploring that. I have learned so much about this through my current partnership and I’m so grateful. I sometimes wonder if those comments so long ago were a seed planted so I could recognize this.

A colleague and I were discussing partnership and the value of it a couple weeks ago. It goes deeper than a playmate or a companion. It is someone to truly bear witness to your life experiences and for you to bear witness to as well. And I think it’s a challenge- you have to be vulnerable and intentional and ensure that you are taking good care of yourself in order to truly be a partner to yours.

Kareem and I were talking about partnership too recently. And equity in partnership and gender and gender roles and all kinds of deep stuff that I love talking to him about. I mentioned that I felt like I was solely responsible for certain things- namely, meals. In response to this, he made dinner that night. And not only that, but he has made me feel heard and respected over and over again. It didn’t end with dinner that night. It has been a conscientious effort to check in and ensure that we feel like things are better balanced. That responsiveness is truly witnessing and hearing another then reflecting and responding. That’s partnership.

It’s wonderful, it’s easy and it’s not. I’m learning a ton and I’m grateful.

**Also I want to clarify- this is in NO way commentary on my marriage or my ex-husband. I am not saying he was NOT a partner. This is just my current perspective on partnership.


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