Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Missouri

Stacey and I both got our amazing new hiking boots for our upcoming trip to Peru, so we decided that part of our preparations for the trip (after having Peruvian food and pisco sours in Springfield) should been breaking our shoes in for our Inca Trail adventure.

Since Stacey came all the way down to Springfield (instead of meeting like we usually do) we went to the beautiful Ha Ha Tonka- less than an hour away.

We started our day off with a picnic at the old castle ruins. It was once a mansion started in 1905, but the man who started it was killed in an car accident the following year.  Later that year it was completed and his sons ran it as a hotel, but the mansion burned down only 36 years later.

To be honest, sometimes Stacey and I can be a dangerous travel duo- Stacey isn’t the best at directions and I’m not exactly aware all of where I’m going because I’m too busy looking around or talking. So, while we always manage to get things done, it’s not always the most efficient way, but it is always an adventure. So, needless to say, Stacey and I didn’t “complete” a single hike on this trip, instead we did the majority of 3 or 4 different hikes, but the trails here seem to kinda flow into each other. Regardless we got to see a lot of the beautiful sights of this park- perfect for Stacey’s first time here!

Little dock where on the Lake of the Ozarks

The Natural Bridge

Stacey and I goofing around and making hiking look gooood! 

Boardwalk down to the spring

Each adventure with this lovely lady is always amazing!  I love that I have such an amazing friend to take crazy, awesome adventures with!  Can’t wait for Peru and hopefully a trip to Asheville before that!

For more posts and travel articles I find interesting ‘like’ the For the Love of Wanderlust page on Facebook. Simply click HERE.