Living on the Lake of the Ozarks

August 2022

Rich and I have been living in the RV since April 2022. I didn’t write for several months and now I want to go back and write about all the places we have been and share some of my photos with you.

We camped on the Lake of the Ozarks for the month of August 2022. Missouri is absolutely beautiful countryside.

Bagnell Dam

The Lake of the Ozarks is a reservoir that was created by damming the Osage River to create hydroelectric power for residents of the area. The Osage River is the largest river in the state of Missouri, and the Bagnell Dam was completed in 1931.

The Lake of the Ozarks has more than 1,150 miles of shoreline. Because of its shape, it is commonly called the Missouri dragon. Friends took us for a boat ride on the lake and we saw much of the shoreline from the water. It is definitely a different view than looking at the lake from the land.

We stayed at the Lazy Dayz Resort Campground right on the water. We had access to the Boondockz Bar & Grill and a swimming area. We had some pretty hot days in August and the water (and the bar) was a wonderful retreat from the heat.

Ozark Caverns

While we were in the area, we went to Ozark Caverns on the southeast end of the lake. The caverns are located at Lake of the Ozarks State Park. The visitor center is located right at the parking lot and this is where you purchase tickets for the cave tour.

The cave entrance is a short walk from the visitor center. This is an “unlit” cave and all tours are by lantern only. Each one of us carried our own lantern. The total distance is only 0.5 miles round trip but with moderate difficulty. The trail is often wet and slippery, and there are several elevation changes throughout the tour.

We saw several different breeds of toads inside. I don’t remember what they were called. This is why it is better to write about the places we visit right after instead of waiting several months. Lesson learned — always write about the places we visit immediately after visiting them.

The most famous formation in the cavern is the shower-head and bathtub formation called Angel Showers. There are only fourteen of these in existence anywhere in the world. If you look closely you can see the steady shower stream coming from above.

National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church

We are not Catholic, but I wanted to see this beautiful shrine, and it was everything I heard it was. The shrine of Mary rotates in a constant circle. It is beautiful to behold whether you are a religious person or not. The road is lined with the flags of every country in the world.

The shrine is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for anyone to visit.

Branson, Missouri

We had never been to Branson, Missouri so we drove down one day. I have to say I was not impressed in the least. It has become a gaudy tourist trap filled with nothing but weird shops and attractions. I will never go back again. I definitely did not love Branson.

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Now, this is more my style. Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton, Missouri was just a short distance from where we were staying on the lake. The park encompasses almost 4,000 acres. It is filled with hiking trails, caves, springs, tunnels, and sinkholes for those who are capable of doing them.

But I was more interested in the ruins. The most famous attraction is the Ha Ha Tonka Castle ruins. You know me, I love exploring old ruins. This is one state park that should not be missed. The walking trails to the ruins are easy and mostly paved.

Access to the castle is blocked off due to deterioration. The closest you can get is a trail around the ruins.

Pomme de Terre State Park

We also drove to Pomme de Terre State Park in Pittsburg, Missouri. The swimming area looked most inviting. The beach area was clean and there were a lot of geese near the water. This is a 7,800 acre lake with some campgrounds, boat docks, and beautiful picnic areas.

Powerboat Shootout Race

And finally, one of the funnest events we were able to experience was the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout 2022. This is a huge powerboat race held in a part of the lake just down from where we were camping.

It has been named one of the nation’s eight must-see boating events. It is the largest unsanctioned boat race in America. We attended the powerboat show on the strip and got to see some of the boats up close. I found one picture with no people in it to share. The place was packed as people walked around looking at the boats and stopping at all the vendors.

On the day of the boat race, thousands of boaters lined the track. We watched the race on television from the comfort of our camper.

All in all, we had a great month of August in Missouri. There were several miserably hot days where it hit 100 degrees, but most of the time it was bearable.

I hope you enjoyed visiting the Lake of the Ozarks with me. Clap, comment, and follow along for more stories of our travels across America.