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Call of the Wild
by Jim Youngs
Tucked away in the middle of Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks beacons adventurous boaters
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Hidden in the center of the Midwest and surrounded by expansive forests and rolling hills lies one of the country’s largest man-made lakes. With more than 1,150 miles of shoreline, Lake of the Ozarks offers a scenic panorama and a range of leisure and water activities that can keep even the most active of families busy for days.
Formed more than 65 years ago, the lake covers 54,000 acres and is home to the Great Blue Heron, many species of waterfowl and a variety of animals. Having become a popular tourist destination, it draws boaters from throughout the Midwest.
The lake came into existence through a huge undertaking known as the Great Osage River Project. Union Electric began construction of the Bagnell Dam on the Osage River on August 6,1929, though such a project had been studied as early as 1912. The Bagnell Dam would eventually produce the nation's largest artificial lake, Lake of the Ozarks, by impounding the Osage River and several other tributaries.
The ambitious Bagnell project, considered the last privately financed big dam, was completed in February 1931. Four months after the project began, the stock market crashed, but the Bagnell project continued to provide jobs and growth for Missouri while the rest of the country suffered in the clutches of the Great Depression.
The Lake That Union Built
Lake of the Ozarks stretches 129 miles in length with the widest portion of the waterway only five miles wide. It has 1,372 miles of shoreline -- more than Lake Michigan -- and wanders through some of the most picturesque and varied scenery in the country.
Prior to the Bagnell Dam completion, folks in the area were mostly engaged in agriculture and forestry. From 1880 to 1915, the forests around the town of Bagnell were considered a prime supply of railroad ties.
Completion of the dam forever changed the face of this Ozark region where the economy is now based on tourism. Growth in the early days of the lake was brisk as more and more people discovered this watery Missouri paradise. By 1981, there were more than 300 lakeside resorts and virtually every service necessary to cater to tourists, locals and area businesses.
Even a cursory inspection today shows Lake of the Ozarks to be the "in" spot for city dwellers to escape. Lakeside "cabins," many rivaling the best of Beverly Hills, are perched atop rugged limestone bluffs, most with novel approaches for getting down to the covered family boat docks at water level, including funiculars and massive stairways clinging to the bluffs.
Lake activity can range from secluded cove camping to crowded raft-up scenes at trendy waterfront taverns complete with boat-hop service, and everything in between. Unlikely as it may seem, if the boating gets boring, there are also abundant shoreside attractions and activities to keep a diverse family busy for a month.
Go-karts, movie theaters, waterslides, golf courses, restaurants, shops, hiking trails, caves and plenty of other diversions abound within short distances of lakefront docking facilities.
More than a dozen communities surround the lake, providing every amenity you could possibly want.
The huge lake is also home to lots of boat dealerships and marine service facilities in the event repairs are necessary or if you left a critical piece of boating gear in your driveway at home. There are more than two dozen marinas around the lake as well and literally every lakefront service you might need.
Waterfront Tour
On the west side of the dam is the city of Lake Ozark. The first mile, known to area residents and visitors alike as “The Strip,” houses a number of boutiques, craft stores, souvenir and T-shirt shops, restaurants, arcades and amusements.
Just beyond the Strip is the intersection of Business Highway 54 and State Road HH. Follow State Road HH to Horseshoe Bend where you’ll find lush golf courses, fine restaurants and several resorts.
Southwest of Lake Ozark on Highway 54 is Osage Beach, an 8 mile long community that has become a shopping destination for visitors throughout the Midwest. The city’s Factory Outlet Village features more than 110 top-name manufacturers’ stores, as well as restaurants and a five-screen movie theater.
Lake Ozark and Osage Beach provide entrances to the Lake of the Ozarks State Park, the largest in Missiouri. Here you will find picnic sites, campgrounds, horseback riding, launching facilities and two public beaches.
The intersection of Highway 54 and State Road KK is the doorway to Turkey Bend, an area that offers several golf courses, resorts, restaurants and marinas. Past State Road KK is Linn Creek, a small village nestled in the hillside. Linn Creek is home to the newly refurbished Camden County Museum and Big Surf Water Park.
Further south on Highway 54 is Camdenton, often called the hub city of the lake area. With its variety of family accommodations, country music shows and restaurants, Camdenton adds a nice diversity to the lake community.
West of Camdenton on Highway 54, you’ll find Ha Ha Tonka, Missouri’s newest State Park. Here the water is actually a pristine color of blue from a huge underground spring. The park is also offset with unusual rock formations, hiking trails and the remains of a European-style castle built by a prominent Kansas City businessman back in 1905.
Geologically, this area is an example of “Karst” topography, characterized by sink holes, caves, underground streams and natural bridges. Huge caves have collapsed and created a large theater-like pit known as the colosseum. Legend has it that this area was once used for Indian tribal meetings.
North of Camdenton, Highway 5 winds up the west side of Lake of the Ozarks along the quieter waters of Greenview, Hurricane Deck, Sunrise Beach, Laurie and Gravois Mills. These are areas where you will find additional campgrounds, resorts, golf courses, restaurants and shopping centers.
Beyond Boating
Reportedly, fishing is one of the major drawing cards of Lake of the Ozarks. Though many fish species are sought, the largemouth bass is usually the premier prize. Lake of the Ozarks is considered a productive bass fishery and is home turf to several top professional bass pros and prominent fishing guides.
The fishing season runs all year long and in addition to largemouth, anglers can target smallmouth, spotted and white bass, black and white crappie, bluegill and channel and flathead catfish.
A fishing license is required for all anglers, except Missouri residents over 64 and anyone under 16 years of age. Also, make sure you check the daily and possession limits before you head out.
As if the boating, the lake itself and shoreside activities are not enough, the Ozark area of Missouri has a lot to see and do. This part of the state is a diverse area called the Ozark Plateau which rises from 500 to 1,700 feet above sea level. The Plateau is one of the nation's major tourist areas because of its many caves, large springs and fast-flowing streams.
There are about 10,000 springs bubbling from the ground of which more than 100 have a daily water flow of over one million gallons. More than 1,450 caves, created by underground streams, have been found in Missouri. And what visit to Missouri would be complete without spending some time sampling the country western music of Branson, Missouri, the new Nashville.
It's impossible to adequately describe a lake the size of Lake of the Ozarks in just a small space, except perhaps to spark some interest in seeing such a magnificent body of water first-hand. My family and I have made numerous trips to Lake of the Ozarks and can highly recommend all that it has to offer. Exploring such a beautiful and varied lake is what boating is all about and few places can provide the kind of attractions and scenery that this lake offers freely to visiting boating families.
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This article first appeared in the February 1, 1998 issue of GoBoating Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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