Center Stage Missouri: Lake of the Ozarks

Lake of the Ozarks lies almost exactly in the center of Missouri. This lake winds around and around for miles and miles, 92 of them, like a slow-moving waft of fog. Most of Lake of the Ozarks’ western stretch nestles into a remote wilderness. Its major development grew up around its eastern S-curve arm.

The Bagnell Dam impounded the Lake of the Ozarks on the Osage River on its far eastern border in 1931. The Osage River flows east from the Harry S. Truman Reservoir and joins Lake of the Ozarks eastward downstream. Caves and caverns, cliffs, forests of oak and hickory, open meadows, mountains, springs and streams, and waterfalls greet visitors with majesty.

What Is Special About Lake of the Ozarks?

The Lake of the Ozarks is the largest man-made, non-flood control lake in the United States. The name Ozark is French, from aux arcs, with a few possible meanings. Aux arcs could mean “towards the arches” referring to natural bridges, “toward the rainbows” referring to the frequent mountain rainbows, or “with bows” referring to the native Quapaw Indian’s bows.

The most special characteristics of Lake of the Ozarks are its unparalleled natural, rugged exquisiteness and pristine waters. It sits in valleys below the ridges on the Salem Plateau of the Ozark Mountains. The Lake of the Ozarks region provides hundreds of activities throughout its four distinct seasons, which makes this lake exceedingly special.

Is Lake of the Ozarks Worth Visiting?

Over five million people believe Lake of the Ozarks is worth visiting every year. Its region has bloomed into a major resort hub. There is a rumor that over nine million people visited this lake in 2020, but there is no official word from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism.

Why Are the Ozarks so Popular?

The Ozark Mountains are not like any other U.S. mountain ranges—not like the Rockies, Sierras, Appalachians, or any other range. Its unique scenery intoxicates year-round. Its landscape mesmerizes. Its waters are clear and especially refreshing in warm months.

The entire Ozark Mountain range tells thousands of stories. Not only is it one of the most beautiful spots in the U.S., and it cherishes a rich cultural history. Festivals abound year-round. Visitors to the Ozarks find not only a natural outdoor haven but also descendents of ancient peoples, native and immigrant.

Archeologists believe that a procession of indigenous peoples inhabited the Ozarks from during the last Ice Age up to European discovery beginning with the Paleo-Indians. By the time of discovery, the Osage controlled the Ozark Mountains region.

First, the French claimed today’s Arkansas in 1682, then ceded it to Spain in 1762, only to find the French dictator, Napoleon, back in control in 1800, who sold the Louisiana Purchase to the U.S. The Louisiana Purchase comprised the territory of 15 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, including the entirety of Arkansas.

The Ozark Mountains’ one-of-a-kind natural wonderland added to its splendid mix of cultural heritages equals one of the grandest examples of flora and fauna on earth. The Ozark Mountains, Lake of the Ozarks, and the Harry S. Truman Reservoir are a few of the U.S.’ most treasured natural masterpieces.

Why Did They Dam Lake of the Ozarks?

The Union Electric Company of St. Louis, Missouri contracted with the principal engineering firm, Stone and Webster, which built the Bagnell Dam. Construction of the 2,543-foot-long Bagnell Dam began on August 8, 1929, and completed it by April 1931. Lake of the Ozarks reached its spillway elevation on May 20, 1931.

St. Louis, Missouri, needed more electrification. Over 20,000 workers, with at least 4,000 working daily, built the Bagnell Dam to provide hydroelectric power to the customers of Union Electric. While the dam went through its planning and construction phases, nasty legal entanglements and scandals revolved around the entire process.

Can You Swim in the Lake of the Ozarks?

The cool waters in the Lake of the Ozarks roll down from the mountains above, creating a delightful way to splash away any day. The natural inflows of water from hundreds of sources into the Lake of the Ozarks and its adjacent waterways, produces a purifying effect on its ecosystem.

Yes, it is usually safe to swim in the Lake of the Ozarks as long as you recognize its dangers. Its maximum depth is 130 feet, with an average depth of 50 feet. Lake of the Ozarks fosters a party atmosphere and is known for a high number of deaths by drowning, with 23% caused by alcohol intoxication.

In 2021, Doug Beck, with the Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council reported, “Seventy percent of deaths occur on boats where the operator has had no boater safety instructions or lessons. Alcohol is the leading factor of deaths at 23%.”

In summer 2023, several Lake of the Ozarks beaches closed due to debris from flooding and high levels of toxic bacteria. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) maintains a webpage on its website that reports on current water quality conditions and where it is safe to swim.

Lake of the Ozarks covers 54,000 surface acres, is 95 Miles Long from the Truman Dam to Bagnell Dam, sits at an elevation of 659 feet, and boasts approximately 1,150 miles of shoreline.

Lake of the Ozarks Things to Do

The list of things to do at Lake of the Ozarks is so long that it could confuse ChatGPT. The lake covers a vast region, offering hundreds of activities on and off the water. The following list comprises the most popular attractions at Lake of the Ozarks in 2020, beginning with the most popular with visitor activities at the top.

From Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council, 2020:

Activity Visitor Popularity Percentage

Shopping 44%
Dining at unique, local restaurants 40%
Visiting a city/city attractions 31%
Family event or activity 24%
Family attractions, e.g., zoos, water parks 22%
Attending entertainment or live shows 20%
Driving tours or scenic drives 17%
Museums/cultural events 17%
Visiting a theme park 16%
Visiting quaint attractions and small towns 15%
Touring historic sites 14%
Visiting state parks 12%
Attending a professional sporting event 8%
Fishing, boating or other water activities 8%
Gambling/casinos 8%
Visiting breweries 8%

Lake of the Ozarks Fishing

About 70,000 docks ring around Lake of the Ozarks. The biggest fish in the lake, the American paddle fish a.k.a. spoonbill, can grow up to 7-feet, 3-inches long and weigh up to 200 pounds. Most American paddlefish weigh between 10 and 15 pounds.

Besides the American paddlefish, angler’s choice game species in Lake of the Ozarks are: hybrid striped, largemouth, spotted, and white bass, bluegill, blue, channel, and flathead catfish, black and white crappie, green sunfish, and walleye.

Fishing tournaments on Lake of the Ozarks abound, from large, well-known ones to local contests. The Willmore Lodge in the City of Lake Ozark showboats the Lake of the Ozarks’ record paddlefish, caught in 1998. It weighs.135 pounds and is 6-feet, 4-inches long.

Marinas pop up everywhere on the eastern, developed area of Lake of the Ozarks, with quite a few on the Niangua southern arm, and seven more going east upstream all the way to the Truman Reservoir.

Fish cover and attractors include: brush piles, docks, drop offs, laydowns, rocks and rocky points, sharp stumps, flat and gradually tapering shorelines, submerged structures, and shallow water shelves.

Lots of boat docks are on Lake of the Ozarks’ eastern arms, with a few stretched across its western, upstream arm. Anglers and watersports enthusiasts can buy or rent anything they need in the way of bait, boat rentals, marine gear, tackle, plus PWCs, skis, tubes, wakeboards, etc.

Lake of the Ozarks Resorts

Lake of the Ozarks has grown up into a major resort hub from its rugged hunting and fishing Mecca in the 1930s. Its hydroelectric power plant kept families working and from poverty and hunger during the Great Depression, unlike the tragedy of the Dust Bowl, compounded with the depression in neighboring Kansas and Oklahoma at the same time.

There are 62 resorts, lodges, inns, motels and upscale marinas lining Lake of the Ozarks’ shores. These resorts vary in amenities. Visitors can choose resorts featuring different activities and services like adults only, bowling, fishing charters and fishing access, golfing, in-room whirlpool tubs, kitchens, shuttle services, spas, sports courts, swim-up bars, water taxis, etc.

Some Lake of the Ozarks’ popular resorts:

Alhonna Resort & Marina
Bear Bottom Resort
Camden on the Lake Resort
Lodge of Four Seasons
Lone Oak Point Resort
Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake of the Ozark
The Resort at Lake of the Ozarks
Robin’s Resort

Lake of the Ozarks Cabins

If visitors want a cabin or vacation home for privacy, they will find thousands of rentals offering convenient amenities and unique features at Lake of the Ozarks. Cabin rental businesses, private owners, and the Ha Ha Tonka and Lake of the Ozarks State Parks rent cabins. Find all the rental listings on search engines, Airbnb, and Vrbo.

Lake of the Ozarks Camping

Lake of the Ozarks presents the most breathtaking camping atmosphere, especially in the summer. Besides the Ha Ha Tonka and Lake of the Ozarks State Parks, private campgrounds and RV parks encompass the eastern shores and southern arms of the lake.

As the Osage River channel flows upstream to the west, the developed campgrounds thin out. The U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Conservation offers backcountry and primitive campsites for free along this stretch. Some of these campsites are not close to the lake.

Lake of the Ozarks Real Estate

Plentiful reasons to invest in property at Lake of the Ozarks fly all over the Missouri real estate market. Since 2020, when the economy began declining sharply, demand has continued. The average listing age in November 2022 was 666 days. Listing age fell to 212 days in November 2023, according to a Rocket Homes Lake of the Ozarks marketing report.

The following data is based on November 2023 information. The list price of homes in the Lake of the Ozarks region has increased by 8.3% since November 2022. The average number of homes on the market in October 2022 was 139 and rose to 190 in November 2023. The median list price of homes is $350,000 or $246 per square foot.

Kansas City is 146-miles northwest and St. Louis is 188 miles east. The towns and communities of Bagnell, Lake Ozark, Kaiser, Lakeside, Osage Beach, and Village of the Four Seasons wrap around the eastern shores and arms of the lake. From the intersection of SH F and MR 5 going north and east to Warsaw at the Truman Reservoir, there are no towns, but there are shops and stops for supplies on both sides of the lake.

Lake of the Ozarks Weather

It rains in the Lake of the Ozarks region on average, from four to eight days every month. Summers bring hot, muggy, and wet weather. Late May through September are the busiest months of the year. On average, the sky is clearest at Lake of the Ozarks around June 11, lasts for 4.6 months, and ends around the end of October.

The cloudiest parts of the year come at the end of October and hang around until the first couple of weeks in June. On average, the snow falls from mid-November to mid-March. Mean snowfall in January is 3.2 inches. The sun shines for 9 hours, 30 minutes on December 21 and 14 hours, 50 minutes on June 21. It is windiest from the end of October to around the first week of May.

Month High / Low °F Rain per Month