Autumn Color at Lake of the Ozarks

It is mid-October and Autumn is beginning to show some color all across the Lake of the Ozarks area. Fall is the perfect season to enjoy our two Missouri State Parks, scenic boat rides and seasonal festivals. If you happen to live in the Lake Area or if you are thinking of making one last visit before the weather takes a turn, now is the time to get outdoors and enjoy the Lake.

Of course, the most common question that we get this time of year is, "When will the fall colors peak at the Lake?". The truth is, we aren't aware of a way to accurately predict the exact peak of foliage color. What we can tell you is that, traditionally, our trees look their best in the week leading up to Halloween. This time varies year to year and it looks to be slightly delayed for 2013; meaning that you may still see some colorful scenery into the first week of November. Be aware that once the peak hits, colors drop very quickly and we could begin to see bare branches within just a few days afterwards. All that said, you certainly will not be disappointed if you head to the Lake right now. Hiking trails and scenic overlooks are bustling with activity as our weather has been great for enjoying a long walk in the woods. 

Don't forget your camera! We love to see and share our visitors' Lake experiences, and Fall makes for some awesome photo opportunities. If you happen to be an Instagram and/or Twitter user, follow @FunLakeMO and tag your snapshots with the hashtags #LakeoftheOzarks and #funlake. If Facebook is your thing, share a photo or two to the Lake of the Ozarks Page at www.facebook.com/funlake. We look forward to sharing and re-tweeting Lake of the Ozarks from your point of view.

If you're looking for a place to stay or if you are wondering if your favorite waterfront restaurant or dining establishment is still open for business, www.funlake.com has all of the contact information you need to plan an Autumn visit to Lake of the Ozarks. We even have downloadable State Park trail maps in the Outdoors section to help you pick the perfect hiking spot for you and your family. 

Lake of the Ozarks Still Open for Business

All that is great about fall in Missouri is ready and waiting for travelers at the Lake of the Ozarks. The bass are biting, the leaves are putting on a color show and the temperatures are just right for favorite outdoor activities like camping, fishing and boating. While some recreation areas on US Army Corps of Engineers lakes have been affected by the federal government shutdown, all services and amenities on the privately owned Lake of the Ozarks are open and available.

 "Visitors can come to the Lake knowing they will find all of our boat ramps, campgrounds, resorts and activities open and ready to accommodate them," Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association Executive Vice President Jim Divincen said.  "Autumn is a beautiful time at the Lake.  We hope travelers will come and see for themselves all the Lake of the Ozarks offers in the fall."
  
The three counties in the Lake area offer lodging options including family and fishing resorts, luxury resorts, condos and lake homes, bed and breakfasts and hotels and motels. Public and private campgrounds offer hundreds of sites, with options from primitive, no-frills tent sites to fully equipped RV sites. For those who enjoy rustic camping without pitching a tent, some campgrounds and parks offer rental options from cabins (including treehouse cabins) to yurts.

The fall season is one of the best times of the year to ensure outstanding fishing success at one of the country's best bass fishing lakes. Fishermen and fisherwomen can launch their boats at boat ramps in the state park, some resorts or campgrounds, rent a boat at an area marina or fish right from the docks. Bass tournaments on three October weekends offer the opportunity to win prizes for the biggest catch.

Visitors can complete their fall vacation with golfing on championship courses, shopping at the state's largest outlet mall and sampling a portion of the Lake's restaurants and nightlife. Travelers can plan their worry-free fall vacations by visiting the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau at FunLake.com.

The 28th Annual Fall Harbor Hop

It's hard to believe that it is October already. Schools have been in session for almost 2 months and our summer vacations already seem like a distant memory. Boating traffic on the Lake has been getting slower by the day and cooler nights remind us that winter is not far away. But that doesn't mean that we're done having fun on the water quite yet. There is still plenty of warm days to get out to enjoy beautiful autumn colors and our changing landscape. Not to mention that most waterfront businesses are still open until the end of the month, some even into November. Then there is the annual Fall Harbor Hop, a day-long poker hop celebrating Autumn and the close of the boating season at the Lake. This year's event is set for Saturday, October 12th, 2013.

"What is the Harbor Hop?", you ask? It's just like a poker run, only without any racing between locations. "Hoppers" begin the day at any one of over 40 participating locations around the Lake. Poker hands (entries) are purchased for a $15 donation and the first card of 7 is drawn. From there, "hoppers" go by water or land to the next participating waterfront bar, restaurant or marina where the next card is drawn. After visiting and enjoying at least 7 locations, participants will have a complete poker hand. The completed hand is turned in at the checkpoint where the 7th card is drawn. To qualify, a hand must be turned in by 7:00 pm. Prizes for the 5 best hands are awarded as well as prizes for the worst 4 hands. For complete prize allocations and more information on the event itself, visit www.funlake.com/harborhop

The 28th annual Fall Harbor Hop is open to all ages, and is by far the most fun that you can have on Lake of the Ozarks this Fall. If you're not sure where to go or start your Harbor Hop experience, we have a full map of all participating locations available to view and download here: http://funlake.com/harborhop/HHmap.pdf