The chance of you having a friend in Table Rock is, almost literally, one in a million. As of the 2000 census, its population was only 229 people. Less than a quarter of a square mile in size, the small village in Missouri’s Taney County is about as close to the center of the country as you can get. But even the largest of magnifying glasses won’t help you find it.
More significantly, Table Rock shares its name with a pristine lake less than two miles up the White River. Both the town and lake are named after a large, table-shaped rock formation overlooking Highway 165.
“Table Rock isn’t overdeveloped,” says the Chicago chef (and Top Chef Masters alum) Debbie Gold, who spends the majority of her time feeding city dwellers at Tied House and Schubas Tavern in the city’s busy Lakeview neighborhood, “so it’s a great getaway.”
A day’s drive from Chicago, the pristine lake is a treasured secret of many who live near it, but not well-known beyond the state. Cherished by locals for its crystal clear water with 20- to 40-foot visibility beneath the surface (depending on the time of year, peaking from November to April), Table Rock Lake is shared by Missouri and Arkansas. It’s also a scuba diver’s paradise.
Dives like “Dewey Short” offer deep ravines and outcroppings akin to coral reefs, while the “Oasis, MO” dive lets guests flipper past an entire town underwater, submerged in 1957 after heavy rains and equipped with a one-lane bridge and main street with a small wooden church. “You can rent a boat and [water] ski, or spend the day on the lake," says Gold.
The lake is also known for its bass fishing, nearly 800 miles of shoreline and all-level hikes like the Chinquapin Trail and Table Rock Lakeshore Trail that lead into the surrounding historic Ozark Mountains, known for its characteristic beauty.
After a long day of swimming and sunbathing on the lake, Gold recommends heading to Branson, the nearest town with its lights on, for an evening out. “Table Rock is close enough to Branson to go to the shows,” she says, but notes that it’s best not to stay “in the touristy area” for sleeping, but rather stay closer to the lake and head to Branson for nightlife.
When she says “the shows,” Gold is referring to Branson’s historic 76 Country Boulevard, lined with theaters, a Wild West-style Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and Silver Dollar City, an 1800s-themed amusement park regularly featuring live music. Venues like the Outback Pub feature local bands on the regular and stay open late into the wee hours. For a less rowdy option, there’s Ernie Biggs Dueling Piano Bar, featuring dueling pianists Monday through Saturday and a DJ on Sunday.
Once you’ve had your fill of night options, take a short drive back home to the sound of crickets and splashing catfish back on the lake. Lodging options in Table Rock including renting a houseboat and staying right on the lake itself, where you can go to bed with the stars above and pull up to the marina for lunch by day.
If that’s not your fish in a basket, Gold recommends a sprawling “wilderness resort” called Big Cedar Lodge, a 15-minute drive south from the lake in a town called Ridgedale. “They have a traditional hotel, cottages and rooms with kitchenettes,” says Gold, for those who prefer to slice up the local produce like apples, peaches, grapes and watermelons. “[There’s a] spa, great stuff for kids, lots of golf and horseback riding.”
Founded in 1921, the lodge’s 13-hole golf course was designed by the South African golfing legend Gary Player and offers dramatic views of the Ozarks and their 300-million-year-old limestone and dolomite formations.
If you’re driving home to Chicago, be sure to stop into the Mark Twain National Forest, 1.5 million acres of protected forest land perfect for pondering whether you prefer city life over country life.
