Mozingo’s History
Mozingo Lake is a state-park quality 3,000 acre park, including a 1,000 acre lake with 26 miles of shoreline, and was constructed as a water supply, flood control and recreational reservoir and was completed in 1992 and reached full pool by 1996.
Mozingo Lake was constructed primarily with federal funding to ensure a drought-proof water source for Maryville and to help with flood control. Over the years, Mozingo Lake Recreation Park has grown into the outdoor recreation center of Northwest Missouri. For example, many fishing enthusiasts consider Mozingo to be one of the best fishing lakes in the state. In 1993, the lake was stocked with bluegill with catfish and bass introduced to the lake in 1994. Walleye was introduced into the lake in 1996 by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Mozingo Lake Golf Course was opened for play in 1995 and was named “The Best New Public Golf Course” in 1996. Since that time, the course has only improved. Designed by Donald Sechrest, the golf course is friendly to first time golfers and yet challenging for experienced players. Mozingo Lake Golf Course, at its shortest, is 5,242 yards and stretches to its par-72 maximum of 7,135 yards. The layout has a course rating of 73.5 and a slope rating of 134 on rye grass. In addition, USA Today has designated the golf course as “the best moderately priced golf course in Missouri”.
The past decade has been a period of great growth for Mozingo Lake Recreation Park and now offers a full array of recreational opportunities. We offer 109 full-service, lakeside Recreation Vehicle (RV) camping spaces, 20 of which can be reserved online or over the phone. Five (5) fully furnished camping cabins were added to the park in the early 2000’s and two (2) additional cabins were added in 2013. The cabins provide comfort camping along the shores of Mozingo Lake. Youth Camp facilities, which include rustic cabins and a large multi-purpose building, were also added in the early 2000’s along with the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area (MOER). MOERA is a 320-acre facility operated by Northwest Missouri State University and offers a variety of recreational and team building opportunities through a rope course, challenge course, trap shooting, and canoe & kayaking rentals.
The most recent addition to the park is the Equestrian Recreational Vehicle (RV) campground. Completed in 2012, the Equestrian RV Park is located at the trailhead of a 7-mile, lakeside equestrian trail and currently offers 13 RV sites able to accommodate equestrian RV trailers. Amenities provided at the site include hitching posts, drinking water, and a bathhouse.
Mozingo Lake Recreation Park has come a long ways since construction was completed in 1992. Over the years, we have enjoyed providing a variety of recreation opportunities for our guests and we will continue to grow into the future to ensure that we remain the premier outdoor recreation destination in Northwest Missouri.