Lewis & Clark Trail

Spirit Mound near Vermillion

Follow The Corps of Discovery

August 21, 1804:

The Corps of Discovery enter present-day South Dakota. Here in the “Garden of Eden,” food sources are plentiful. Joseph Fields shoots the party’s first buffalo. Interpretive signage is located at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, North Sioux City. See one of the last free flowing segments of the Missouri River. Two stretches of the river, designated as the Missouri National Recreational River, are popular for boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

August 22, 1804:

Following the death of Sgt. Floyd, Lewis and Clark need a sergeant to replace him. Patrick Gass receives 19 votes in the first election by U.S. citizens west of the Mississippi. This election was held where the town of Elk Point now stands. An exhibit in Elk Point tells the story.

August 25, 1804:

Area tribes believe that “little people” standing 18 inches tall and carrying arrows inhabit a prairie hill. The story sparks Lewis and Clark’s interest and they set off on foot to investigate. The men hike four hours, but at the top, the infamous devils are nowhere to be found. The explorers do, however, see an incredible sight: a herd of buffalo, nearly 800 of them, grazing in the distance. This is one of the very few places where we can say it is certain that they actually stood. You’ll find interpretive signage along the 3/4 mile trail to the summit and panoramic views of 300 acres of restored prairie grasses and wildflowers at Spirit Mound Historic Prairie, six miles north of Vermillion on Hwy. 19.

August 30, 1804:

The expedition has its first council with the Yankton Sioux. The explorers present the Yanktons with gifts of tobacco, flags and medals. The Yanktons prepare a feast. Interpretive signage is located at the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area Welcome Center near Yankton. The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center is another great place to learn more about the expedition, the tribes they encountered and the Missouri River itself. Built on a bluff overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake and the Gavins Point Dam, it is located across the bridge across the dam.

September 11, 1804:

After being separated from the party for over two weeks, Private George Shannon re-joins the keelboat. Shannon, the youngest member at age 19, had gotten lost on the prairie and run out of bullets. He went 12 days without food, except for wild grapes and a rabbit, which he shot using a piece of stick in place of a bullet. Interpretive signage is located at Snake Creek Rec Area near Platte.

September 2, 1806:

On the return trip Lewis and Clark meet up with a group of Yankton Sioux, realize they are friends, and smoke several pipes together as they exchange news. Chief Standing Bear Bridge, near Springfield, now spans the Missouri near the site of this meeting. A scenic lookout offers a spectacular view of the river. For more information about cities, attractions and lodging along the trail visit southeastsouthdakota.com/journey/ lewis-clark-trail.

Goat Island, Missouri River, photo by Greg Latza

Missouri National Recreational River

South Dakota’s newest national park

Preserving two stretches of the Missouri River and forming much of the border between South Dakota and Nebraska, it is also part of the nation’s Wild and Scenic River system. Congress added the 59-mile reach between Gavins Point Dam and Ponca State Park in 1978 and the 39-mile reach, which includes the lower 20 miles of the Niobrara River and the lower eight miles of Verdigre Creek, between Ft. Randall Dam and Running Water in 1991. In the eastern reach the “Big Muddy” is vast, flowing past chalk bluffs, some as high as 100 feet. The river valley is two miles wide in some places, evidence of the twists and turns the river has taken over several thousand years. Islands, bars, and chutes attest to the river’s dynamic character. The river in the western reach is more than 20 feet deep, with thick groves of willow and cottonwood trees growing on numerous islands and sandbars and limestone bluffs rising 250 feet along the banks. The main channel twists and turns in gnarled braids from one shore to the other, and the river flows slower, sometimes as slow as a lazy two miles per hour. The area provides habitat for several endangered and threatened bird and fish species. The MNRR area offers numerous opportunities for outdoor adventure.Campgrounds include Lewis and Clark Recreation Area near Yankton, Springfield Recreation Area near Springfield, and Clay County Park near Vermillion. These provide sites with electricity, cabins, showers, picnic shelters, trails and more. Goat Island, 800 acres of densely forested wildlife habitat, offers a quiet get away. With two miles of meandering trails, primitive camping, and gentle river views this is a great place to experience this wonderful stretch of the Missouri River. Located near Vermillion between Myron Grove River Access and Clay County Park, Goat Island. Primitive camping is also available on Green Island, near Yankton. Both are only accessible by watercraft. Fishing and hunting are popular pastimes. Walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, and catfish are popular catches. In season hunters take goose, duck, quail, turkey, pheasant, and deer. Licenses required. Most visitors come to the Missouri National Recreational River for its refreshing water and outdoor experiences, but tours are available at the dam powerhouses and historic sites. The Lewis & Clark Visitor Center, built on a bluff overlooking the river, is a great place to learn more about the Lewis & Clark Expedition, the tribes they encountered and the river itself. The Meridian Bridge, now a pedestrian bridge, is notable as the first permanent river crossing in the Yankton vicinity and provides unique views of the river. Chief Standing Bear Memorial Bridge spans the Missouri southwest of Springfield. The bridge is named for a famous Ponca chief. For more information visit: www.nps.gov/mnrr or www.southeastsouthdakota.com