2021-12-16 10:02:47
Discover wild and scenic waters As South Dakota’s newest National Park, the Missouri National Recreational River preserves two stretches of the Missouri River. It is a meandering, living river — no dams or channelization. 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 fast past chalk bluffs, some as high as 100 feet. The river valley is as wide as two miles in some places, a testament to the twists and turns the river has taken over the last several thousand years. Islands, bars, and chutes still 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. Limestone bluffs rise 250 feet over the untamed river. The main channel twists and turns from one shore to the other, and the river flows slower, sometimes only at a lazy two miles per hour. Native floodplain forests, tall and mixed grass prairie remnants, and the rivers and tributaries themselves provide habitat for several endangered and threatened bird and fish species. things to see and do Most visitors come to the MNRR for its refreshing water and premier boating, fishing, and paddling. Exploring the "Big Muddy" by canoe or kayak is something you'll never forget. This recreational activity, however, is not for the novice, and requires appropriate watercraft. You can also camp, tour powerhouses and historic sites, birdwatch, visit a fish hatchery and aquarium, and explore quiet trails. The 800-acre Goat Island development, near Vermillion, provides unparalleled backcountry recreational opportunities. Camping The MNRR area offers numerous opportunities for camping. Campgrounds include Lewis and Clark Recreation Area - near Yankton, Springfield Recreation Area - near Springfield, and Clay County Park, near Vermillion. These campgrounds provide sites with electricity, camping cabins, showers, picnic shelters, trails and more. For a remote backcountry experience, Goat Island (located between Myron Grove River Access and Clay County Park, near Vermillion) and Green Island (located on the south side of the Missouri National Recreational River, adjacent to the Corps of Discovery Bridge at Yankton) both have primitive campgrounds, meandering trails, and river views. They offer a wonderful opportunity to experience this wonderful stretch of the Missouri River. Both are accessible only by watercraft. fishing and hunting Walleye, sauger, paddlefish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, and catfish are favorite species for fishing along the Missouri River. Hunting in a National Park is a great experience, and a way to enjoy the beautiful, scenic river. In season hunters take goose, duck, quail, turkey, pheasant and deer. Familiarity with state regulations and licenses are required. HISTORICAL POINTS OF INTEREST The MNRR region can serve as a microcosm of the Lewis & Clark expedition. It is in this region they recorded their first impressions and descriptions of Plains Indians tribes. Their council with the Yankton Sioux demonstrated their diplomatic efforts. Clark drew maps of this part of the river. Joseph Fields killed the party's first bison near today's Burbank, SD. Sergeant Floyd, the only death on the expedition, occurred near present day North Sioux City. The Lewis & Clark Visitor Center, built on a bluff overlooking the river and the Gavins Point Dam, is a great place to learn more about the expedition, the tribes they encountered and the Missouri River itself. The Meridian Bridge, now a pedestrian bridge, is notable as the first permanent river crossing in the Yankton vicinity and as one of the final links in the Meridian Highway, an early north-south route from Winnipeg, Canada, to Mexico City, Mexico. Chief Standing Bear Memorial Bridge spans the Missouri south of Springfield. The bridge is named for the Ponca chief who, in a landmark court case, proved that Indians were "persons" under the law, free to enjoy the rights of any other person in the land. Learn more about Missouri National Recreational River online at www. southeastsouthdakota.com/what-to-do/attractions/yankton/mnrr/
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