Traveling Through Nebraska: Exploring the Missouri National Recreational River
Located near the city of Omaha, the Missouri National Recreational River is a 98-mile-long protected river that flows through south-central South Dakota and southeastern Nebraska. This unique river system has maintained its naturally pristine condition due to the collaborative efforts between government agencies and local stakeholders. The recreation river is managed by the National Park Service and is an exemplary model of responsible conservation of natural resources.
The Missouri National Recreational River got its status in 1978, when U.S. Congress established the river system as a part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Since then, the NPS has taken multiple steps to protect the river from encroaching urban and agricultural development. For instance, the Fort Randall Dam in South Dakota, located upstream, regulates the river's flow, and conservation efforts are being taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to minimize erosion and preserve the natural habitats of native wildlife.
This natural stretch of the river is characterized by an unspoiled landscape teeming with diverse wildlife and river species. The gently meandering river winds through the scenic rolling hills of the Midwest, offering breathtaking vistas for canoeists, kayakers, and fishermen. The Niobrara River, South Dakota's national scenic river, shares a confluence point with the Missouri National Recreational River, resulting in a mix of river habitats rich in aquatic species. Visitors can appreciate the solitude of canoeing or boat-hopping between the gently shifting sandbars and verdant riverbanks.
From May to September, the warm-weather months, water levels typically allow navigation with shallow-draft boats, benefiting both fishermen as well as wildlife observers. Several areas along the river offer picnic stops and simple landing sites for users to go ashore. One such famous stretch of the Missouri National Recreational River is the Lewis and Clark Lake National Wildlife Refuge, named after famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, located by the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Wildlife observers can marvel at vast variety species observed near the lake's Missouri river valley shorelines, especially bald eagles and a healthy breeding Osprey population.
There are an estimated over 175 species of both native and migratory birds documented along the Missouri National Recreational River using aerial viewing. Historically, this vast river hosted ancient seasonal travelers as diverse as Paleoindian nomads and westward-pioneering Americans who have all benefited by this vital waterway. Although the waterway currently displays several remnants of archaeological sites dating back several millennia, many areas which preserve numerous fossilized bison herds can also be seen alongside historical expedition mapping roads.
In South Dakota, history-conscious paddlers looking for adventure travel and nature photography tend to encounter these majestic water expanses when navigating between Charles Mix and Yankton counties. To minimize invasion into agricultural interests, public managers along the route suggest better navigational instructions through public outreach for this complex, twisting water path.
The Missouri National Recreational River got its status in 1978, when U.S. Congress established the river system as a part of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Since then, the NPS has taken multiple steps to protect the river from encroaching urban and agricultural development. For instance, the Fort Randall Dam in South Dakota, located upstream, regulates the river's flow, and conservation efforts are being taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to minimize erosion and preserve the natural habitats of native wildlife.
This natural stretch of the river is characterized by an unspoiled landscape teeming with diverse wildlife and river species. The gently meandering river winds through the scenic rolling hills of the Midwest, offering breathtaking vistas for canoeists, kayakers, and fishermen. The Niobrara River, South Dakota's national scenic river, shares a confluence point with the Missouri National Recreational River, resulting in a mix of river habitats rich in aquatic species. Visitors can appreciate the solitude of canoeing or boat-hopping between the gently shifting sandbars and verdant riverbanks.
From May to September, the warm-weather months, water levels typically allow navigation with shallow-draft boats, benefiting both fishermen as well as wildlife observers. Several areas along the river offer picnic stops and simple landing sites for users to go ashore. One such famous stretch of the Missouri National Recreational River is the Lewis and Clark Lake National Wildlife Refuge, named after famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, located by the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Wildlife observers can marvel at vast variety species observed near the lake's Missouri river valley shorelines, especially bald eagles and a healthy breeding Osprey population.
There are an estimated over 175 species of both native and migratory birds documented along the Missouri National Recreational River using aerial viewing. Historically, this vast river hosted ancient seasonal travelers as diverse as Paleoindian nomads and westward-pioneering Americans who have all benefited by this vital waterway. Although the waterway currently displays several remnants of archaeological sites dating back several millennia, many areas which preserve numerous fossilized bison herds can also be seen alongside historical expedition mapping roads.
In South Dakota, history-conscious paddlers looking for adventure travel and nature photography tend to encounter these majestic water expanses when navigating between Charles Mix and Yankton counties. To minimize invasion into agricultural interests, public managers along the route suggest better navigational instructions through public outreach for this complex, twisting water path.
