YANKTON, S.D. -- You'd be hard-pressed to claim there's nothing to do at the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area just west of Yankton.
Lining the north shores of Lewis and Clark Lake, the recreation area lists these activities or facilities: Boating, camping, fishing, jet skiing, kayaking, sailing, swimming, tubing, water skiing, disc golf, nature trails, archery and basketball courts.
That doesn't include the numerous picnic shelters scattered among some 600 campsites and more than 30 cabins found in the Recreation Area and the nearby Pierson Ranch and Chief White Crane recreation areas on the downstream side of Gavins Point Dam.
"There's all kinds of things to do," said Shane Bertsch, district park supervisor with South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
The Lewis and Clark Recreation Area also includes the Lewis and Clark Marina and Lewis and Clark Resort, all of which are located off of South Dakota Highway 52. All those facilities are set up to take advantage of the 31,400 acres of water surface and 90 miles of shoreline.
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It's easy to figure out what most visitors come for.
"No. 1 is water recreation," Bertsch said.
On a nice summer day, you could see 500 boats on the lake, plus personal water craft, Bertsch said. Visitors are water skiing, sailing, fishing or just floating.
On shore, it's hard to find an open camping spot during summer weekends.
"Every weekend during the summer, with the exception of the first weekend in June, we're full," Bertsch said.
And it stays that way until after Labor Day. Bertsch said space is usually available during the week.
There are plenty of fish in Lewis and Clark Lake, Bertsch said, but many anglers may prefer Lake Yankton or the Missouri River just below the dam, which protects both areas from the wind. Fish species include walleye, perch, crappie, sauger, largemouth, smallmouth and white bass, northern pike, drum and catfish.
There's plenty to do even if you're not a water person. A horse camp includes eight campsites with eight 20-foot-by-20-foot corrals. The camp connects with a 5-mile trail that goes up into the hills. The crushed-asphalt trail is open for horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking.
In addition to the recreation area, visitors can also check out these other recreational opportunities:
Lewis and Clark Resort
Located next to the dam, the resort has 17 cabins and 24 motel rooms. The resort has waterfront access and an outdoor pool. There is access to a bike trail, and bicycles are available for rental. Other features include large picnic shelters, sand volleyball and movie rentals.
Lewis and Clark Marina
Located next to the resort, the marina has more than 400 slips and temporary dock space for guests. Visitors can rent power, pontoon or fishing boats and buy gas. There's also a boat service department.
"It's probably one of the largest marinas in the Midwest," said Jeff VanMeeteren, regional park supervisor, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.
Kayaks and canoes are not available for rent at the marina, but they can be found at DJs Sports Rental nearby.
The marina also features Magilly's Lakeside Eatery, a family friendly restaurant that has a variety of food including sandwiches, barbecue, steak and seafood.
Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area
On the Nebraska side of the river, the area is administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and is located four miles west of Nebraska Highway 121 on county road 54C.
The Weigand and Burbach portions of the recreation area have 150 electrical campsites, 83 nonelectric sites and 10 lakeside cabins, plus playgrounds, horseshoe pits and sand volleyball. The marina has 118 boat docks available for seasonal rentals and gas is available around the clock. There no boat rentals.
The recreation area also includes the South Shore Area, which is a horse camp that has corrals and primitive campsites. The area accesses a 4.5-mile trail for horses and mountain bikes.
