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I've entitled this section Calumet Bluff, the name Lewis & Clark gave the landmark on their epic journey. However, it is doubtful the pair would recognize the terrain today. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dammed the Missouri at this point, creating Lewis & Clark Lake. This is a huge recreation area now, mainly for boating and water enthusiasts, right on the Nebraska/South Dakota border — it's only 4 miles out of Yankton. Despite all the changes, there are some great overlooks onto the lake, and the Lewis & Clark Visitor Center is a real treat.

The Corps of Discovery arrived here August 28, 1804 and came upon the Yankton Sioux. This was their first meeting with members of any of the Sioux tribes, and the encounter went well. A large council was held, gifts exchanged, the obligatory speeches (I think Meriwether Lewis could be a bit long winded at times — he supposedly gave a four hour talk), and of course the pipe was smoked. All in all, this was a cordial coming together of representatives from two nations. Lewis & Clark must have been pleased with their success, for in fact Jefferson had commerce in mind from the outset; securing peaceful relations along the route would help promote this aim.

The Joy of Mailboxes

Our visit here was at the end of May in 1999. This was to be our first stop, and the plan was to camp the night before pressing on to our eventual goals of the Pawnee and Oglala National Grasslands. As usual, I had prepared well in advance by writing ahead to various agencies for maps and brochures, just to get a feel for what was out there. In particular, I contacted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, to learn more about the Lewis & Clark/Gavins Point Dam area.

This federal agency graciously responded by return mail with a large envelope filled with info, and a personal letter to boot. (Planning a trip during the winter is great fun; it's a delight to check the mailbox each day, and then to daydream about the vacation which lies ahead.) One of the items I got is pictured to the left. This is a wonderful glossy map and visitor's guide to the Lake and Dam. All of the recreation areas are described, and there's an excellent chart listing the surrounding facilities (camping, boating, nature trails, etc.)

The Corps also included maps and registration info for the four separate campgrounds that it oversees here. For reference, these are named the Pierson Ranch, Cottonwood, Chief White Crane and Nebraska Tailwaters campgrounds. Most of the campsites provide electricity, unfortunately, which tends to attract the wrong element (if I may swipe a phrase from former Secretary of Interior James Watt). Anyway...

Finally, also stuffed in the envelope was the bird checklist I had requested, and some other info on local accommodations and points of interest.

A Visitor Center and Prairie Garden

We rolled in around 1:00 or so and took a brief tour of the area to get an overview. Driving across Gavins Point Dam, we absorbed a spectacular view of the Lewis & Clark Lake, the spillway and the power plant.

After this, we spent a pleasant hour or two at the Lewis & Clark Visitor Center, which lies very near to where Calumet Bluff once was. This really is a neat place, with great exhibits on the expedition as well as on the natural history and geography of the area. And we found a nice little bookstore here, always a magnet for my wallet. Last of all, there are some excellent observation points at the Center. By the way, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the facility which surprised me just a bit; after all this is a division of the Department of the Army, not the National Park Service we're talking about. But I certainly was impressed with the service they provide.

Just outside the Center is a short trail leading to the Dorian Prairie Garden. While small, this is an excellent nature area. There's a wide variety of grassland plants here, and they're labeled to make identification a snap. We had a great time improving our ability to recognize a number of different wildflowers and grasses. Like I say, this is a modest plot but really worth your time to look up; someone in the Corps has devoted a lot of loving attention to it.

Camping for the Masses

I mentioned above that we had intended to spend the night here camping. However, when we scoped out the various campgrounds, we found that they were all full up, even early in the afternoon. Anyway, to be completely truthful, I don't think either of us really relished spending the night here. My goal in these pages is to be frank and honest, and I have to report that the campsites (of which there are a tremendous number) are cheek by jowl with almost no spacing among them. This is a huge facility and I've never seen so much activity; it literally looked like the circus had come to town. Well, we should have known better — a lake of this size and beauty is bound to buzz like a beehive. We decided to press on several more hours and check out the accommodations in the Nebraska National Forest, Bessey Unit.

Don't get me wrong; Calumet Bluff makes for a wonderful day trip, and the Army Corps of Engineers has really built a very nice Visitor Center to show off the area. But if you're seeking a peaceful and rustic outdoor experience, you might need to look elsewhere.

• Federal
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Gavins Point Dam / Lewis & Clark Lake
  • Nebraska National Forest, Bessey Unit
  • Recreational Opportunities on Federal Lands
  
  
• Municipal
  • City of Yankton
  
  
• Other Interesting Sites
  • Corps of Discovery Welcome Center
  • James Watt and the Wrong Element
  • Some Great Pictures of the Missouri