Developed public parks and recreation areas surround the lake above and below Gavins Point Dam. Camping facilities provided by the Corps and the States of South Dakota and Nebraska include boat ramps, picnic areas, campsites with electricity, modern restrooms, playground equipment and trailer dump stations. Reservation changes and cancellations can be made on Recreation.
From Yankton, South Dakota, go south on U. Highway 81 for 2 miles, then west on Nebraska Highway for 4 miles, campground entrance will be on your right. We provide tools and tips to discover new adventures through a one-stop shop for inspiration and ideation, trip planning, information sharing, and reservations.
Find incredible places and experiences that help you bring home a story through Recreation. All campers must check-in and register with the campground host. Each campsite is limited to a maximum of: a One 1 wheeled camping unit and two 2 sleeping tents OR b three 3 sleeping tents. Tent-Only campsites are limited to three 3 sleeping tents.
A maximum of 8 people are allowed per campsite and daily occupancy is required. All vehicles must be parked in designated parking areas or campsite pads. Vehicles parked at campsites must have at least two 2 wheels on the campsite pad, with a maximum of two 2 wheels permitted on grass.
Quiet hours are P. Fireworks are prohibited. All pets must be on a leash of 6 feet in length or less. Pet waste must be picked up and properly disposed of promptly. All fires must be contained in campfire rings or grills. Fires along the river bank or on shore are not permitted.
Powerhouse Tours are available on weekends. This area is closed to motor traffic in the winter, to reduce disturbance to Bald Eagles on day roosts, but you can walk through the area. Point 4 , on the western side of Lake Yankton, is another good spot to bird. There's a lot of wetland vegetation here, and it's over in this part of the lake where there's most often open water in the winter.
Another good place to look for gulls and waterfowl is the Marina, on the northeast corner of Lewis and Clark Reservoir Point 5. The structure protecting the marina seems to be a favorite place for gulls to hang out, and there are often waterfowl just off the jetty, or sometimes in the marina itself.
One final place I always check is on the Nebraska side, west of the visitor's center Point 6. As you take the road past the visitor's center, the road will turn south, and go towards a golf course. Just before getting to the golf, course, turn right. This little road goes through an open grassy area on the right, that's been one my most reliable spots for finding Eastern Bluebirds. As you head towards a parking area overlooking the lake, you'll pass scattered cedar trees and brush, areas that have been great in migration for me at times.
At the parking area, you can take a trail which heads down through the forest. It's a nice area to look for woodland species. The big draw for birders in the Gavin's Point Dam area is probably the Bald Eagles which can be so numerous below the dam in late fall through the winter months.
The steep bluffs rising up from the south side of the river have a thin strip of trees between the road and the water below the dam, and those trees are favorite hangouts for the eagles as they scan the water below for an easy meal. Especially in the fall, the Bald Eagles have competition from Osprey.
Recently, Osprey have been raised in special towers on the shores of Lake Yankton, areas where young birds are raised and released in the fall.
I've had good luck for other raptors below the dam as well. Red-tailed Hawks are also commonly found in the trees below the dam. Snowy Owls have been spotted on the dam itself in the winter unfortunately, not by me!!
Another big attraction for birders in the area is the potential for rare gulls. The biggest congregation of Gulls I've ever seen in my life was one December, on Lewis and Clark Reservoir just above the dam. Nearly all the water above the dam was frozen, except for a ring of open water about yards across. There was some kind of fish kill, with dead fish ringing the open water, and thousands of gulls taking advantage of the feast.
As in much of South Dakota, most of the gulls in the area are Ring-billed Gulls. However, as with the other Missouri River dams, you never know what rarity may show up. Waterfowl, including the potential for rarities, is another big attraction to the area. Common Loons are often found here in migration, and a Red-throated Loon was also once spotted here. Common Mergansers are indeed common below the dam in winter, and scanning the water may also reveal scattered Red-breasted Mergansers , especially in migration.
Common Goldeneye are another common species around the dam in winter, while not-so-common species have included Long-tailed Duck , White-winged Scoter , and Surf Scoter in migration. A Red-necked Grebe has been spotted above the dam marina area , and there has even been a visiting Brown Pelican , as mentioned above.
If you're one who is inclined to chase the rarities, the Gavin's Point Dam area is definitely worth your time. The forest and open areas away from the water can also be very good for birding. The area near the visitor's center on the Nebraska side has been my most reliable place to find Eastern Bluebirds , and there have now been a couple of times where Mountain Bluebirds have been reported in the area in winter.
Cedar trees are common in the bluffs and draws on the south side of the river, and with heavy berry crops often comes large influxes of migrants and wintering birds. The cedar trees on the Nebraska side are one of the most reliable places I know of to find what are often an unreliable and nomadic species, Cedar Waxwings. One thing that always manages to warm my heart, even in the dead of winter, are the large numbers of American Robins that always seem to be around, even in the coldest of weather.
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