Nature is everywhere on the historic "Big Muddy." Up in the sky--is that an eagle or an osprey? Did a beaver gnaw down that cottonwood or did the river undermine the old tree? Was that a paddlefish that just jumped out of the water? Park employees and partners conduct research in all seasons here and the information becomes a tool to help manage the area. Be on the lookout as you explore this diverse habitat that is the Missouri National Recreational River.
Did You Know?
Before the 1950s, the Missouri River carried an average of roughly 140 million tons of sediment per year past Yankton. After closure of the dams in the 1960s, an average of roughly 4 million tons per year moved past the same location.