2015 – 07 – 16: Scenic Destinations Day 32 - Explorations along the Missouri River

From Chamberlain South Dakota

To Yanktown South Dakota 

Total Distance Traveled: 214 miles

Today I picked a route that would criss cross the Missouri River several times. The plan was a scenic route not a direct one.  I started out  by backtracking on I-90 westbound to  to route 47 south through Iona and Dixon.  

route 47 southbound 

I was a sole vehicle on the road much of the time.  

White River as seen from the route 47 bridge 

I got to cross the White river close to where it merges with the Missouri. 

Often all the company I had were the horses and the  cattle. 

There were some amazing views from higher elevations.  Rolling lands and winding roads makes for interesting driving and viewing.

Francis Case Memorial Bridge see from parking area on the western bank 

I loved the Francis Case Memorial Bridge on route 44 and drove slowly across it so I could enjoy the mighty expanse of the Missouri River.

On the eastern end of the bridge I discovered a quaint chapel with delightful stained glass windows. 

After driving through Platte I headed south on route 50 to drive through Yankton Reservation and the town of Geddes. 

route 18 discovery center overlook to Fort Randal Dam 

The next turn off was on route 18 taking me to the town of Pickstown and from there just a short drive to the 
Fort Randal Dam. Here there was a lovely display and historic discovery centre with loads of learning possibilities and the view was also amazing. 

Missouri River seen from route 2 

Now I retraced my way back along route 18 to go to Marty a small town along 388th Ave. in Yanktown Reservation Lands. This brought me to route 2 that often gave me  glimpses of the Missouri River far off in the distance. 

Through more farmlands and rolling country side I arrived at route 37 south toward Chief Standing Bear Bridge.

The view from the roadside stop toward Chief Standing Bear Bridge and the Missouri River really gave me a greater understanding of just how big this river is. 






And on the far side looking back toward the distant rolling hills and sand bars in the river I felt dwarfed by the sheer size of this waterway. 





The river here is the border between South Dakota and Nebraska.  As I now turned east onto a short stretch of highway 12 also called the “Outlaw Route”.  (future adventure possibilities!) I was in the state of Nebraska and traveling through Santee Sioux Indian Reservation making my way toward Yanktown.

I stayed on the Nebraska side of the river at a  lovely river side camp site just below Gavin's Point Dam.  

Now I settled in for my evening routine, relax, cook dinner (seasoned beans and ham), do my laundry, take a shower, and general clean up. 

My reward was to watch the sun setting over the Missouri River to the west which here faces up stream. The  sky is fading with light shades of pink and orange. I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.

My last trip to the washroom is rewarded with seeing dozens and dozens of lightning bugs everywhere!  This is the first time I have seen them so close that I actually could make out the whole bug and realized that the "light" flashes are on the "tail" and that after "flashing" it goes dark.  


My final view was looking up into the nigh time sky and seeing lightning in the sky far to the north. 


Renate Dundys Marrello
2015 - 07 - 16

Link to see all of the day's pictures 

Link to my Facebook Reflections Page


Route map for the day