Chapter Nine - Kayaking Stops In South Dakota

The rivers and lakes of South Dakota provide kayakers with excellent opportunities to enjoy nature. These nature areas lie in the heart of historically and culturally-rich lands. American Indians, traders, explorers, homesteaders and the military all played a part in the make-up of South Dakota and the state reflects these groups.

Driving through the eastern portion of the state takes you through prairies and provides many rivers and lakes for kayaking stops. The western portion of the state serves up the Badlands where there is no kayaking but an amazing landscape to explore. It is well worth the exit off Route 90 to take some time to explore the Badlands. Exit 131, SD 240 makes a 40-mile loop through the Badlands, a region of multicolored, deeply eroded rock formations still being shaped by the wind. The Visitor Center at Cedar Pass displays many fossils found in the area. The best time to visit the Badlands is early morning or late afternoon when the light highlights the textures of the rock formations. The sun brings out delicate mineral hues from the rock formations. These hues get washed out by a bright mid-day sun. Further west on I-90 the Black Hills offer many lakes for kayaking stops and historical monuments.

 

Map of Route in South Dakota

 

Stop 1:  Missouri River, Chamberlain, SD

Directions:  Exit 263 off Route 90 - Missouri River - Route 50 at Chamberlain

 

Missouri River

Lake Francis Case

Chamberlain, SD 57325

Website: http://www.chamberlainsd.org/

 

American Creek Campground – Public Campground

605-734-0522

NON-RESERVED

 

After crossing into South Dakota I started listening to Stephen E. Ambrose's book on CD, Undaunted Courage while driving towards Chamberlain. I followed this up by listening to readings from Lewis and Clark's original journals. One definitely gets into a Lewis and Clark frame of mind when driving in this part of the country. Although I did not stop at the Big Sioux River at Exit 332 on Route 90 or the Platt Creek Snake Creek Recreation Areas although they both looked like excellent kayaking stop. I added these places to my list for the next trip.

I took Exit 263 off Route 90, the exit just before crossing the Missouri River, and took Route 50 through the quaint town of Chamberlain, South Dakota. After arriving in Chamberlain, I headed straight for the much written about Casey's Cafe (up the hill right off of Exit 263 at the American Plaza). I had read that they had the best hamburger in America.

 

View of Casey's Cafe from I-90

 

You can't miss Casey's because once you park in the large parking lot at the American Plaza all signs point to the cafe.

 

Casey's Cafe

 

The legend is intact as Casey's (605-734-6530) does indeed serve a fine hamburger. I saw my first Lakota Indians while dining at Casey's Cafe. I sat in a comfortable booth overlooking the Missouri River and stared out at a wide blue sky and high clouds. I wrote down the daily specials from the chalkboard in my notebook so I could remember them.

Casey's Homemade pies for the day:

Lemon

Walnut

Peach

Blueberry (written in blue ink)

Sour Cream Raisin

Cherry (written in red ink)

French Apple

Butterscotch

Chocolate

Coconut

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Specials: Bread Bowl $3.90, vegetable beef or beef noodle

 

I have never had a bread bowl and I was sorry that I would not get to taste Casey's beef noodle bread bowl as I had to try the hamburger. In an era of homogeneity in roadside food it was a pleasure to be offered something unique and special. There is a nice view of the Missouri River from a hillside at the rest stop on the eastbound side of I-90.

 

Missouri River and I-90 near Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge at Chamberlain, SD

 

The approach to Chamberlain on I-90 is a spectacular site when the sky is blue and full of white puffy clouds as it was on the day I drove through. The green on the eastern side of the bridge gives way to the brown of the western prairie once you cross the Missouri River on the Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge.

 

Missouri River near Chamberlain, SD

 

After dining at Casey's Cafe I kayaked in the Missouri River and Lake Francis Case. The lake is named after former South Dakota Senator Francis H. Case who served in the Senate from 1951 until his death in 1962. It was late afternoon when I launched at the Lake Francis Case beach access in the American Creek Campground. The soft sandy beach made the launching easy and the water was quite smooth. I had the lake and the Missouri River pretty much to myself.

 

Sandy beach launch site at the American Creek Campground at Francis Case Lake

 

I spent the night at the American Recreation Center campgrounds in Chamberlain. I had a very nice tent campsite under a shady tree right along the Missouri River. I sat back and watched a fabulous sunset across the river.

My campsite on the Missouri River with Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge in the background

 

The lady who checked me in was one of the friendliest people I had met on the road. She enjoyed hearing about all of my kayaking exploits. I paid $13.00 for tent camping, which included showers, beach access at Francis Case Lake and an incredible sunset along the Missouri. I couldn't help but wonder if this was close to the same view Lewis and Clark saw when they camped near Chamberlain in September, 1804.

American Creek Campground right on the Missouri River

 

It was a real treat to watch the sun set in the west over the Missouri River and imagine Lewis and Clark camped out on these same shores. I climbed on the large rocks along the shore and sat there for a while while the sun went down.

 

Sunset over the Missouri River

 

Camping out on the eastern bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, I had amazing views of the Big Dipper and a bright quarter moon. There was a lovely breeze blowing off the Missouri and even though it was 90 degrees at 9 p.m. I was quite comfortable. There were no mosquitoes, only small gnats, so I was more fortunate than Lewis and Clark in that regard.

When Lewis and Clark camped along the Missouri near Chamberlain they wrote of enjoying the splendid plum trees. Those plum trees are long gone. Chamberlain has many Lewis and Clark monuments and of course, the Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge which crosses the Missouri River.

 

Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge at Chamberlain, SD

 

The Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge was dedicated at Chamberlain on July 7, 1974 by Governor Richard E. Kneip. Lewis and Clark camped near the site of this bridge in 1804 and spent several days drying out their equipment and repacking their boats. They wrote of dining on plums and acorns along with buffalo and magpie. This is the first magpie they had eaten as the bird was not known in the Eastern states.

The town of Chamberlain, South Dakota (population 3,138) has a nice old-fashioned Main Street. Unlike a lot of western towns Chamberlain has the feel of a true, working town. The original Casey's Cafe was located on Main Street and was located in the corner Rexall Drug store.

 

Original Casey's Cafe on Main Street, Chamberlain, SD

 

Main Street boasts a movie theatre, the original Casey's (Rexall Drugstore), the Black Hill Bar and several banks.

 

Black Hills Bar on Main Street in Chamberlain, SD

 

Stop 2:  Lake Vermillion, SD

Directions:  Exit 374 off Route 90 in Montrose, SD.

 

Lake Vermillion

Lake Vermillion Recreation Area

Canistota, South Dakota 57012

(605) 296-3643

Website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Heartland/LakeVermillion.htm

 

Lake Vermillion is a 512-acre reservoir, located five miles south of Interstate 90 off exit 374. It is approximately 27 miles west of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The road to the lake is a very straight, nicely paved road. When I drove this road in July there was corn growing high on both sides of the road.

Cornfields on the road to Lake Vermillion

 

The lake is a popular area among fishermen, boaters and swimmers because it is known for its clear waters and abundant fish. The reservoir was created by waters from the east fork of the Vermillion River. The river was formerly called Otter Stream by French trappers and first appears on a map of the region in 1801. In the Lakota language, vermillion means "red paint." Some say the Vermillion River was named for the red quartzite seen along its bank.

 

Kayaking on Lake Vermillion

 

I kayaked on Lake Vermillion on an overcast day and had the most of the lake to myself. Lake Vermillion is a small, but nice lake, with excellent, well-maintained camping facilities.

There are small cabins overlooking the lake for rent and a few houses around the lake shoreline.

 

Rental cabin on Lake Vermillion

 

There is a peaceful feel to the area as you kayak looking out over the prairie.

Facilities at the Lake Vermillion Recreation Area include the following:

·       Two Campgrounds / 66 Sites

·       62 Electrical Campsites

·       Modern Comfort Station

·       Dump Station

·       Group Camping Area

·       Picnic Area / Shelter

·       Swimming Beach / Bath House

·       Two Boat Ramps / Docks

·       Accessible Fishing Dock

·       Playground

·       Water Ski Beach

·       Fish Cleaning Station

·       Hiking Trails

 

Lake Vermillion does not have the usual "feel" of a reservoir which makes it a nice spot to kayak. The shoreline is grassy and does not provide many landing areas.

 

Lake Vermillion shoreline

 

Although there were mainly smaller boats on the water as I kayaked there was one water skier. Small electric motor boats with mostly people fishing could also be seen.

 

Boat dock and ramp at Lake Vermillion

 

A self-pay system is in place when the booth is closed as it was when I entered Lake Vermillion Recreation Area. The entrance fees which are required year-round are modest at $3.00 for one person or $5.00 per vehicle. If you are making frequent stops as I was an annual entrance permit which costs $20.00 is the best value. Camping fees are an addition fee of $10.00 for non-electric campsites and $13.00 for electric. Firewood is also sold.

 

Stop 3:  Sheridan Lake, Black Hills, SD

Directions:  Exit 57 off I-90, State Route 16 to Route 385 in the Black Hills (Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway)

 

Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills/recreation/rec_activites.shtml

 

Exit 57 off I-90 leads you into Rapid City where you pick up Route 16 to Route 385 to the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the Black Hills I kayaked near Mount Rushmore at a beautiful small lake called Sheridan Lake. Mount Rushmore depicts the heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, blasted out of the face of the mountain between 1927 and 1941 by teams of workers under the direction of sculptor Gutzon Borglum. Originally, Borglum planned to carve the bodies from the waist up, but only Washington's lapels were completed. Mt. Rushmore got its name from a joke. In 1885, a young New York lawyer named George Rushmore was vacationing in what was then Dakota Territory. Pointing to the then-unnamed peak, he asked his guide what it was called. "I call it Mount Rushmore," joked the guide. The name stuck. Forty years later, when sculptor Gutzon Borglum selected the mountain for his carvings George Rushmore contributed $5,000 toward the project.

Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills

 

The most popular kayaking spots in the Black Hills are Sheridan Lake, Deerfield Lake and Pactola Reservoir. Sheridan Lake is surrounded by a ponderosa pine forest and has two beaches (North and South) for kayak launching.

 

Sheridan Lake in the Black Hills

 

There is also a boat ramp and concession stand at the North Sheridan Lake area. This 380-acre reservoir located at an elevation of 4,600 feet has clear blue water. It receives heavy use, especially during the summer and was very active when I kayaked there. There are two campgrounds, two picnic areas and a marina on the North side of the lake.

 

Area surrounding Sheridan Lake

 

The 70-mile scenic route around the Black Hills honors a South Dakota conservationist, Governor and U. S. Senator, Peter Norbeck. Norbeck first saw the Black Hills in 1905, after crossing the prairie on rugged, unimproved roads. Traveling on foot and horseback, Norbeck chose much of the route himself, taking pains to insure that natural features would be preserved. The total route is comprised of U.S. Highway 16A, and State Highways 87, 89 and 244. These roads wind their way through some of the most scenic country in America.

 

Black Hills of South Dakota

 

The drive around the Black Hills is stunning. The air is fresh and smells of pine. The rocky hills stand out against the clear blue sky.

 

Sheridan Lake South entrance

 

The Sheridan South section of the Black Hills offers excellent kayak launching areas.

 

 

Beach at Sheridan Lake South

 

The large pine tree at the Sheridan Lake South beach provides ample shade and offers a very nice area for picnicking and swimming.

 

Sheridan Lake South in the Black Hills

 

Sheridan Lake is surrounded by the Black Hills and loftly pine trees.

 

Sheridan Lake

 

The water was extremely calm on the day I kayaked Sheridan Lake but with the Black Hills reaching an elevation of 7,242 feet, weather conditions can change quickly. You should always be prepared with colder weather and carry extra food and clothing in your kayak.

 

Southern-most end of Sheridan Lake

 

The view from the southern-most end of Sheridan Lake shows the rugged shoreline and rocky hills.

 

Entrance to Sheridan Lake North Recreation Area

 

National Forest signs appear along the entrance to recreational areas in the Black Hills.

 

Launch area at Sheridan Lake South

 

Sheridan Lake South has a grassy launch area next to the boat dock.

 

Boat dock and ramp at Sheridan Lake North Recreation Area

 

The boat dock and ramp at Sheridan Lake South accomodates motor boats and other small craft. The water is extremely clear and sometimes you can see underwater up to depths of 25 feet.

 

Best kayak launch site at Sheridan Lake South Recreation Area

 

The area directly to the left of the boat dock provides the best canoe and kayaking launching at Sheridan Lake South.

 

 

Stop 4:  Pactola Lake, Black Hills, SD

Directions:  Exit 57 off Route 90, State Route 16 - Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in the Black Hills National Forest. Pactola Lake is accessible via US Highway 385 north from Hill City, South Dakota and Sheridan Lake Forks or south from Lead and Deadwood, or via the Rimrock Highway, SD Highway 44 from Rapid City, South Dakota.

 

Website: http://www.pactolapines.com/pactola-lake.html

 

Pactola Lake is the largest reservoir in the Black Hills. At the bottom of Pactola Lake is the submerged town of Pactola, an old mining camp. The lake is located on Rapid Creek in Pennington County, South Dakota. Boating and fishing are very popular. A fly-fishing area is located on Rapid Creek below the dam. Facilities include a marina, swimming beach, campgrounds and picnic areas. In the summer there is a visitor center on the dam immediately off US Highway 385. Following the Black Hills Flood of 1972 the dam was enlarged and today lake water levels vary enormously, as the lake is used for flood control, domestic water, streamflow maintenance, and irrigation.

 

Road leading to Pactola Lake

 

 

Stops 5-10:  Other Optional Stops in South Dakota

Bear Butte Lake, SD

 

Directions:  Exit 30 off Route 90 - Sturgis, 7 miles NE of town on 34 and 79 Bear Butte State Park

Website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/NorthernHills/BearButte.htm

 

Bear Butte is one of numerous small laccoliths (a large ball of magma that never reached the surface of the earth to erupt) in the northern Black Hills. It is a sacred site to both the Lakota and Cheyenne. The Lakota name is "Mato Paha" or "Bear Mountain." Although sacred, Bear Butte is also host to many adventurers who hike to the 4,400 ft. summit. Bear Butte Lake can be seen from the summit at SD 79.

 

Other optional kayak stops along Route 90 in South Dakota include:

• Big Sioux River, Exit 399 and 406
  Website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Heartland/BigSioux.htm

   

• Spirit Lake, 396 at I-29
  Website: http://www.google.com/maps?q=Erwin,+SD+57233&sa=X&oi=map&ct=image

   

• Big Sioux River, Sioux City, SD, Exit 400
  Website: http://bigsioux.org/

   

• Platt Creek Recreation Area - 14 miles SW of Platte off SD 44
  Website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Heartland/PlatteCreek.htm

   

• Snake Creek Recreation Area
  Website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Regions/Heartland/SnakeCreek.htm

   

 

South Dakota Permits

South Dakota law requires that non-motorized boats over 12 feet long, including canoes and kayaks, be licensed in South Dakota or another state. The registration decal must be shown on each side of the bow. Paddlers are encouraged to display license numbers on their kayaks for easier identifications.