MO-Lewis+and+Clark+State+Park


 * =Birding in Missouri=

Buchanan County
=Lewis and Clark State Park= 801 Lake Crest Boulevard Rushville, Missouri 64484 Lewis and Clark State Park Website Lewis and Clark State Park Map

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Lewis and Clark SP
Coordinates: 39.5378247, -95.0568473 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Tips for birding Lewis and Clark State Park
From Audubon Society of Missouri Birder's Guide

About Lewis and Clark State Park
The Lewis and Clark Expedition headed west in 1804 and encountered a lake that William Clark described as “full of Geese & Goslings.” Today, that lake is Lewis and Clark Lake, which is bordered by Lewis and Clark State Park. The park’s broad open spaces and easy water access make it a favorite for families who take advantage of the boat ramp and swimming beach. Bird watchers come to Lewis and Clark to watch geese, great blue herons and snowy egrets flock to the oxbow lake.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with their expedition crew of more than 40 people, set out May 14, 1804, on their epic 28-month journey from the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers to discover what lie west. Imagine their excitement and sense of adventure as they pushed off into the great unknown.

As the explorers followed the Missouri River to the northern Rocky Mountains, across the Continental Divide, down to the Pacific Ocean and back again, they kept detailed journals of their findings, including landscapes, plants, animals and native people. On their return, these journals provided settlers with knowledge of what awaited them and a thirst to explore the land themselves.

In their journals, Lewis and Clark told of a wilderness containing thick forests, prairie openings and abundant wildlife such as deer, beaver and buffalo. Today, this area is known as Missouri.

The Missouri River, the explorer's highway, was a topic of their journals. At the time, the river meandered freely across the landscape. In places, its course formed an almost complete loop and then cut across the neck of the loop to shorten itself. As the ends of the loop silted with sediment, an oxbow lake was formed. The journal entry for July 4, 1804, described such a lake. Lewis and Clark "Saw great numbers of Goslings to day which Were nearly grown, the before mentioned Lake is Clear and contain great quantities of fish and Gees & Goslings, The great quantity of those fowl in this Lake induced me to Call it Gosling Lake…" The oxbow lake that Clark described in that journal entry is located in Buchanan County and is known today as Lewis and Clark Lake.

In 1934, the state acquired land on the southeast side of Lewis and Clark Lake, known at that time as Sugar Lake, and dedicated it as a state park to these two explorers. Lewis and Clark State Park was developed in the 1930s by a federal workforce called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). A stone picnic shelter still in use in the park is an example of their handiwork.

As part of the commemoration of Lewis and Clark's historic journey that began in 1803, a Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Plaza was incorporated into the landscape of the park in 2006. The plaza includes a screened and bermed walk that leads visitors to an interpretive area featuring a compass rosette, stone benches with the names of all expedition members, a scenic overlook and interpretive materials arranged along the walk. The bermed walk is lined with native grasses, wildflowers and trees. The area is open during normal business hours.

Today, Lewis and Clark Lake still attracts people eager to explore the outdoors. Canoeing, boating and water skiing are favorite activities on the lake. The shallow areas of the lake make fertile fishing grounds for carp, channel catfish, buffalo and crappie. The park's large sand swimming beach is a great place to cool off on a hot summer day.

On shore, visitors can watch the many waterfowl that still visit the park. Along with the "goslings" seen by Lewis and Clark, great blue herons, snowy egrets and many types of ducks make regular appearances. Nestled in the shade on the shoreline are numerous picnic tables with grills, making the park an excellent place to enjoy a picnic lunch. The CCC open picnic shelter, with electricity and a playground nearby, can be reserved for larger gatherings by calling the park office.

For visitors wanting to extend their visit, a campground, shaded by large cottonwood and sycamore trees, features both basic and electric campsites. Every campsite has a table and barbecue grill, and some of the electric campsites feature a small shelter. The level and roomy electric campsites make it easy to maneuver a large recreational vehicle. Campground amenities include modern restrooms, hot showers, laundry facilities, a dumping station and playground equipment.

Imagine how peaceful Lewis and Clark's journey must have been with only the sounds of nature filling the air. Today, Missouri's state parks protect the landscapes that Lewis and Clark encountered on their epic journey and await new explorers eager to discover the sights and sounds of nature. From Lewis and Clark State Park Website



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