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Nebraska Tailwaters

Lewis and Clark Lake

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Thu, Oct 29

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Fri, Oct 30

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Sat, Oct 31

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Campground guide

What to know before booking

The 31,400-acre Lewis & Clark Lake and Gavins Point Dam are nestled in the golden, chalkstone-lined valley of the Missouri River growing into one of the most popular recreation destinations in the Great Plains. Nebraska Tailwaters offers 36 campsites, 34 of these campsites have electric hookups and 2 of the campsites are non-electric and are for tent camping only. The campground sits on the south bank of the Missouri River, along the tailwaters of Gavins Point Dam.

max Stay

14 nights

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

Nebraska Tailwaters offers 36 campsites, 34 of these campsites have electric hookups and 2 of the campsites are non-electric and are for tent camping only. Amenities include modern shower facilities with flush toilets, river access with shore fishing, handicap accessible fishing pier, boat ramp, fish cleaning station and RV dump station. There is also a Group Camping Area with electric hookups, picnic shelter, fire pit, grill, and vault toilet.

Natural Features

The campground sits on the south bank of the Missouri River, along the tailwaters of Gavins Point Dam. Surrounding the area is the golden, chalkstone-lined Missouri River Valley. Nebraska Tailwaters is known for its exceptional Bald Eagle viewing year-round, along with many other birds of prey.

Recreation

Located just below Gavins Point Dam in the dam "Tailwaters" provides exceptional access to the Missouri River. A large 2-lane boat ramp, large parking area is available, along with an accessible fishing pier and many areas for bank fishing. The Lewis and Clark Lake area attracts more than 2 million visitors each year to its shores. Recreation opportunities around the lake include camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, sailing, swimming, bird-watching, and photography. For the biking and hiking enthusiasts, three trails are available in the area. They include a paved trail that runs from Yankton to the Gavins Point area, a multi-use trail in the Gavins Point area and the Calumet Bluff hiking trail located near the visitor center. Wintertime activities include ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and sledding. 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.

Nearby Attractions

The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center , exhibits on Missouri River and area history including the Lewis and Clark Expedition with stunning views of Lewis and Clark Lake along with the Missouri River. Please contact the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at (402) 667-2546 for more information. The Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium Visit nearby Yankton, South Dakota - the historic capitol of the Dakota Territory.

Campsite map

Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.

43 mapped sites

Campsites

A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.

Site 04

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

68 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 07

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

70 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 39 Delete

NTAI

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 32

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

84 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 16

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

78 ft

vehicle

8

people

No

shade

Site 35

NTAI

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 17

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

78 ft

vehicle

8

people

No

shade

Site 34 delete

NTAI

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 11

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

69 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 12

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

65 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 05

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

65 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 01

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 35 Delete

NTAI

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 29

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

61 ft

vehicle

8

people

Full

shade

Site 13

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

67 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 19

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

82 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 10

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

74 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 02

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

0 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 15

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

72 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site 30

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

67 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Site Group Camp

NEBRASKA TAILWATERS

GROUP STANDARD AREA ELECTRIC

25 ft

vehicle

25

people

Yes

shade

Site 27

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

77 ft

vehicle

8

people

Full

shade

Site 28

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

77 ft

vehicle

8

people

Full

shade

Site 23

NTAI

STANDARD ELECTRIC

80 ft

vehicle

8

people

Yes

shade

Important notices

Check-In Time is 4:00 P.M., Check-Out Time is 2:00 P.M. 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. No off road travel permitted. Quiet hours are 10:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. 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.
Firewood Alert! Don't Move Firewood: Due to the spread of invasive insects such as Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Help protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
Attention Boaters, Paddlers, and Anglers - Protect Your Waters! Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are present in Lewis & Clark Lake, Lake Yankton and the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam - including Zebra Mussels and Bighead/Silver Carp. Do your part to help stop the spread of these and other aquatic invasives by remembering to always Clean, Drain, and Dry! For more information, click here. Special laws and regulations are currently in place to help prevent the spread of these and other aquatic invasive species. For more information, click here. For questions or to contact park staff, please call: 402-667-2546 or email: gavinspoint.nwo@usace.army.mil. Reservations can not be made at this number.

More at Lewis and Clark Lake

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Common questions

Is Nebraska Tailwaters available right now?

Kestrel's most recent scan found no open sites in the next 14 days. Set an alert and you'll be emailed the moment one opens up.

How do I book Nebraska Tailwaters?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.