Pierson Ranch Recreation Area

Pierson Ranch Recreation Area
Pierson Ranch Recreation Area
Location in South Dakota
LocationYankton County, South Dakota, United States
Coordinates42°52′25″N 97°28′56″W / 42.87364°N 97.48217°W / 42.87364; -97.48217[1]
Area60 acres (24 ha)[2]
Established1959 (as Corps recreation area); 2001 (as state recreation area)
Administered bySouth Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks
WebsiteOfficial website

Pierson Ranch Recreation Area is a state recreation area in Yankton County, South Dakota in the United States. The recreation area is 60 acres (24 ha) and lies directly below Gavins Point Dam and Lewis and Clark Lake and is adjacent to Lake Yankton. The area is open for year-round recreation including camping, swimming, fishing, hiking and boating. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Yankton.[1]

History

The campground was the first one constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1959 following construction of the nearby Gavins Point Dam.[1] In 2001, legislation transferred management of the recreation area from the Army Corps of Engineers to the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks under terms of a lease in perpetuity.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Pierson Ranch Recreation Area". South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Gavins Point Dam/Lewis and Clark Lake Master Plan" (PDF). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. December 2004. p. 6-77. Retrieved December 3, 2025.