News Release

National Park Service Acquires Land on James River Island for Public Recreation

A river channel seen from James River Island

NPS Photo/ H. Freund

News Release Date: September 23, 2025

Contact: Tom Downs, 605-464-4032

YANKTON, SD – The National Park Service has acquired approximately 676 acres of James River Island within the 59-Mile District of the Missouri National Recreational River.

“The James River Island area will be an amazing asset for the local communities along the Missouri River for generations to come. We look forward to working with our community partners to preserve and showcase this new resource for everyone to enjoy. We want to thank our State and County partners for their support to make this happen. The National Park Trust contributed substantially, at the right time, to make this entire thing possible” said David J. Thomson, acting superintendent, Missouri National Recreational River.

James River Island displays remarkable natural and historic characteristics representative of the untamed, natural Missouri River. Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery noted the confluence of the James River and channel islands within the area in their journals when the expedition passed through the area on August 27th, 1804, and again on September 2nd, 1806.

The park is preparing to open James River Island to the public beginning October 6th. Hunting will follow State of South Dakota regulations on the upland portion of the island and attached sandbars. Sandbars that are not attached to the island will follow Nebraska or South Dakota regulations for hunting depending on the precise location. The island is not entirely owned by the National Park Service, and there are small private land holdings that will be delineated with no trespassing signage. 

The MNRR Superintendent’s Compendium lists all rules and regulations for the safe, responsible, and enjoyable use of the island. The island is accessible only by motorboat or kayak/canoe. Nearby public access points to the Missouri River include the St. Helena, NE boat ramp and the boat ramp at Riverside Park in Yankton, SD. It is the responsibility of hunters and anglers to know rules and regulations for their activities and to have the proper state licenses.

The National Park Trust played a critical role in facilitating this acquisition by shepherding a complex appraisal process in a timely manner to establish fair market value while meeting rigorous standards of the Department of the Interior. This effort prevented potential commercial development by other buyers that could have compromised the island’s unique habitats and the natural beauty of the Missouri National Recreational River. The National Park Foundation was also instrumental by providing a grant to the National Park Trust for the appraisal.

The purchase was made from a voluntary landowner using the Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF was created by Congress in 1964 to fund conservation efforts using oil and gas revenues, not taxpayer dollars. This transaction increases the MNRR’s total amount of public land the park manages to approximately 1,575 acres.

Work will take place over the next several months to develop a long-range management plan for the island which will call for public input. For more information contact the MNRR Public Information Officer, Tom Downs, at 605-665-0209 ext. 23 or by email.