Big Sioux Canoe Trail Map

The settlement of the Big Sioux River Valley, like the develop-ment of most waterways in the prairie states, has its own uniquehistory. Native Americans, explorers and trappers utilized the nat-ural resources of the area for their survival. The area providedhabitat for all sorts of wildlife and waterfowl. Herds of buffaloroamed the valley and surrounding hills. Lewis and Clark’s journalmakes reference to the falls of the Big Sioux River and the quar-ries of pipestone red rock used for ornaments and utensils.

As settlement progressed, the river’s resources were furtherharnessed with the building of grist and saw mills. Ice houseswere built to store blocks of ice used for cooling and preser-vation. Bricks were made from the clay deposited in the riverbanks. Though the river was not navigable by steamboat,road and railroad development lead to the exportation ofquartzite blocks, grains and livestock. The river was a majorfocal point for recreational activities. Parks, baseball fields,roller skating rinks and dance halls were built along the river.

The river was not always so generous in the benefits itprovided. It was an obstacle that had to be crossed. Fording theriver where there was a quartzite bottom kept the wagons from sinking in, however, water levelsdid not always cooperate. Wagon and railroad bridges were built Floods and ice jams damagedor destroyed many of these bridges and harmed some of the grist mills.

1. The Queen Bee Mill - Built between 1879-1881, the huge sevenstory flour mill made of quartzite was known as the most ambitiousattempt ever made to use waterpower west of the Mississippi River.Sitting beside the falls of the Big Sioux River, a special channel divertedwater to propel its turbine capable of generating 800 horse power. The QueenBee failed to make a profit. (Courtesy of the Minnehaha Co. Historical Society)

2. Fortified Village - Located on top of a narrow ridge on the west side of theBig Sioux River, this documented prehistoric fortified village was built by people of the Plains Villageculture occupying the site for a short time between 1000 to 1200 A.D. (Courtesy of the MinnehahaCounty Historical Society)

3. The Eminija Mounds - The largest and most numerous burial mound group in South Dakota. Theoriginal group consisted of at least 38 dome-shaped mounds, scatted irregularly for nearly a mile along theBig Sioux River flood plain, above and to the west of Split Rock Creek, south of present day Brandon.(Courtesy of the Minnehaha County Historical Society)

4. Iverson Crossing - 1897 Bridge - Before bridges spannedthe river, travelers and settlers forded the river at this locationbecause of the quartzite bottom. The first bridge was built in 1889but washed out in a flood in 1895. (From the Bill Webster collectionsand courtesy of the Minnehaha County Historical Society.)

5. East Sioux Falls - Quarry town founded in the late 1880’s because of the area’s rich supply ofquartzite, a very desirable construction material for buildings and paving blocks. The Illinois CentralRailroad constructed a bridge over the Big Sioux in 1887. (Courtesy of the Minnehaha CountyHistorical Society.)

6. Gitchie Manitou - Named after Gitchie Manitou, meaning “Great Spirit”, this 153 acre preservehas numerous archaeological sites. In the late 1800’s, the Gibraltar post office and a land office waslocated here. A shallow rocky area was used as a crossing, called Rock Ford Crossing. The site hasdramatic quartzite outcroppings, the oldest exposed in Iowa, and the remains of a WPA workers shelter.

7. Blood Run National Historic Landmark - Represents the largest recorded site of the Oneota culturaltradition. Evidence suggests the area was occupied circa AD 1500-1700. It is one of only three Oneota

sites known to contain circular mounds; it also contains what appeared to be an effigymound.

8. Klondike Bridge, Dam and Krueger Mill -A German immigrant miller, Christian Krueger, haulednative field stone and rocks onto the ice in 1881 to buildthe dam. It was later reinforced by steel train rails andconcrete. A grist mill was built in 1883 on the Iowa sideof the river. A dynamo converted the harnessed waterpower into electricity for the community long before rural

electricity. The bridge was constructed in 1884. (Photo courtesy of Harold Aardemaand Omar Peterson)

9. Hiawatha Indian Insane Asylum -Built in 1901 a mile east of Canton on hillsoverlooking the Sioux River. It was thefirst and only institution for Indians in theUnited States. In 1933 the Asylum wasclosed. (Courtesy of the Lincoln County History Committee)

10. Canton Ski Hill - A scaffold and ski jump was built eastof Canton on a hill over-looking the Big Sioux River in 1912.The National 1932 tournament had an attendance of 15,000 to20,000. Rapid cost increases and lack of snow ended the hill’sshort but exciting life. Wind blew the ski tower down in 1944.(Courtesy of the Lincoln County History Committee)

11. Augustana College - In 1881, Augustana College andSeminary moved from Wisconsin toBeloit, IA, in order to be near a

“flood” of Norwegian immigrants. Outgrowingfacilities in 1884, the college moved toCanton, and then to Sioux Falls in 1918.(Courtesy of the Lincoln County HistoryCommittee)

12. The Beloit Dam andMill, mid 1880’s - HalvorNelson purchased 4635 acresof land in 1867 south ofCanton on the river. Nelsonbuilt a dam and sawmill.Within a few years he sold to

J.A. Carpenter. He renamed Nelsonville, a colony of Norwegian immi-grants, Beloit. The town flourished and a bridge was constructed in1874. (Courtesy of the Lincoln Co. History Committee)

13. The Beloit Children’sHome 1890-1945 - Founded

in 1890 by the EvangelicalLutheran Church, the

“orphanage” was locat-ed on the groundsformerly occupied by Augustana College (1881-1884) and theAugustana Theological Seminary (1884-1890). A 444 acrefarm was operated in conjunction with the home, the childrenperforming the farm chores. (Courtesy of the Lincoln CountyHistory Committee)

Safety TipsBasic safety rules are important for enjoyable riverpaddling. Use the following points as a guide foryour float trip.

1 Be sure each passenger wears an approvedPersonal Flotation Device that fits.

2 Don't overload with either passengers or gear.Waterproof personal gear. Fasten all ropes sothere is no entanglement danger.

3 If paddling alone, let someone know your put-inand take-out points and estimated arrival time.

4 Stop, get out of your canoe and look over alldanger spots from shore. If in doubt, carryyour canoe around the difficulty.

5 Beware of overhanging tree, logjams, brushpiles and other obstacles that the water flowsthrough rather than around. You can be pinnedagainst them, possible under the water, by theforce of the current. Pass them on the safe sideDo not grab limbs or debris to control the boat’sdirection. That's a quick way to capsize!

6 Do not try to run the lowhead dams. You canbe trapped in the recirculating current at thebottom. PORTAGE REQUIRED

7 If you overturn, stay on the upstream side ofthe watercraft so you will not be crushedbetween it and a rock. In most cases, stay withthe boat since it won't sink. Don't try to stand ina fast current. Float downstream on your back,feet first, with your toes out of the water. Thiswill keep your feet from catching on the bottom.

8 Cold water can be paralyzing to both mind andbody. Get out of it quickly. Do not lose yourlife trying to save your boat or equipment.

9 Be alert to changing weather conditions whileon the water. Get out of the water before astorm hits.

BIG SIOUX RIVER VALLEY HERITAGE CORRIDOR

SiouxFalls

Brandon

Canton

Beloit

EastSiouxFalls

�1�2�3

�4�5�6�7

�8

�9�10�11

�11

�12�13

Welcome to theBig Sioux Canoe Trail

The Big Sioux River, having always been a majorsource of outdoor recreation, is one of the mostpopular canoeing rivers in South Dakota. It has aslow current whose channel wanders through a thinbelt of timber forming a serpentine course.

Wildlife from whitetail deer to painted turtles canbe seen along its banks.

It is popular with canoeists because they areable to paddle the lower section of the Big Siouxthroughout the season. Water levels most yearsrange from two to five feet and are adequate forcanoeing.

Canoe TripsThe first phase of the Big

Sioux River Canoe Trail con-tains eleven canoe accesspoints from Sioux Falls toOak Ridge. Big Sioux Rec.Area to Oak Ridge is 52miles. Camping is available atthe Big Sioux Recreation Areaand Newton Hills State Park.The towns of Brandon andCanton have motels. Accesspoints are several hours of

river mile paddling apart, however, this will varydepending upon type of watercraft, skill level, windspeed and direction, and water volume. These fac-tors need to be considered to have a good experi-ence and to reach your destination well before sun-set. Keep in mind that the shoreline is privatelyowned in most places and must be res-pected. Permission is needed to trespass.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Cities: Parks:

Sioux Falls 605-336-1620 Falls Park 605-367-7430Brandon 605-582-7461 Big Sioux Rec 605-582-7243Canton 605-987-5728 Newton Hills 605-987-2263

For more information or additional brochures,please call or write: Game, Fish & Parks, Outdoor Campus,4500 S. Oxbow Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57106, 605-362-2777

or visit The Big Sioux Recreational Council athttp://www.bigsioux.org

Published by the S.D. Dept. of Game, Fish & Parks and the BigSioux Recreational Council in cooperation with the Iowa Dept. ofNatural Resources, the National Park Service, RTCA, the MinnehahaCounty Historical Society and Southeast South Dakota Tourism.Canoeing Photos by South Dakota Tourism

AccessPoints

Eleven access points are listed wherea canoe may be launched or removedfrom the water. These sites are locat-ed off paved roads either in a Park orby a bridge. Access may be possiblefrom other bridge crossings, but con-ditions might not be ideal.

* Facilities located in main area of park, acrossthe river from access point.

** Facilities located in main area of park, 1/2mile south of access point.

For up-to-date information onwater levels/depths, please call:

605-987-2263(Monday-Friday 8am-5pm)

Newton Hills State Park,RR1, Box 162, Canton, SD 57018

Access Points

Paved

Ram

p

Unp

aved

Ram

p

Carry-In

Rest-

room

s

Potable

Water

Picn

icFa

cilities

Cam

ping

River

milesto

next

access

locationmap

WARNING:DANGEROUS FALLS

and RAPIDS

SOUTH DAKOTA

IOWAWARNING:

LOW HEAD DAMPORTAGE REQUIRED

1. Yankton Trail Park (57th Street) n/a2. Rotary-Norlin Park (26th Street) n/a3. Big Sioux Recreation Area* 8.64. Gitchie Manitou State Preserve 4.25. Grandview Road Access 7.86a. Klondike River Access (Iowa) 8.06b. Klondike Public Water Access (SD) n/a7. Big Sioux Wildlife Preserve 3.98. Canton City Park Access 9.09. Newton Hills State Park (McKee Area)** 5.610. Settlers Canoe Access - Fairview 4.911. Oak Ridge Public Water Access n/a

52 miles from Big Sioux Recreation Area to Oak Ridge

• • •• • • •• • • • •

••

••••• • • • •••

291st St.

Madison Street

Rice Street

N�