Explore wild river wetlands on two Northland trails
Missouri’s Lewis and Clark State Park
Trails at Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area and Lewis and Clark State Park navigate oxbow lakes, bottomland forest and marshlands near the Missouri River.
Trail Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area and Lewis and Clark State Park.
Overview
Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area and Lewis and Clark State Park are two distinct entities, but they are only five miles apart. The marsh is in northern Platte County while the park is in southern Buchanan County. Both allow exploration of remnants of the formerly wild bottomlands of the Missouri River. Since neither has long trails, they can easily be combined on one outing, allowing a fuller exploration of this unique habitat. Both areas are centered on oxbow lakes, which are formed when the river changes course but leaves behind a body of water. Bean Lake is intermittently full, depending on precipitation. However, Gosling Lake, in Lewis and Clark State Park, is 365 acres in size and is a fishing attraction. Both areas are connected to the history of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804. This biome can be characterized as dense forest, interspersed by marshes. It’s a magnet for wildlife and wildflowers, including native species of iris in season. The area is best avoided in hot weather because dense vegetation and low elevation make it quite humid. In addition to the lowlands, the Loess Hills immediately west of both parks are an underappreciated scenic area that can be explored via rural roads in the area.
Length The Lewis and Clark Gosling Lake Trail is 1.3 miles. The Little Bean Marsh Trail is about 1 mile in length.
Address and location
Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area is 4 miles north of Iatan, Mo., on Highway 273. A Google Map is below. Don’t turn east off the highway until you reach Westside Drive. Although there is a sign pointing you to Little Bean Marsh, it does not take you to the trailhead.
Lewis and Clark State Park is 801 Lakecrest Blvd., Rushville, MO 64484.
Conditions Both trails are flat. The Little Bean Marsh Trail is paved, but rough in a few places. The Gosling Lake Trail at Lewis and Clark State Park is gravel.
Kid friendly? These are low-traffic trails with no hills. The paved Bean Marsh trail can accommodate strollers. The gravel trail at Lewis and Clark State Park is not stroller-friendly.
How busy? This are low-traffic trails.
Pets Yes, on a leash (unless otherwise designated).
Bikes Non-motorized bicycles are permitted at Lewis and Clark State Park but not Little Bean Marsh.
Gosling Lake sits in a former channel of the Missouri River at Lewis and Clark State Park.
Lewis and Clark State Park is in the bottomlands at the foot of Loess Hills.
Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area preserves some of the native bottomland forest habitat noted by explorers Lewis and Clark. This includes wild iris.
A trail through Little Bean Marsh Conservation Area explores the thick bottomland forest habitat near the Missouri River.