About Lewis and Clark State Park
Lewis and Clark State Park lies beside Blue Lake near Onawa in western Iowa, along the route followed by the Corps of Discovery in 1804. Lewis and Clark’s party stopped in this area on August 9–10 while traveling up the Missouri River, giving the park a direct connection to the expedition’s early months on the Great Plains.
The park’s visitor center normally provides the strongest historical interpretation, including a full-size reproduction of the expedition’s keelboat and smaller period-style watercraft. Outside the exhibits, visitors can experience the landscape through trails, camping, picnicking, fishing, and other recreation around Blue Lake, linking the expedition story to the river-and-prairie environment through which the Corps traveled.
As of August 2026, the park has reopened for day use and camping after a major hazardous-tree removal project, but the Visitor Center and Keel Boat Exhibit remain closed until further notice for HVAC renovations. Blue Lake also remains unusually low, with the swimming beach, beach bathhouse, and docks unavailable, so visitors interested primarily in the historical exhibits should check current Iowa DNR alerts before traveling.
