🏆🏆🏆 Missouri River Lake — Lakeside recreation area on Burke Lake — fishing, camping, and wide-open South Dakota skies
Burke Lake Recreation Area offers lakeside recreation on Burke Lake in Gregory County — in the rolling prairie of south-central South Dakota. The area provides fishing for walleye, northern pike, and bass in one of the state’s smaller but productive lakes. South Dakota’s wide-open grasslands stretch to the horizon in every direction, and the night skies here are among the darkest in the nation — with the Milky Way visible on clear nights from horizon to horizon.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Gregory County, SD |
| Entry Fee | SD Park Entrance License required |
| Fishing | Walleye, northern pike, bass! |
| Skies | Among the darkest in the nation! |
About Burke Lake
Burke Lake Recreation Area in Gregory County provides camping and fishing along the Missouri River corridor in south-central South Dakota. The area sits on the banks of Lake Francis Case — a 102-mile-long Missouri River reservoir created by Fort Randall Dam. The Missouri River reservoirs transformed South Dakota’s economy and landscape in the 1950s and 1960s.
Burke Lake Recreation Area in Gregory County provides lake recreation on a small Great Plains reservoir in south-central South Dakota. The park sits in the Missouri River trench country — where the Missouri carved a mile-wide valley through the Great Plains. Gregory County was part of the Rosebud Sioux Reservation until 1904, when the federal government opened it for white settlement in a controversial land rush.
Things to Do
Fishing for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass, camping, boating, swimming, and enjoying the Missouri River reservoir landscape.
Fishing for walleye and bass, camping, boating, swimming, and exploring the Missouri River country of south-central South Dakota.
Insider Tips
Eastern SD fishing: Burke Lake offers a peaceful fishing destination in southeastern South Dakota. Pro tip: Stocked with walleye, bass, and panfish. Camping: Basic campground provides an affordable base for fishing trips in the region.
Best Time to Visit
Summer: Fishing and camping. Spring: Walleye fishing. Fall: Pheasant hunting nearby. Winter: Ice fishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pheasant hunting good near Burke Lake?
South Dakota is the premier pheasant hunting state in America. The farmland surrounding Burke Lake and other eastern SD recreation areas supports excellent pheasant populations. The season typically runs from mid-October through January. A South Dakota small game license is required.
Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Llewellyn Johns Recreation Area (within about an hour’s drive) or Platte Creek Recreation Area (within about an hour’s drive).
Wildlife & Nature
Burke Lake RA — on Lake Francis Case (a Missouri River reservoir). The area’s prairie, lake, and cottonwood groves support white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and ring-necked pheasants. Walleye and catfish fill the lake.
Nearby Attractions
Burke — adjacent. Missouri River — at the park. Gregory County — surrounding.
