LaFramboise Island Nature Area
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Capital City Island — 345-acre island nature area in the Missouri River at Pierre — the state capital’s wild backyard with bald eagles, deer, and 3 miles of trails
LaFramboise Island Nature Area is a 345-acre island in the Missouri River at Pierre — South Dakota’s state capital. Named for Joseph LaFramboise, a fur trader who operated a trading post here in the 1800s, the island offers 3 miles of trails through cottonwood forest, wetlands, and prairie. Bald eagles concentrate here in winter (100+ eagles counted!), white-tailed deer are abundant, and the island provides remarkable wildlife viewing minutes from the state capitol building. Pierre (population ~14,000) is the second-least-populated state capital in the US.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Pierre (State Capital), SD |
| Size | 345 acres! |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Eagles | 100+ bald eagles in winter! |
| Capital | Pierre — 2nd smallest state capital! |
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to see bald eagles?
December through February is prime eagle season on LaFramboise Island. Over 100 bald eagles congregate near the Missouri River’s open water below Oahe Dam, where fish are accessible even when the rest of the river freezes. The Pierre area hosts an annual Eagle Awareness event in January.
About LaFramboise Island
LaFramboise Island Nature Area in Pierre provides a 335-acre nature preserve on an island in the Missouri River — remarkably located in South Dakota’s capital city. The island features cottonwood forests, wetlands, and prairie grassland. It’s named for Joseph LaFramboise, a French-Canadian fur trader who operated on the Missouri in the early 1800s. Bald eagles congregate here in winter.
Things to Do
Hiking and walking on 3+ miles of trails, birdwatching (bald eagles in winter, songbirds in spring), mountain biking, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing for deer and turkeys, and enjoying a wild island within walking distance of the state capitol.
🦅 Visit LaFramboise Island Nature Area
345 acres in Pierre — 100+ bald eagles, state capital’s wild island!
