Riverview Marina State Recreation Area

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Marina facility on Lake McConaughy — providing boat access to Nebraska’s largest reservoir (“Big Mac”) and its 30,000 acres of water.

Visitor Information

About Riverview Marina

Riverview Marina State Recreation Area along the Missouri River provides boat access to the “Big Muddy” — the longest river in North America. The Missouri shaped the history and geography of the Great Plains, and the marina provides fishing and recreation access to this legendary waterway.

Things to Do

Boat launching on the Missouri River, fishing for catfish (the Missouri produces trophy channel and flathead catfish), paddlefish snagging (seasonal), and riverside recreation.

About Riverview Marina

Riverview Marina State Recreation Area in Dawson County provides direct access to the Platte River — Nebraska’s defining waterway. The Platte, a Pawnee word meaning “flat water,” drains the Rocky Mountains and flows east across the entire state. The river’s shallow, braided channels create the staging habitat that draws 500,000 Sandhill Cranes each spring — the largest crane gathering on Earth.

Things to Do

Boating on the Platte River, fishing for channel catfish and carp, birdwatching (crane viewing in March), picnicking, and launching canoe/kayak trips down the braided Platte channels.

Getting There

Riverview Marina SRA provides Missouri River access near Nebraska City in Otoe County. Nebraska City is the birthplace of Arbor Day (1872), founded by J. Sterling Morton — whose idea of a tree-planting holiday spread worldwide. The Missouri River here forms the Nebraska-Iowa border, flowing through the Lewis and Clark corridor. The marina provides the only state-managed boat access to the Missouri in this stretch.

Insider Tips

Missouri River access: Riverview Marina provides boat access to the Missouri River — America’s longest river (2,341 miles). Pro tip: The Missouri produces channel catfish exceeding 30 lbs — fish deep holes with cut bait. Blue catfish: Blue catfish (the largest catfish species — world record: 143 lbs) are being caught with increasing frequency in the Missouri.

Best Time to Visit

Summer: Best catfish fishing — warm water makes cats active. Spring: Paddlefish snagging season (March-April). Fall: Trophy catfish and walleye. Winter: Open water near the dam attracts bald eagles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Missouri River?

2,341 miles — from Three Forks, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri, making it the longest river in North America (longer than the Mississippi). Lewis and Clark traveled its entire navigable length in 1804-1806. The Missouri drains one-sixth of the contiguous United States.