Mulberry Bend Overlook

A dramatic view of the Missouri National Recreational River awaits visitors at Mulberry Bend Overlook. From the parking area, a short paved trail leads to two overlooks that offer views of a free flowing segment of the Missouri. This portion of the river exhibits characteristics that were common hundreds of years ago but are no longer seen on the “man-made” portions of the river.

At the first overlook, exhibits provide information about the national park and early American Indians who inhabited the region. At the uppermost overlook, exhibits interpret the river’s hydrology, the surrounding forest and a flood that devastated the town of Vermillion in 1881.

The paved trail rises 60 feet to the top and is wheelchair accessible to the first overlook. A picnic table and vault toilet is available near the parking lot.

The section of the Missouri River surrounding Mulberry Bend not only has exceptional views, but also a rich historical legacy. The first known inhabitants were American Indian tribes which settled the area as early as 6,000 years ago. These groups built villages consisting of permanent houses covered with earth and wood. The Mulberry Bend area was visited on August 24, 1804 by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Their team explored the areas surrounding the river, including Spirit Mound. Clark writes in his journal of an abundance of deer present in the area, which the crew hunted for food. Lewis and Clark traveled on a very different river than the one today, partly due to the Missouri River Flood of 1881. Massive blocks of ice and the thawing river created a new river channel (present-day Mulberry Bend), rerouting the Missouri River five miles south and destroying the town of Vermillion.

In November 2001, the Vermillion-Newcastle Bridge was officially completed by Nebraska Department of Roads. The National Park Service acquired the Mulberry Bend Overlook as mitigation for the bridge in 2002.