Snake Creek Recreation Area

Snake Creek Recreation Area is a South Dakota state recreation area, located in Charles Mix County. The recreation area covers nearly 700 acres of untouched South Dakota wilderness and lies against the shores of Lake Francis Case, a large reservoir off of the Missouri River. The recreation area is located 14 miles west of the nearby town, Platte, South Dakota. Snake Creek is hugely popular amongst boaters and anglers, as well as those just seeking out the natural beauty of the Missouri River.

Connecting Snake Creek to local history, many know this area as part of the route that the Lewis and Clark expedition traveled through on their way west. The story of Private George Shannon further left a historical mark on this area. Shannon, 19 years old and the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, became separated from the rest of the group when he was instructed to fetch several strayed horses. Under the assumption that the rest of the group had moved upriver, Shannon raced to join the expedition boats. Shannon was found two weeks later, malnourished and completely exhausted. As history writes, he soon learned that the expedition had been downstream from his location the entire time.