Wakonda State Park

Wakonda State Park
Missouri State Park
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Lewis
Elevation	814 ft (248 m) [1]
Coordinates	40°00′23″N 91°31′26″W / 40.00639°N 91.52389°W / 40.00639; -91.52389Coordinates: 40°00′23″N 91°31′26″W / 40.00639°N 91.52389°W / 40.00639; -91.52389 [1]
Area	1,054 acres (427 ha)
Established	1960
Management	Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Location in Missouri
Website: Wakonda State Park

Wakonda State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Missouri consisting of 1,053.87 acres (4.3 km²) near La Grange in Lewis County.

History

Wakonda, an Osage Indian word meaning something consecrated or spiritual, was established by the Missouri State Park Board in 1960 on 273 acres (110 ha) transferred from the Missouri Highway Commission. The area is one of the few remaining sand prairie areas to be found along the central and northern Mississippi River. During the Ice Age, glacial movement left large deposits of high quality gravel and sand. Beginning in 1924, the Missouri Highway Commission contracted with private companies to remove the large gravel deposits for use in road surfacing materials. The gravel was very deep, requiring open-pit mining techniques which eventually led to the creation of the six lakes that dot the Wakonda park landscape. By the 1980s, some 26 million tons of sand and gravel had been removed from the area. Additional land purchases by the state, including a 777-acre (314 ha) tract in 1992, created the park's current dimensions.^[2]

Activities and amenities

The park's lakes are used for fishing, swimming, and small-motor and non-motorized boating. There are two campgrounds with a total of more than 100 campsites and trails for hiking and bicycling.^[3]

References

External links

• Wakonda State Park Missouri Department of Natural Resources