Oahe Downstream Recreation Area

08/20/2026

Staff has worked to remove a significant amount of silt from West Shore boat ramp. Work will continue to keep West Shore in service over the next several weeks. Please continue to exercise caution with use, silt conditions have been changing rapidly with low lake levels.

08/19/2026

🦋🌼🌻
Time to visit Oahe Downstream and our Butterfly Garden!! The bees and butterflies are showing up! Book your campsite, come visit the garden and relax for the weekend.

08/19/2026

‼️ Woohoo!! 🥳 ‼️

Thanks to the water company for getting our water back on. Thanks Oahe Downstream campers for your patience!

Water is ON - comforts are FLUSHING - fish grinder is GRINDING - dump station is DUMPING! ⛺️

Come camp with us - PERFECT weather and YES you may have a campfire! We have spots available for this week and weekend

Send a message to learn more

08/17/2026

‼️‼️NOTICE‼️‼️TOMORROW - AUGUST 18 ‼️‼️

West River Jones will be completing Emergency Pipeline Repairs so ALL areas of Oahe Downstream will be without water on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to complete emergency repairs.

Please plan accordingly if you are camping with us. We recommend filling your tanks TONIGHT, as our dump station will be without water on Tuesday.

All comfort stations and day use areas will be CLOSED on Tuesday, August 18.

We appreciate your understanding and assistance.

08/11/2026

🎉🏕️ Congratulations to Hailey, our Week 12 Adventure 250 prize winner!



Hailey completed her Adventure 250 adventures at Oahe Downstream Recreation Area and won a Crown Shades Gazebo Outdoor Canopy. She claimed her prize at Good Earth State Park, where it was presented by Game, Fish and Parks staff and an agent from Boen Associates, a proud member agency of our prize sponsor Independent Insurance Agents of South Dakota.



Adventure 250: Make Your History is all about exploring new places, trying new adventures, and creating memories in South Dakota State Parks while earning points toward weekly prizes and exciting grand prize packages.



Oahe Downstream Recreation Area offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors, from camping, fishing, boating, and swimming to hiking and spending time with family and friends along the Missouri River.



⏳ Only a few more weeks to go! There’s still time to participate, earn points, and put your name in the running for a weekly prize. Visit a South Dakota State Park, complete your adventures, and you could be our next winner!



Start making your history today: gfp.sd.gov/history2026

08/09/2026

More videos of our awesome car show

08/09/2026

Wow, wow, WOW!!! if you missed the car show at Oahe Downstream this year, you missed a treat! We had over 119 cars show up to cruise the campgrounds. After they cruised the campgrounds, we picked the campers choice. The award went to the pink Car in the first picture.

The winner of the award is Robert and Dianna Meeker and their car is a 1956 Ford

We served buckets and buckets of ice cream, root beer, Coke, Dr Pepper, and orange floats. The raffle prize went to camp site number 23 in Campground one. She is going to give it to her son, who is a retired military officer. The entire evening could not have been made possible without the continual support of Beck motors in Pierre. Oahe Downstream volunteers, our camphosts from Cow Creek, and staff members spouses helped serve the ice cream. We thank all our volunteers from all of our areas. Truly this event would not run without all the help

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this the biggest car show at Oahe Downstream. See you all next year in August 2027 for our next big car show. Thank you to Beck motor company for sponsoring our event this year. It was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

08/08/2026

Today!! Car show!!! 7:00 pm!!!! Oahe Downstream!! Freeeeeee ice cream floats!

We have heard from Street Masters that they have close to 90 cars this year! 👀 🚗

So, here’s what YOU have to do! Come to Oahe Downstream Marina by 6:00 pm to get the BeStEsT spot. We have some picnic tables set up. Watch allllllll the cars go by and then after they park, come pick up a ballot. VOTE for your favorite car. After you vote you will receive a raffle ticket. But remember, must be present to win. Want to see the cool prizes!?

A handmade gun case
250th SD Parks t-shirts

We can’t wait to see everyone at 7:00 pm TONIGHT!

08/06/2026

Unfortunately, it's that time of the season for us to bid a fond farewell to our EXCEPTIONAL seasonal workers for summer 2026.

Oahe Downstream couldn't do this without all of these outstanding individuals. Every summer we hire folks to work maintenance, housekeeping, cabin cleaning and the front gate. We appreciate them SO very much. Thank you to:

Andrew Weaver, Joey Fischer, Travis Cornelison, Jace Nickolas, Daniel Kelley, Ella Oxford, Darlene Townley, Caleigh Loger, Emily Chapman, Annaliese Bietz and Jackie Smalle.

Fulltime staff provided a nice thank you luncheon for all the seasonal workers.

08/05/2026

Pierre Street Masters will hold their car show on Saturday, August 8, at Oahe Downstream at 7:00 pm at the marina parking lot. They will cruise campgrounds 1, 2 and 3 then park at the marina.

This event is OPEN to everyone!! (Park entrance license required). Root Beer, Coke, Orange, Dr. Pepper Floats are FREE! Come vote for your favorite vehicle, pick up a float and your raffle ticket!

Come support the Pierre Street Masters! Hope to see everyone on Saturday, August 8 at 7:00 pm at the marina at Oahe Downstream.

We still have some camping spots available for the weekend. Don't forget to snap that photo and enter the adventure250 program.