Things To Do & See

Adams Nature Preserve

As you enter Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve you will be surrounded by a habitat where tall grasses dominate and animal diversity is prominent.  The gravel/limestone trail is great for biking, hiking, running and cross-country skiing.  It also includes interpretive exhibits and more than 12-miles of trails.

Spanning 1,500 acres along the Missouri River, this area was donated to the people of South Dakota in 1984 by Mary and Maud Adams, granddaughters of original homesteader Stephen Searl Adams.  They envisioned the area as a place where others, particularly youth, could enjoy the land and learn more about the natural world surrounding them.  Mary and Maud wanted to give others a "place for inner renewal."

Winter Programs
The staff at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve host a number of nature programs throughout the year at several parks in the area, including Adams Homestead, Spirit Mound and Newton Hills. 

Historical Interest
Adams features several restored buildings, taking the visitor back in time.  The Shay-Adams Home contains many of the original furnishings, and accompanied by a barn, country school and church, the areas seems to come alive with history.

Adams Homestead and Nature Presesrve
272 Westshore Drive
McCook Lake, SD  57049
(605) 232-0873
AdamsNature@state.sd.us