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Visitors Guide to the
Columbia Bottom Conservation Area is
situated at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers just
downstream from the site of Lewis and Clark's 1803-04 winter camp. Located
in north St. Louis County, this 4,318-acre area was purchased in 1997 to
create an urban conservation area. A
small town once known as Columbia and later as St. Vrain was located in this
flood plain in the mid 1800s but was gone by 1870. The Missouri Department Conservation manages
Columbia Bottom and has created a mosaic of bottomland habitats that
includes shallow wetlands, bottomland hardwoods, prairie, croplands,
6.5 miles of river frontage, and a
110-acre island.
These habitats attract a wide variety of resident and migratory wildlife for
the enjoyment of all of our state's residents and visitors. One of the
Department of Conservation's goals in managing Columbia Bottoms is to
restore portions of the area to the conditions that prevailed at the time of Lewis and
Clark's journey.
Columbia Bottom
Conservation Area has a number of features that visitors can take advantage.
Bicyclists and walkers can use an accessible five-mile limestone biking
trail and there is an additional three-mile hiking trail runs parallel to
the Missouri River. Activities at the site include bird watching,
educational programs, canoeing or kayaking, and participating in managed
hunts. An accessible boat ramp and an accessible fishing pier are located on the
Missouri River. A unique feature of the area is a viewing deck at the
confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The Howard and Joyce Wood
Education and Visitor Center, created from a renovated barn, houses many
natural history exhibits and is staffed by park rangers that hand
out helpful information. An auto tour
visits eight discovery stations that help visitors explore the different
habitats of Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Each of the discovery
stations has accessible parking and children can pick up an exploration
booklet at the Visitor Center with activities for each station.
Visiting the
Columbia Bottom Conservation Area
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