St. Helena River Access

Directions

To drive to this boat ramp from Yankton go 1.0 mile south on US 81. Turn left (east) onto Road 898 and continue ahead for 7.0 miles. Turn left (north) on to Road 563 and proceed ahead 0.9 miles to the river. This route is all gravel after turning onto Road 898. It is 6.9 river miles from the Riverside Park Boat Ramp to the Cedar County Park and St. Helena Boat Launch, on the Nebraska side. A vault toilet and picnic shelter stand nearby, and primitive camping is allowed. Exercise caution when landing at this site due to the strong current along the bank. To drive to this boat ramp from Yankton go 1.0 mile south on US 81. Turn left (east) onto Road 898 and continue ahead for 7.0 miles. Turn left (north) onto Road 563 and proceed ahead 0.9 miles to the river. This route is all gravel after turning onto Road 898. Or you can take Nebraska Highway 12 to Spur 14H (8.1 miles east of the intersection with US 81). Turn north onto the spur and continue 5.7 miles to St. Helena. Turn left at the store (9th St.) and go one block. Turn right onto Nette Rd. and go 0.3 miles. Turn left onto Jones and go 0.4 miles. Take the right fork in the road (573 Ave.) and continue ahead for 1.5 miles. Then take the left fork (Road 898) and proceed for 0.2 miles. Finally, turn right onto Road 563 and drive 0.9 miles to the river. St. Helena was an important steamboat port during the mid-19th century. However, during one of the "Big Muddy's" periodic floods, the river changed its course, cutting a new channel that left the town a couple miles from the river.