Long Branch State Park

Long Branch State Park
Missouri State Park
Visitors Center near the entrance to the state park
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Macon

Elevation	791 ft (241 m) ^[1]
Coordinates	39°46′18″N 92°31′46″W / 39.77167°N 92.52944°W / 39.77167; -92.52944Coordinates: 39°46′18″N 92°31′46″W / 39.77167°N 92.52944°W / 39.77167; -92.52944

Area	1,828.47 acres (740 ha) ^[2]

Established	1983 ^[3]
Management	Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Visitation	355,740 (2014) ^[4]

Location in Missouri
Website: Long Branch State Park

Long Branch State Park is a state park in the US state of Missouri consisting of 1,828.47 acres (739.96 ha) located in Macon County, adjacent to the Long Branch Reservoir. It is located two miles west of Macon, Missouri on U.S. Highway 36.

History

Aerial view of Long Branch Lake and dam. The smaller lake in the background is Macon City Lake.

Flooding along the Little Chariton River was an ongoing problem for the residents of Macon County and elsewhere in northeast Missouri since the area was first settled in the 1830s. Extensive channelization of the main Chariton river by private entities, local governments, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while alleviating flooding issues in some areas, exacerbated them for others.^[5] In the mi-1970s a project to solve the problem by damming the east fork of the Little Chariton was begun. Completed in 1978, a 71-foot-high earthen dam impounds water for flood control, public recreation, and wildlife conservation.^[6] Long Branch Lake is the reservoir created by the dam, with about 24 miles of shoreline and a flood-control capacity of 98,000 acre-feet. In addition to the adjacent state-run state park, the dam has a visitor's center at its southern end, and the Atlanta State Wildlife Area at its northern end near Atlanta, Missouri.

State park

Long Branch State Park was created by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in 1983 after reaching a long term lease agreement with the Corps of Engineers for use of the land.^[7] It features a wide variety of outdoor activities:

Boating: There are no horsepower restrictions on motors used on Long Branch Lake. Boaters must abide by all standard Missouri boating regulations however. Three paved launching ramps are located at various points along the lake shore. A marina is available as well.
Camping: Camping is allowed year-round although some services such as dump station, showers, potable water, and campsite reservations are limited to on-season camping (April through October). Eighty-three improved campsites are available for use, as well as other walk-in/hike-in unimproved sites at other locations in the park. In May 2012 free Wi-Fi access was added to the campground and select other areas of Long Branch State Park.^[8]
Fishing: Bass fishing is particularly popular at the lake, but walleye, crappie, and catfish are also found. A fishing dock is provided near the swimming beach. Bass and Walleye have length limits of fifteen and eighteen inches respectively. All other state fishing regulations apply.^[9]
Hiking: Long Branch State Park has three trails for use, in lengths of .6 mile, 1.5 miles, and 7.5 miles.^[10]
Picnicking: A variety of picnic sites are scattered throughout the park. Two open air picnic shelters are available for rental to accommodate larger gatherings. Playgrounds are provided at the south shelter and in the campground.^[11]
Swimming & Water Skiing: A sand beach complete with volleyball court is located near the park campground. A changehouse is provided. No lifeguard is on duty. Water skiing is allowed in most areas of the lake.
Wildlife viewing: The large public acreage surrounding the lake provide many opportunities for viewing white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and migratory waterfowl.^[12]

References

↑ "Long Branch Dam". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
↑ "Missouri State Park Advisory Board Annual Report 2008". Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
↑ "State Park Land Acquisition Summary". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
↑ "Missouri State Park Attendance (2014)" (PDF). Missouri State Parks. 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
↑ A Book of Adair County History. Kirksville, Missouri: Kirksville-Adair County Bicentennial Committee. 1976.
↑ "Long Branch Lake: Dam and Embankment". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
↑ "About Long Branch State Park". Yelp.com. 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
↑ Doogs, Brian (June 24, 2012). "Park gets high-tech with improvements". KTVO-TV. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
↑ "Fishing at Long Branch State Park". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
↑ "Trails at Long Branch State Park". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
↑ "Picnic area at Long Branch State Park". Missouri State Parks. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
↑ "Long Branch State Park". Missouri State Parks. Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved September 9, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Long Branch State Park.

Long Branch State Park Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Protected areas of Missouri

Federal

National Monuments:	George Washington Carver

National Historic Sites:	Harry S Truman Ulysses S. Grant

National Battlefields:	Wilson's Creek

National Memorials:	Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

National Wildlife Refuges:	Big Muddy Clarence Cannon Great River Middle Mississippi River Mingo Ozark Cavefish Pilot Knob Squaw Creek Swan Lake Two Rivers

National Forests:	Mark Twain

Wilderness Areas:	Bell Mountain Devils Backbone Hercules Glades Irish Mingo Paddy Creek Piney Creek Rockpile Mountain

Other Protected Areas:	Ozark National Scenic Riverways

State

State Parks:	Babler Sam A. Baker Bennett Spring Big Lake Big Oak Tree Big Sugar Creek Castlewood Crowder Cuivre River Current River Don Robinson Echo Bluff Elephant Rocks Finger Lakes Graham Cave Grand Gulf Ha Ha Tonka Harry S Truman Hawn Johnson's Shut-Ins Jones-Confluence Point Katy Trail Knob Noster Lake of the Ozarks Lake Wappapello Lewis and Clark Long Branch Mark Twain Meramec Montauk Morris Onondaga Cave Pershing Pomme de Terre Prairie Roaring River Rock Island Trail Robertsville Rock Bridge Memorial Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry Route 66 St. Francois St. Joe Stockton Table Rock Taum Sauk Mountain Thousand Hills Trail of Tears Van Meter Wakonda Wallace Washington Watkins Woolen Mill Weston Bend

State Historic Sites:	Arrow Rock Battle of Athens Battle of Carthage Battle of Island Mound Battle of Lexington Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio Bollinger Mill Nathan Boone Homestead Boone's Lick Bothwell Lodge Clark's Hill/Norton Confederate Memorial Deutschheim Dillard Mill Gov. Daniel Dunklin's Grave Felix Vallé House First Missouri State Capitol Fort Davidson Gen. John J. Pershing Boyhood Home Harry S Truman Birthplace Hunter-Dawson Iliniwek Village Jefferson Landing Jewell Cemetery Locust Creek Covered Bridge Mark Twain Birthplace Mastodon Missouri Mines Missouri State Capitol Missouri State Museum Osage Village Sandy Creek Covered Bridge Sappington Cemetery Scott Joplin House Towosahgy Union Covered Bridge Watkins Woolen Mill

Conservation areas:	List of Missouri conservation areas

State Forests:	List of Missouri state forests

Missouri Department of Natural Resources

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