Atchison can be explored through two very different panoramas. From Brickyard Hill Loess Mound, the view extends west across the Missouri River floodplain to Nebraska. From the ridges of Star School Hill Prairie Conservation Area, you can see Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas on a clear day. Here, the river plain shapes the view; there, the panorama stretches across four states. Brickyard Hill Loess Mound is a natural area within Brickyard Hill Conservation Area.
Prairie, Hills and River Landscapes
The landforms tell different stories, too. Star School Hill Prairie Conservation Area is characterized by rugged loess hills along the edge of the Missouri River floodplain. Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area preserves one of the few known high-quality prairies remaining in the glaciated plains of northern Missouri. A diverse prairie flora grows there on loess and glacial till soils. Tarkio Prairie Natural Area is also home to more than 100 native plant species. Brickyard Hill is home to plants and animals characteristic of the Great Plains in central Nebraska and Kansas.
Visitors choosing natural areas for their distinctive landscapes and habitats will also find different features along the water. Deroin Bend Conservation Area preserves unique wetland and fishery habitats. A mitigation project was designed at Nishnabotna Conservation Area to improve fish and wildlife habitat along the Missouri River. At Deroin Bend, restoration of 3.3 miles of an old channel of the Missouri River is planned: this is a proposal, not a restoration that has already been completed.
Activities and River Access
At Charity Lake in Brickyard Hill Conservation Area, you can fish for bass, sunfish and catfish. Tarkio Prairie Conservation Area is open to the public for a variety of outdoor activities, provided they are compatible with resource management. Hunting and fishing are allowed in Tarkio Prairie Natural Area. These natural areas therefore differ both in their landscapes and in the activities explicitly described.
Two access points are named for reaching the rivers: Langdon Bend Access provides access to the Missouri River, while Watson Access provides access to the Nishnabotna River and the Missouri River. Nishnabotna Conservation Area consists of two separate tracts. Important for getting your bearings: the northern tract is accessible only via the Missouri River and the Nishnabotna River. These two named access points and this special access condition are different planning details and should not be confused.
Discover History and Culture
History is also connected to the landscape. Lewis and Clark camped in the vicinity of Star School Hill Prairie Conservation Area during their journey on the Missouri River. Deroin Bend is named after Joseph Deroin: he settled nearby in the 1840s and established the St. Deroin trading post on the riverbank.
In Rock Port, the Liberty Theatre is on the upper floor of the Atchison County Memorial Building at 417 South Main Street. The theater offers local directors and actors a stage on which to practice their craft. The building was constructed as a memorial to World War I after $50,000 was pledged across the county between 1919 and 1921. A practical place to get visitor information is the Rock Port Official Missouri Welcome Center, where you can find tourism brochures, maps and highway information.
Local Produce and Seasonal Events
The Rock Port MO Farmers Market features locally grown produce, locally handcrafted goods and baked goods. Its hours are seasonal and may vary. The Atchison County Fair Board also hosts an annual all-you-can-eat fish fry in Rock Port. Its dates and menu may also vary; check the latest details if you are planning your visit around it.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Rock Port, Tarkio, Pike, Adair County, Wright County, St Louis, Christian County, Howell County
For the broader travel overview: Missouri.
