A 2.5-hour tour with Jamesport Amish Step Back in Time Tours offers a glimpse into everyday Amish life: it gives you the opportunity to enter an Amish home and talk with its residents. It also visits Amish-run businesses outside the city limits of Jamesport. The itinerary includes a stop at an Amish bakery, where you can buy fresh baked goods. Conversations, a home visit, and the bakery give the tour several different facets rather than focusing on a single encounter.
History You Can Explore on Site
Adam-ondi-Ahman was a short-lived settlement of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Daviess County. Visitors can walk along trails there, making it an opportunity to combine historical context with time outdoors.
Squirrel Cage Jail offers a different historical perspective. It is one of three surviving rotary jails in the United States. The original hand crank remains inside—a specific detail that brings the jail’s distinctive character to life. You can request a tour from Trudi Burton at 660-663-7342. Be sure to confirm the appointment before your visit.
Lakes, Trails, and Wetlands
Gallatin Conservation Area is located five miles south of Gallatin on Highway 13 and a half mile east on Route M. The area is open to the public for various outdoor activities. Its landscape includes timber, brushy draws, and pasture fences, as well as a 10-acre marsh. Different landscape features come together here, rather than a single viewpoint defining the area’s character.
You can fish at Jamesport Community Lake in Daviess County. The lake covers 30 acres and is surrounded by 115 acres of timber and former fields. There is a boat ramp for visitors arriving by boat, as well as parking for vehicles with trailers. The lake, timber, and former fields provide a different setting from the marsh at Gallatin Conservation Area.
On the Grand River: Fishing and Different Access Points
Green Access is on the Grand River in Daviess County. Fishing, frog hunting, and birdwatching are possible there; boats can be launched from the bank without a ramp. Holmes Bend Access is also on the Grand River in Daviess County, two miles south of Gallatin. At this access point, an unchannelized stretch of river has steep, rocky banks and deep water. River conditions change seasonally; fishing is also possible at Holmes Bend Access.
At Newman Memorial Access, small boats—including canoes, kayaks, and johnboats—can be launched on the Grand River without a ramp. Rock riprap at this access point improves fish habitat. Wabash Crossing Access provides access to the Grand River near Gallatin in Daviess County. It has a concrete ramp that can also be used to launch larger boats when water levels are higher. Possible activities include fishing, frog hunting, floating, and birdwatching. Water levels and ramp conditions can vary; check current conditions before driving to the river access points.
Discover more destinations: Jamesport, St. Francois County, Livingston, Jefferson, Andrew County, Barton County, Polk County, Oregon County.
For the main travel overview: Missouri.
