The Great Bend of the Missouri River - Southeast of Pierre, South Dakota, the Missouri River flows around the Great Bend. This meander, while only 2,000 yards across at its neck, represents nearly 30 miles of river distance. This meander was created in a re-entrant within the glacial ice that allowed the river to flow northward within the recess and created this great bend. Cretaceous ammonites from the dam at the Great Bend demonstrate the age of the bedrock. (Lewis and Clark, 9/21/04)