Bismarck Conservation Area

Protected land in Missouri, U.S.

LocationIron, St. Francois, and Washington counties, Missouri, United States

Coordinates37°43′25″N 90°38′49″W / 37.723694°N 90.646931°W / 37.723694; -90.646931

Area1,188 acres (4.8 km²)

Bismarck Conservation Area
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)

Location	Iron, St. Francois, and Washington counties, Missouri, United States
Nearest city	Bismarck, MO
Coordinates	37°43′25″N 90°38′49″W / 37.723694°N 90.646931°W / 37.723694; -90.646931
Area	1,188 acres (4.8 km²)
Established	1981
Governing body	Missouri Department of Conservation
Website	Official website

Bismarck Conservation Area consists of 1,188 acres (4.81 km²) southwest of Bismarck, Missouri. The area surrounds 210 acres (85 ha) DiSalvo Lake. The lake was constructed in 1944 by Hanna Mining Company, and the Missouri Department of Conservation acquired the land from Hanna Mining Company in 1981.

Bismarck Conservation Area includes a parking areas, boat ramp, two designated trails, and fishing dock. The area is open to hunting and fishing.^[1] It is the only conservation area in St. Francois County.^[2]

Lake

The Bismarck Conservation Area contains a bottomland forest just northeast of Buford Mountain in the St. Francois Mountains.^[3] The nearest city to the park is Farmington which is located 10 mi (16 km) northeast.^[4]

DiSalvo Lake is the centerpiece of Bismarck conservation area; it impounds the headwaters of the St. Francois River. Its 210 acres was produced by a concrete dam built in the 1940s. The drainage ratio is 47:1. It is a very shallow lake with a maximum depth of 15 ft (4.6 m) and the upper third is only 4 ft (1.2 m) deep.^[5]

Recreation

Bismarck Conservation Area offers many forms or recreational activities including: camping, cycling, equestrian, fishing, hiking, and hunting, but the predominant recreation in the park revolves around the Carl DiSalov Lake.^[6]

Hunting and Trapping

Permitted hunting is allowed conditioned upon Missouri state Law. Deer hunting is the most prominent variety of game available at Bismarck Conservation Area; portable tree stands, blinds, and decoys are all permitted in the area.^[3]

Fishing and Boating

Fishing at Bismarck Conservation Area is only allowed by pole and line. Smaller boats are permitted at no-wake speed. The main varieties of fish present include black bass, catfish, and crappie.^[6]

References

↑ "Bismarck Conservation Area". Missouri Department of Conservation. Archived from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
↑ "Google Earth File". Conservation Atlas Online. Missouri Department of Conservation. June 18, 2007. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010.
1 2 "Bismarck Conservation Area". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
↑ "St. Francois County Map, 2024" (PDF). MoDOT. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
↑ Bismarck Conservation Area Fifteen-Year Area Management Plan FY 2019 - 2033. Missouri Department Conservation. December 7, 2018.
1 2 "Bismarck Conservation Area" (PDF). nature.mdc.mo.gov. Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2016.

Protected areas of Missouri

Federal

National Battlefields	Wilson's Creek
National Fish Hatcheries	Neosho
National Forests	Mark Twain
National Historic Sites and Historical Parks	Harry S. Truman Ste. Genevieve Ulysses S. Grant
National Monuments	George Washington Carver
National Parks	Gateway Arch
National Trails	Butterfield Overland California Lewis and Clark Oregon Pony Express Santa Fe Trail of Tears
National Wild and Scenic Rivers	Eleven Point Ozark
National Wildlife Refuges	Big Muddy Clarence Cannon Great River Loess Bluffs Middle Mississippi River Mingo Ozark Cavefish Pilot Knob Swan Lake Two Rivers
Other	National Historic Landmarks National Natural Landmarks National Register of Historic Places Wilderness Areas

State

State Parks	Babler Sam A. Baker Bennett Spring Big Lake Big Oak Tree Big Sugar Creek Bryant Creek Castlewood Crowder Cuivre River Current River Don Robinson Echo Bluff Elephant Rocks Eleven Point Finger Lakes Graham Cave Grand Gulf Ha Ha Tonka Harry S Truman Hawn Jay Nixon 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 Ozark Mountain Pershing Pomme de Terre Prairie Roaring River Robertsville Rock Bridge Memorial Rock Island Trail 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 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 and Olive 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
State Forests	list

Category
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Parks in Greater St. Louis
Commons

Hunting and Trapping

Fishing and Boating

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