Lewis and Clark Lake Season Is Coming: Where to Store Your Boat and Toys

The ice melts, the days get long, and Lewis and Clark Lake comes back to life. But if your boat, jet ski, or kayak collection has been hibernating all winter, you need a game plan for where everything lives between trips. Here’s your guide to boat storage near Lewis and Clark Lake.

Lake Life Has a Storage Problem

Lewis and Clark Lake is one of the best recreational spots in the upper Midwest. Boating, fishing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, camping — from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the lake is packed. Over a million visitors come through every year, and a lot of them bring toys.

Here’s what nobody talks about: where does all that stuff go when you’re not on the water?

If you live in Yankton, Crofton, Tyndall, Springfield, or any of the small towns within driving distance of the lake, you probably don’t have a lakeside garage. Your boat sits in your driveway. Your jet ski trailer blocks half the garage. The kayaks lean against the side of the house. The tubes, ropes, vests, and coolers fill whatever space is left.

And that’s just during the season. In the off-season, everything needs to be winterized and stored somewhere that won’t let South Dakota weather destroy it.

Boat storage near Lewis and Clark Lake doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does require some planning.

What You’re Actually Storing

Lake recreation involves more equipment than most people realize. Let’s inventory the typical lake-going household:

Watercraft: - Fishing boat (16-22 feet on a trailer) - Pontoon boat (18-24 feet on a trailer) - Jet ski or two (on a single or double trailer) - Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards

Tow-behind toys: - Tubes (inner tubes, towable rafts) - Wakeboards and water skis - Knee boards

Support equipment: - Life jackets (PFDs) for every family member - Ropes, tow lines, anchors - Fish finders, trolling motors, spare props - Dock sections and swim platforms - Camping gear you bring to the lake (if you camp at the COE campgrounds)

Add it all up, and you’re looking at hundreds — sometimes thousands — of square feet of stuff that needs a home.

Boat Storage Options Near Yankton and Lewis and Clark Lake

Option 1: Your Driveway or Yard

Cost: Free. Reality: Your neighbors hate you. Your HOA (if you have one) sends letters. Your boat cover shreds in South Dakota wind. Mice move into the cabin. UV rays fade the gel coat. And you have to winterize more aggressively because there’s zero weather protection.

If you have an older aluminum fishing boat, driveway storage works fine. For anything you’ve invested serious money in — a pontoon, a bass boat, a fiberglass runabout — you’re trading “free” storage for expensive repairs and depreciation.

Option 2: A Personal Garage or Outbuilding

Cost: The space itself is free, but you’re losing that space for vehicles and other storage. Reality: This is the ideal setup if you have room. Problem is, most garages in the Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman area are one- or two-car garages. A 20-foot boat on a trailer doesn’t leave room for much else. And your truck needs to go somewhere too.

Option 3: A Self-Storage Unit

Cost: $75-$250/month depending on size and facility. Reality: This is the sweet spot for most lake enthusiasts. Your watercraft and gear are protected from weather, secure, and out of your driveway — but accessible when you need them.

For jet ski storage near Yankton, SD, a 10x15 unit comfortably fits a double jet ski trailer with room along the walls for bins of gear, life jackets, and tow toys.

For boat storage, you’ll typically need a 10x20 or larger unit. Measure your boat on its trailer — length, width, and height — before shopping for a unit. Don’t forget to account for the trailer tongue extending forward. A 20-foot boat on a trailer is often 24-25 feet in total length.

Option 4: Marina or Boat-Specific Storage

Cost: $150-$400/month depending on the type (rack, covered slip, indoor). Reality: More expensive but purpose-built. If you use your boat multiple times per week during season, marina storage keeps you on the water faster. For off-season only, a self-storage unit is usually more economical.

Timing: When to Think About Storage

If you wait until the week before Memorial Day to figure out your storage situation, you’ll be scrambling. Here’s the timeline smart lake-goers follow:

February–March: Start thinking about summer storage if you need to rent a unit. Good facilities fill up in spring. Reserve early.

April: Start de-winterizing your boat and jet skis. Check mechanical systems, replace worn trailer tires, inspect safety equipment.

May: Move everything to your storage unit or directly to the water. Organize your gear so you can grab what you need for each trip without unpacking everything.

September–October: Season winds down. Winterize everything properly (see our guide on winter boat storage for the full process). Move equipment into storage.

November–April: Off-season. Your gear is secure, protected, and out of your way until next spring.

Prepping Your Boat and Jet Ski for Storage

Whether you’re storing mid-season between trips or tucking everything away for winter, preparation matters.

Mid-Season Storage (Between Lake Trips)

• Rinse your boat and jet ski with fresh water after every outing — lake water leaves mineral deposits and promotes corrosion
• Drain the bilge completely
• Remove any food, drinks, or bait (nothing that attracts pests)
• Leave compartments and livewells open to air out
• Disconnect the battery if you won’t use the boat for more than two weeks
• Cover with a quality boat cover to keep dust and bird droppings off

Off-Season Winter Storage

This is more involved. The short version:

1. Flush and drain all water systems — raw water cooling systems, livewells, washdown systems. Water left in lines will freeze and crack.
2. Fog the engine — spray fogging oil into the cylinders to prevent corrosion during months of inactivity.
3. Stabilize fuel — fill the tank to prevent condensation, add stabilizer, and run the engine to circulate.
4. Change all fluids — engine oil, lower unit gear lube, power steering fluid. Old fluids contain acids that corrode during storage.
5. Remove the battery — store on a trickle charger in a temperature-stable location.
6. Grease everything — wheel bearings, trailer hitch, pivot points.
7. Cover or shrink wrap — for indoor storage, a breathable cover works. For any outdoor storage, shrink wrap provides the best protection.

For jet skis, the process is similar: flush the cooling system with fresh water, fog the engine, stabilize fuel, remove the battery, and cover.

What Size Storage Unit for Lake Gear?

Here’s a practical guide:

5x10 or 5x15: Kayaks, paddleboards, tubes, tow toys, life jackets, fishing gear. Good for the accessory overflow.

10x10: A single jet ski on a trailer, plus bins of gear and accessories. Tight fit for anything bigger.

10x15: A double jet ski trailer, or a single jet ski trailer plus a substantial amount of lake gear. Also works for a small fishing boat (under 16 feet).

10x20: The standard for most trailered boats up to 20 feet. Fits the boat on its trailer with some room along the sides for gear.

10x25 or 10x30: Pontoon boats, larger fishing boats, or multiple watercraft. If you’ve got a boat and two jet skis, this is your territory.

Check our storage unit size guide for detailed breakdowns with common items per size.

Keep Your Lake Season Simple

Lake time should be fun, not a logistics headache. Having a dedicated storage space for your watercraft and gear means you spend less time dealing with equipment and more time on the water.

Lock N’ Leave It Storage has locations in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman — all within easy driving distance of Lewis and Clark Lake. We offer units large enough for boats, jet skis, and all the gear that goes with them.

Reserve your unit today before the spring rush hits. Lake season is closer than you think, and the best units go fast.

Contact us if you need help figuring out the right size for your setup — we’re happy to walk you through it.