Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is located in the Ozark Mountains in northeastern corner of Oklahoma near the Kansas, Missouri, and Arkansas borders. A popular fishing, water sports, and recreation destination, the lake stretches for 66 miles and has 46,500 acres of water. The 1,300-mile shoreline is dotted with lakefront homes, condos, restaurants, and resorts.
In spring and summer the lake is full of personal watercraft and motorboats. Visitors enjoy parasailing, swimming, fishing, snorkeling, and water skiing. Crosswinds make Grand Lake a premiere sailing lake. More than 30 marinas offer boat rentals and chartered yachts for cruising the lake.
Fishing is serious business here. The lake hosts more than 400 fishing tournaments every year and visitors can try noodlin' for catfish or gigging. Outfitters and guides are available to assistant beginners and pros land crappie, bass, bluegill, spoonbill, and catfish. Enclosed and heated fishing docks provide year round comfort.
Restaurants, nightclubs, shops, and resorts drive the entertainment vibe on Monkey Island. Golf courses, horseback riding, bike trails, spas, and the Shangri-la Resort & Conference Center make this area the hub of recreation on the lake.
The towns around the lake cater to visitors with restaurant, shops, casinos, wineries, dance clubs, and live music shows. In Grove, the lake's biggest city, Sailboat Bridge offers views of the lake by foot, auto or bike. In September, Grove celebrates the annual migration of white pelicans with tours and lake cruises during the Pelican Festival. The Cherokee Queen riverboat-style paddlewheel cruisers, which dock at Grove, tour the lake on sightseeing and dinner cruises.
Pensacola Dam and the Grand River form the lake. Tours of the mile-long, multiple-arch dam are given throughout the summer. The rocky terrain at the base of the dam is a playground for 4 x 4 enthusiasts year round.
Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is 65 miles northeast of Tulsa, and 45 miles southwest of Joplin, Missouri. It is accessible via Interstate Highway 44 and U.S. Highways 59 and 60. Lodging opportunities around the lake include: bed & breakfasts, cabins, campgrounds, condos, hotel, motels, resorts, and RV parks.
