Kaw Lake

Kaw Lake is Nature’s Playground. 

Camping or picnicking…fishing or skiing….hunting or hiking….if it’s outdoors you can enjoy it at Kaw Lake in north-central Oklahoma.

A Corps of Engineers lake, Kaw Lake has 17,000 acres of water and 168 miles of shoreline with seven Corps campgrounds, 268 individual campsites and four group sites with bathrooms, picnic pavilions, showers, and dump stations.  You can make reservations on-line at www.recreation.gov.

Do you like to ski, tube, jet ski or just swim and play on the beach? Kaw Lake is large enough to accommodate these sports with wide-open spaces.

Two swim beaches provide ample opportunity for swimming and sunbathing. Sandy Beach at the south end of Kaw Lake just east of the dam is operated by the Corps of Engineers. Open from May1-September 30, admission is $1 per person or $4 a car load. Pioneer Cove Beach just east of Kaw City is operated by that community, open 24/7 and is free to the public.

Boating? If you are also camping there is no charge to put your boat in the water at Kaw Lake. Day boaters fee is $3 per day and payable by depositing your money in an envelope at one of the many boat ramps located throughout the lake. Keep the receipt to show if you are asked for it. Kaw Lake has two full-service marinas where you can also get gas, boat pumping station and snacks for the day on the lake. Need a boat? Contact the Pioneer Cove Marina in Kaw City at Pioneer Cove & Hideaway Marina at the south end near the dam for boats and tubes to rent with reservations recommended. Need a place to store your boat? There’s Schillbilly’s west of Kaw City on Hwy 11, Toy Storage on Morgan Square in Kaw City, Lakeview Boat & RV Storage, east of Ponca City near Kaw Dam, and Boat-n-Tote near Osage Cove Campground.

Nearby communities offer various museums, festivals, golf and shopping opportunities.