Grand Lake O' the Cherokees

Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is situated in Northeast Oklahoma, nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountain Range. The "o'" in the name of the lake stands for of not over. Grand Lake Of the Cherokees is the official name. It is often simply called Grand Lake. It is administered by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA).

Grand Lake has a surface area of 46,500 acres of water and 1,300 miles of shoreline. Unlike other lakes in Oklahoma, Grand Lake is a deep and mostly rocky lake. Its mean elevation is 742 ft above sea level. In recent years, low fall elevations of 741 were kept by the GRDA to allow millet seeding for migratory waterfowl, resulting in conflict between property owners, environmentalists, and federal agencies. While not expressly built for flood control, Grand Lake contributes to the flood-prone Arkansas River watershed. The Army Corps of Engineers controls releases into the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System when lake levels exceed 745 feet, although locking into Grand Lake is not possible. Grand Lake and its neighbor, Lake Hudson (also managed by the GRDA), are the only two major lakes in the state where one can build directly on the waterfront.

The lake is a popular destination for entertainment in the Green Country region. There are a number of shows in the area, as well as resorts, and a tour boat called the Cherokee Queen, which has been in operation since the 1940s. Consistently ranked among the top bass fishing lakes in the United States, Grand also houses a wide variety of other sport and non-sport fishing. Due to its NE to SW orientation, it attracts sailboaters from across the country as well.