Big Bend (Ok)

Canton Lake is located in west Oklahoma on the North Canadian River, 2 miles north of the town of Canton. This man-made lake offers extensive opportunity for outdoor recreational activities. Canton Lake plays host to a large number of campers, picnickers, boaters, fishermen, and hunters every year. It is one of the few places that offers these types of recreational opportunities in western Oklahoma. Its gently sloping sandy beach is an open invitation for swimming and sunbathing. Water skiing is popular on the broad expanse of water paralleling the dam where winds are subdued. Services and supplies are available on access roads leading to project areas and at the commercial concession on the lake. The Corps of Engineers operates five multi-use recreation areas that offer a combination of overnight camping and day-use opportunities to the visiting public. Sightseers may view the lake from the 2.5 mile stretch of State Highway 58A which crosses over Canton Dam. Three parking areas/pullouts with fishing jetties are located on the dam. Other features include a nature trail, overlook visitor center, outdoor amphitheater, scenic drive, and active prairie dog town. Canton Lake is Oklahoma's leading fisherman's paradise. It provides several species of fish, including crappie, white bass, hybrid bass, channel catfish, and largemouth bass. Canton is most widely known for an abundance of walleye and has become the primary source of walleye eggs used to stock other Oklahoma lakes. Canton Lake hosts an annual Walleye Rodeo fishing derby during the month of May. A major attraction for the hunter is the 14,862-acre public hunting area managed by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. This area primarily offers hunting for bobwhite quail, deer, waterfowl, squirrel, wild turkey, and dove, and is open all year.