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Lake Oahe

Fort Yates, North Dakota — Emmons County.

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129,903Surface acres (whole lake)
17Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 145470593); shared with South Dakota, acreage is the whole lake.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Lake Oahe, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Oahe is in North Dakota

The red circle marks Lake Oahe.

Fast facts

About Lake Oahe

  • Counties: Emmons, Sioux, Morton
  • City or town on the shore: Fort Yates
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: South Dakota. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 38% of the mapped water is in North Dakota.
  • Distance: about 55 mi from Bismarck and 156 mi from Minot, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (North Dakota: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in North Dakota

Official NDGF pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 17 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Camping. 12 campgrounds within 15 mi, 4 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Lake Oahe shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Beaver Creek Recreation Area (campground)Hazelton Recreation Area (campground)General Sibley City Park (campground)Grand River Casino Campground (campground)Country Cabins RV Park (campground)Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park Campground (campground)Beaver Creek Low water Boat Ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Boat ramp (Boat launch)7Boat ramp (Boat launch)8Boat ramp (Boat launch)9Boat ramp (Boat launch)10Cattail Bay Boat Ramp (Boat launch)11Fort Rice Boat Ramp (Boat launch)12Hazelton Boat Ramp (Boat launch)13Kimball Bottoms Boat Ramp (Boat launch)14Little Heart Boat Ramp (Boat launch)15North Low Water Boat Ramp (Boat launch)16SE Beaver Creek Boat Ramp (Boat launch)171 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch Campground
  1. 1Beaver Creek Low water Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  7. 7Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  8. 8Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  9. 9Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  10. 10Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  11. 11Cattail Bay Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  12. 12Fort Rice Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  13. 13Hazelton Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  14. 14Kimball Bottoms Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  15. 15Little Heart Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  16. 16North Low Water Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  17. 17SE Beaver Creek Boat Ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 145470593), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Lake Oahe

We found 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Oahe, 7 of them within 5 miles. 4 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

6 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in North Dakota

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (46.0242, -100.5862). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Oahe. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Lake Oahe

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    17 public access sites listed, 17 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Beaver Creek Low water Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.2491, -100.5349
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.1083, -100.5856
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.1467, -100.6061
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.1025, -100.6281
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating45.4540, -100.3039
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.2681, -100.5803
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.6732, -100.6348
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating45.9784, -100.4996
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.2509, -100.5386
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.7415, -100.7817
    Cattail Bay Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.0956, -100.5909
    Fort Rice Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.5057, -100.5841
    Hazelton Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.5272, -100.5423
    Kimball Bottoms Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.6787, -100.7337
    Little Heart Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.6845, -100.7811
    North Low Water Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.2925, -100.5668
    SE Beaver Creek Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.2417, -100.5206

    OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lake Oahe

    How big is Lake Oahe?

    Lake Oahe covers about 129,903 acres in Fort Yates, North Dakota (Emmons County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Oahe?

    Yes. 17 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Cattail Bay Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lake Oahe?

    Yes. We list 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 7 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Oahe?

    Lake Oahe touches Fort Yates in Emmons County, Sioux County and Morton County, North Dakota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Oahe? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All North Dakota lakes & ponds · All waters in Fort Yates