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Quick Facts

Within the Northwestern Division, recreation areas include:

64 lakes
781 recreation sites
55 visitor centers
515 boat ramps
9,508 campsites/ 430 group campsites
11,550 miles of lake shoreline

Boat on the Water

A boat pulls a tuber on a U.S Army Corps of Engineers lake.

Camp host volunteers help keep USACE camping areas welcoming.

Shirley and John Houser, former camp host volunteers at Swallows Park in Clarkston, sitting in a utility vehicle.

A man wearing jeans, a tshirt and a baseball cap sitting in a folding chair with one leg resting on a cooler fishes from the bank of Fort Peck Lake in Montana.

A recreator fishes from the bank of Fort Peck Lake in Montana

A recreator fishes from the bank of Fort Peck Lake in Montana June 19, 2024. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District manages more than 235 parks and recreation areas, over 400,000 acres of public lands, and more than one million acres of water surface areas.

Luke Johnson, a local area youth, demonstrates the proper wear of a personal flotation device while water skiing on Keystone Lake, Okla., Aug. 26, 2018. Anyone being towed by a watercraft on skis, wake boards or similar devices is required by law to wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved PFD. Operated and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Keystone Lake is located on the Arkansas River, approximately 15 miles west of Tulsa, Okla. Visitors to the lake who lose or forget to bring a PFD are encouraged to use life jacket loaner stations found at most beaches and recreation sites around the lake. If loaner vests are not available, visitors are encouraged to contact the nearest Park Ranger or gate attendant for assistance.

Water skiing is welcomed at USACE recreation areas. Life jackets save lives.

A young water skiier demonstrates the proper wear of a personal flotation device. Anyone being towed by a watercraft on skis, wake boards or similar devices is required by law to wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved PFD.

A picture of a man fishing from a kayak near John Day Lock and Dam.

A kayaker on the water nar John Day Lock and Dam

A kayaker enjoys a crisp autumn day on the water near John Day Lock and Dam, fishing.

A man manuevers his kayak in a river with a paddle.

Ed Conning kayaking

Ed Conning navigates his way down a slalom course. He was a water safety advocate, understood the importance of personal floatation devices and knew the dangers associated with water-based sports.

Woman on the left-side of picture holds phone to record conversation with man on right-side of image.

Tom Conning promotes water safety

Tom Conning (right), Northwestern Division public affairs specialist, talks about water safety to a journalist, during a boat tour on the Willamette River in Oregon. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is among the largest providers of water-based outdoor recreation in the nation making water safety and life jacket wear a frequent education topic, especially during the summer.

Recreation

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is among the largest providers of water-based outdoor recreation in the nation.

The Northwestern Division has several lake and river projects providing diverse recreational opportunities.

Visitors of all ages can enjoy traditional activities like hiking, boating, fishing, camping and hunting, and for those slightly more adventurous there is snorkeling, windsurfing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking and geo-caching. Regardless of your favorite outdoor activity one thing is certain, recreation enriches people's lives. A visit to an Army Corps of Engineers' recreation area can strengthen family ties and friendships; create unforgettable memories and connect people to nature that will last a lifetime.

Quick Facts

Recreation

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