Recreation brochure
Corps Program Results Bring Value to the Nation
Click on Fast Facts to find a Corps lake near you!

Recreational Facilities

The Army Corps of Engineers is the largest federal provider of outdoor recreation in the nation, hosting about 370 million visitors a year. Our lakes and parks have something for everyone including:

Fishing and boating. We host 33 percent of all freshwater lake fishing in the U.S. and 15 percent of freshwater boating. Our lakes include 3,500 boat launch ramps. We also sponsor 200,000 fishing tournaments every year and use lake management techniques to increase healthy fish populations.

  • Camping. About 90,000 campsites are available at Corp properties (80 percent of our lakes are located within 50 miles of a large U.S. city).
  • Hiking. Corps parks include 4,300 miles of trails, ideal for hiking and observing wildlife.
  • Other activities. We offer a wide range of non-traditional recreational opportunities at many of our lakes including snorkeling, windsurfing, whitewater rafting and mountain biking.
  • Special events. Corps parks are home to an array of special events, including sailing regattas, arts and crafts festivals and scouting activities.

We are committed to making Corps properties accessible to all Americans. Many trails, piers and campsites are universally accessible and a number of our sites sponsor assisted hunting and fishing events, such as the Paralyzed Veterans of America's National Bass Trail tournaments.

A trip to a Corps lake also is a great way to strengthen family ties and help children learn to appreciate nature, develop interpersonal skills, get exercise, and build self-esteem. Many of our sites offer educational programs on topics like water recreation safety, fish and wildlife species and cultural and historical resources.

Come see for yourself what is drawing one out of every 10 Americans to a Corps lake!

For detailed information about specific Corps lakes, visit www.CorpsLakes.us.

Or to reserve a campsite at a Corps property, visit www.reserveusa.com.

View our recreation brochure (PDF, 442KB).

Fast Facts

revised 11 Jan 2008

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