A recent family gathering at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort in Grove, OK made for a wonderful couple of weekend getaways. Enjoy the photos and stories of the trips!
After a particularly stressful couple of weeks at work, escaping to spend time at the lake with my family did me a lot of good. I’ve been meaning to post more photo and travel-style blogs, so I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to start!
Why Lee’s Grand Lake Resort?
My family used to have a tradition of going to Grove, OK every spring. We’d rent some cabins, get together and enjoy some crappie fishing and family time. Eventually, the place we always went to was sold and we stopped going for a time. I actually can’t remember when the last time I went was.
Last year, my dad, aunt, and uncle came to visit us in Arkansas. They found Lee’s Grand Lake Resort and booked a short stay there after they left Arkansas. It ended up working out rather well, being as it’s only about an hour’s drive away and the place had most of what we wanted out of a Grove trip.
The campsites had full hookups for the RV owners in the family. Some of us stayed in the cabins available to rent as well. None of us have a boat, so being able to access the bank of the lake and/or fish off of the boat docks was also great.
However, Lee’s Grand Lake Resort has apparently changed ownership several times over the last few years and needs some work. Luckily, the new owners seem to be getting on top of it and are putting in the steps to get things up to speed again.
Fishing at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort
Of course, a large part of our going to Grove in spring is the crappie fishing. We all know crappie make for great eating, and if you time the spawn right, fishing for them is a blast! While we didn’t catch the spawn this year, we still had decent fishing and a great time.
We ended up catching a handful of nice crappie in the 12-13″ range, a couple just over the 10″ size limit, and quite a few smaller ones. Aside from that, my dad, aunt, and uncle all ended up catching several catfish as well. All said and done, we had enough to make for a fish fry.
The old docks at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort have seen better days, but they’re still serving their purpose. We’re looking forward to next year, though. My aunt overheard the owner talking with someone about all the repairs they’re looking to make, so hopefully the docks and stairs down to them are much less sketchy next year!
A beautiful location
Of course, the photographer in me was excited about the change of scenery. I pretty much always have a camera with me, and these weekends were no exception. The drive to Grove from NW Arkansas was beautiful. By the time I arrived, I was excited to start photographing.
As you can see, the views from the docks at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort are excellent. Unfortunately, there aren’t many areas to view the lake from above unless you’re in one of the cabins that overlook the lake. However, the views that are accessible are still nice.
Another cool thing about visiting in the spring is the flowers. The resort and surrounding properties were absolutely covered in beautiful, blooming Iris flowers. There were more varieties in color than I have ever seen in one place.
Birding
Between fishing and hanging out with the family, I enjoyed bird-watching from the campsite. While I only got photos of a couple of species, we saw several more over the weekend. From sparrows and robins to hawks, hummingbirds, gulls, shorebirds, and more, I saw quite a few!
Although I didn’t get the best photos of it, I did see several different examples of a new to me bird, as well. The Prothonotary Warbler (above) is a bird in population decline that is normally seen in wetlands and swamps. I guess with Grand Lake being what it is, it is a great place to spot them!
Night Photography
I had some hope that Lee’s Grand Lake Resort being right on the lake would mean nice, dark skies. Unfortunately, there’s enough infrastructure surrounding the lake that light pollution is an issue if you’re after astrophotography.
However, the docks do make a nice subject in the evening. I also lucked out with a crazy full moon rise the second weekend I visited. It came up full and red, slightly masked by thin clouds. I wish I had brought my tripod and long lens down to the docks with me then!
The camping experience
Of course, half the fun of staying somewhere like Lee’s Grand Lake Resort is camping. My dad and aunt and uncle brought their RVs and I got to crash on my dad’s couch bed. Nothing out there beats a camping trip with the family!
We had a cookout the first weekend when more people were around. Burgers, hot dogs, and all the fixins were present. We even had a small campfire to gather ’round. While having the RVs brought a lot of creature comforts, the essence of spending time with family in a cool place was still in full effect.
It’s also worth noting that the campground is pet friendly. My cousins brought their two dogs (pictured above) and several other campers had theirs as well. While I was there, everyone was responsible for their pets and kept them in control. Other than some slightly loud neighbors (who were nice enough and thankfully didn’t keep it up too late into the night), it was quite a pleasant place to camp.
Lee’s Grand Lake Resort – A nice weekend escape
Overall, the two weekends I got to spend at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort made for an excellent escape from the week. If you haven’t picked up on it, I dearly cherish and value the time spent with my family. Getting to spend that time at a relaxing campground on the lake certainly adds even more appeal.
Not only that, but I also got several keeper photos from the trip. A few might even be portfolio worthy. Also, getting to catch a few nice crappies was a lot of fun. Hopefully, when we return next year, the new owners will have made some nice improvements to the campground and its amenities. Some of the stuff, like the docks, was pretty run down. However, it’s hard to judge them too harshly, since the new owner hasn’t been in possession of the property long.
In the end, it was a great pair of weekends and I’m grateful for them. Do you have any similar family traditions? Ever been to Grand Lake and have some crappie fishing tips for me? Leave ’em in the comments below!
Gear used (Amazon Affiliate links):