There is no single best time to visit Grand Lake. It depends on what you are coming for. Here is how the year looks from Langley, at the south end of the lake by the Pensacola Dam.
Winter: eagles and quiet
From mid-December to March, bald eagles gather below the Pensacola Dam to hunt, and now and then a golden eagle joins them. Early mornings in January and February are the best time to see them from GRDA’s Eagle Pass viewing area. Winter is also the quietest time in town.
Spring: white bass and Big Meat Run
Spring is prime fishing season. ODWC says March through late April are usually the peak months for the white bass spawning runs, and spring into early summer is a strong time for the lake as a whole.
March also brings the biggest crowd of the year: Sumners Big Meat Run, a full week of rock crawling and racing in Disney built around the third weekend of the month. Lodging fills up fast, so book early if you want that week, or avoid it if you want quiet.
Summer: swimming, boating and July 3 fireworks
Summer is lake season. The Cherokee Area of Grand Lake State Park has a swimming beach and a lighted boat ramp just below the dam, and the creek at the Little Blue Area is shallow enough for small kids.
Around the Fourth, the Grand Lake Fireworks light up the sky between the two spillways of the dam on July 3, starting at dusk. The show is free, and our stays are a short drive from the dam.
Fall: Rocktoberfest and cooler riding
In October the off-road crowd comes back to the rock-crawling area below the dam for Rocktoberfest, a full weekend of climbing and crawling. Cooler evenings are made for the fireplace at the Casita.
