Lake Ashtabula, North Dakota, USA

Lake Ashtabula is located among the gentle rolling prairies of southeastern North Dakota. Stretching 27 miles along the Sheyenne River, Lake Ashtabula offers visitors a wide range of recreation opportunities year round, including fishing, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing, boating, camping, swimming and picnicking. Lake Ashtabula was created by the construction of Baldhill Dam on the Sheyenne River. The Sheyenne is the largest river in North Dakota that is…
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    • All About Lake Ashtabula, ND

    Lake Locations: USA - US Midwest Region - North Dakota - Southeast Region, ND -

    Lake Ashtabula is located among the gentle rolling prairies of southeastern North Dakota. Stretching 27 miles along the Sheyenne River, Lake Ashtabula offers visitors a wide range of recreation opportunities year round, including fishing, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing, boating, camping, swimming and picnicking.

    Lake Ashtabula was created by the construction of Baldhill Dam on the Sheyenne River. The Sheyenne is the largest river in North Dakota that is entirely contained within the state’s boundaries. Authorized by Congress in 1944, Baldhill Dam was constructed to stabilize flows on the Sheyenne River. Completed in 1951, Baldhill Dam provides stable water supply, flood abatement, wildlife habitat and recreation. Additional modifications to the dam were made in later years.

    The entire 74 miles of shoreline of Lake Ashtabula are owned and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Along with maintaining the shoreline, the Corps operates seven recreational areas and 14 separate wildlife areas. The land surrounding the lake is a combination of prairie grassland, woodland and shrubbery which makes wildlife abundant. During the summer months large flocks of white pelicans can be spotted at the lake. The wildlife areas are open to the public for hunting. Visitors can contact the North Dakota Game and Fish Department for more information. Some of the animals in abundance are deer, pronghorn, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, prairie dog, rabbit, fox and mountain lion.

    Fishing is very popular on Lake Ashtabula. The Native American word “Ashtabula” means “Fish River”, and is an appropriate name for Lake Ashtabula. The lake has a large number of walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, black bullheads and white bass. North Dakota Game and Fish stocks Lake Ashtabula each year with fingerlings of walleye and northern pike as well as adult yellow perch.

    In addition to fishing and hunting, visitors enjoy camping, swimming, boating and cross-country skiing at the recreational areas. All four campgrounds at Lake Ashtabula offer trailer sites with electrical hookups as well as primitive tent sites. There are also three swimming areas around the lake, seven boat-launching ramps, and a number of playgrounds and picnic sites. Cross-country skiing is also available in the winter months at Eggert’s Landing and Mel Rieman recreational areas. The ski trails are groomed and maintained, weather permitting.

    Hiking is popular at Lake Ashtabula Lake. The lake offers 35 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trial (NCT), a 4,200 mile hiking trail that travels from Lake Sakakawea to Crown Point, New York. The NCT is a non-motorized trail that has segments reserved for hikers only and other segments that are open for horseback riding and biking.

    Visitors also enjoy the sites along the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway. The Scenic Byway is a 63-mile long motor route starting at Baldhill Dam and traveling south along the Sheyenne River to the town of Lisbon, North Dakota. There are 25 different interpretive stops along the way, which is a great way to enjoy the beauty of Lake Ashtabula.

    Whether you are in the mood for a day of fishing or just a relaxing drive, Lake Ashtabula offers activities the whole family will enjoy.

    Things to Do at Lake Ashtabula

    These are some activities in the Lake Ashtabula, ND area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Boating
    • Swimming
    • Camping
    • Campground
    • Picnicking
    • Hiking
    • Biking
    • Cross-Country Skiing
    • Snowmobiling
    • Horseback Riding
    • Hunting
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • Playground

    What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Ashtabula?

    Lake Ashtabula has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Northern Pike
    • Perch
    • Pike
    • Walleye
    • White Bass
    • Yellow Perch
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    Find Places to Stay at Lake Ashtabula

    If you’re considering a Lake Ashtabula lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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    More Sites to Book a Lake Ashtabula Vacation

    Our interactive Lake Ashtabula lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Lake Ashtabula Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

    Water Level Control: US Army Corps of Engineers

    Surface Area: 5,234 acres

    Shoreline Length: 73 miles

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 1,266 feet

    Minimum Elevation (Min Pond): 1,245 feet

    Maximum Elevation (Max Pond): 1,273 feet

    Average Depth: 14 feet

    Maximum Depth: 42 feet

    Water Volume: 70,573 acre-feet

    Completion Year: 1949

    Drainage Area: 4,138 sq. miles

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    Lake Water Level
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