Applegate Cove Marina - Oklahoma's Outlet to the Sea

Hello friends and neighbors. It is finally boating time again and many things have changed at Applegate Cove Marina. Over the course of the past several months many of our friends and patrons have cast off their dock lines and headed down river. We miss them terribly and hope they make return visits as often and soon as possible. Looking forward, we are pleased to welcome the fresh faces which have decided to make Applegate Cove Marina their new home and would like to encourage everyone to stop by and introduce yourself to your new neighbors. Along with all the fresh faces, we are pleased to announce the new and completely remodeled Store and Service Dock. Please stop by and have a look. Bob (or someone) will be delighted to give you the Nichol tour. We are very proud of this new addition and along with other recently completed projects (15,000 board feet of new decking on the docks and refurbishing the exterior of the Floating Cabin), the Marina is looking quite spiffy!

Memorial Weekend has come and gone and a great time was had by all in attendance. The next major events for area boaters is the Fort Smith River Front Blues Fest (June 20-21) and the July 4th Celebration (Friday July 4th). We look forward to seeing you on the water and be sure and let us know if we can be of any assistance in your boating needs.

Our New Look!

Background Information

Applegate Cove Marina is a full service marina providing boaters on Kerr Lake and the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) with fuel, marine maintenance and marine supplies. Our Facilities are located 8 miles south of Sallisaw, Oklahoma on U.S. Highway 59, and then 3 miles west via a paved county road (see map). Our location on the MKARNS is Mile Marker 340, or 340 miles upstream from the Mississippi River and via the Mississippi 599 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.

Applegate Marina is just a 15 minute drive south of Interstate 40 which allows high speed access to Oklahoma City (165 miles), Tulsa (90 miles), Little Rock (165 miles) and the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex (266 miles). Additionally, airports in Sallisaw, Fort Smith, AR, and Tulsa, OK provide cruisers with access to air transportation when needed.

We pride ourselves on being "Oklahoma's Outlet to the Sea" and have had the pleasure of assisting untold numbers of cruisers in preparing their vessels for the trip downstream. We service both power and sailing vessels, and as you can tell when visiting our Marine Services page, we offer a wide array of services to aid the yachtsman in preparing for or recovering from their river journey.

Kerr Lake was formed by an impoundment on the Arkansas River south of Sallisaw. It serves as a pool elevation lake for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS), helping to ensure navigable water levels downstream. The Arkansas River Historical Society maintains a web site that provides a brief, yet informative, history of the river and the surrounding areas and is worth the visit. Additionally, they provide a historical reference for the construction of the navigation system. The thumbnails below show commercial river traffic and pictures from the 1971 inaugural flotilla and 25th anniversary flotilla respectively.

Tenants and cruisers will find an area steeped in history, Native American culture, wildlife sanctuaries, and scenic beauty. Attractions such as, "Hangin Judge Parker's" courthouse in Fort Smith , historic downtown Van Buren, the Cherokee National Capitol in Tahlequah, are but a few of the locations available for the cruiser to while away the hours. Fort Smith and Van Buren are an easy day's run via the navigation channel, and cruisers will find a variety of events sponsored by the City of Fort Smith including a 4th of July fireworks display, The Riverfront Blues Festival, and other events held on the river front. There is an excellent anchorage just across the channel from the river park, and the City of Fort Smith is in the process of completing a four million dollar riverfront upgrade project. The Cherokee Capitol and Heritage site in Tahlequah are an hour away via ground transportation, and for cruisers interested in Native American History, well worth the drive.

Geographically speaking, Kerr Lake is located in the broad Arkansas River plain. The Cookson Hills of eastern Oklahoma rise to the north, and extend to the northeast forming the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. While to the south, the Ouachitas rise up from the plain to form the largest expanse of southern forest (over 1 million acres) in the National Forest Service inventory . Both mountain ranges, at some point or another, play tag with the banks of the Arkansas River to provide a backdrop idyllic for cruisers. Whether one choices a fall foliage trip or spring time blossoms, the peace and serenity found along the banks of the river are unparalleled. Bird watcher's need to keep a sharp eye for eagles and osprey as the ply the local waters. In winter, thousands of geese arrive from the north and are easily viewed along your route. Many boaters have come to think of the lake and its secluded coves as their private reserve. For the outdoorsman, the lake and river provide ample fishing, with plenty of local knowledge to show you how to catch the big one.

Lodging

On those occasions when you are expecting more guests than the boat can accommodate , or a large family gathering, or simply a weekend on the water without "roughing it", we invite you to stay in our beautiful lake front cottage. Actually, it's "ON" the lake, and sleeps six adults in three queens size beds (linens furnished*). The galley comes fully equipped and the Gas BBQ grill on deck awaits your favorite summertime fare.

* While there is ample room for additional guests, linens are only furnished for six.

As you can see in the above pictures, the cottage offers immediate water access. Just pull your boat along side, and load or unload passengers, lunches, and gear. After your day on the water, secure your dock lines, and relax in air conditioned comfort, and if mother nature allows, you'll enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets anywhere. Reservations are not required but are probably a good idea, and we have provided an Comment/Inquiry form to aid you in this process or just call the number listed below.

For the more adventurous, there are three Corps of Engineer campgrounds on Kerr Lake, one of which is just around the corner (and even named Applegate Cove CG). These sites include full hook for RV's, as well as, tent sites. For those who are not aware, the Corps has gone to a reservation system for camp sites, and this can be done online by accessing the Corps of Engineers Reservation page. In addition to the Corps' sites, Lakeside RV Park is located 7 miles south of Sallisaw on U.S. Highway 59 (and only minutes from the marina) and is a Coast to Coast Campground Affiliate. Clean and well maintained, Lakeside offers excellent access to the lake and the river. It even has a large pool for guests.

So whether you are just passing through en-route to southern climes, or looking for a home marina that offers un-crowded cruising grounds with unlimited travel possibilities, the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, and Applegate Marina meets your needs. Thank you for stopping by our site, and we hope you continue to browse our other pages. We welcome your comments and feedback and look forward to serving your marine needs in the future. Thanks again for dropping the hook at our site.

Enjoy your boating activities. Be happy, be safe and be courteous.

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