Milford Lake

Milford Lake is a reservoir on the Republican River in Geary, Clay, and Dickinson counties, built and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers under the Flood Control Act of 1954. Dam construction began in 1962, impoundment started January 1967, and the lake reached its multipurpose pool that July, with a dedication ceremony in May 1968. At roughly 15,700 surface acres and more than 160 miles of shoreline, it's the largest lake in Kansas, sitting just northwest of Junction City and adjacent to the U.S. Army's Fort Riley. It was built primarily for flood control after the damaging 1951 Republican River flood, and today the lake is known regionally for walleye, crappie, white bass, wiper, catfish, and largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing, hosting national-level tournaments including a B.A.S.S. Federation National Championship and an In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail National Championship. Milford State Park, on the lake's southeast shore, adds camping, cabins, and over 12 miles of trails. Fort Riley Marina, though genuinely on the lake, is restricted to military-affiliated patrons and isn't a general-public option — Milford State Park Marina and Acorns Resort carry the lake's public boat access instead.