The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the largest engineering organization in the world. It traces its origins back to the American Revolution when the Continental Congress established the Army. Since 1775, the Corps has had an ever-changing roll. Among many other things, they are one of the Nation's largest providers of outdoor recreation.

The Corps manages more than 11.5 million acres of land and water for natural resources and public recreation benefits. There are more than 460 projects (mostly lakes) nationwide with over 4,300 recreation areas. Projects offer everything from highly developed facilities to quiet, secluded areas for escaping the modern world. In our personal experiences, public recreation areas managed by the Corps have been some of the nicest to visit.