Dead Warrior Lake, sometimes known by its prior name of Dead Indian Lake,[1][2][3] is located about 3 miles south of Roll, Oklahoma,[4] and 11 miles north of Cheyenne in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma, on US Route 283.[3] The lake and the adjacent Black Kettle Recreation Area[5] are all part of the Black Kettle National Grassland,[6][7] which is managed by the Cibola National Forest.[8]

The lake is about 80 acres in size.[3] Popular species of fish caught here include flathead catfish, black drum, and blue catfish.[9] The surroundings include amenities such as picnic tables, fireplaces, fishing piers, a boat ramp, docks, and a nature trail.[3] Primitive camp sites are also available.[3]

Dead Warrior Creek

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A watercourse called at that time Dead Indian Creek was dammed in the 1950s to create the lake, and the Dead Indian Lake name followed.[2] Early settlers in the area gave the creek that name after discovering a Cheyenne burial site.[2] Both the creek and the lake were rechristened in June 2006 to use the "Dead Warrior" name.[2] This came about by a decision of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names which resolved almost a decade of controversy about whether the prior titles were offensive to Native Americans.[2] The creek starts west-southwest of Roll,[10] and proceeds generally southeast[11] before becoming a tributary of the Washita River west-northwest of Strong City, Oklahoma.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Dead Warrior Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Dead Warrior Lake christened". Josh Rabe, The Oklahoman, November 4, 2006. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Blackkettle National Grasslands". Cheyenne Roger Mills Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Roll, Oklahoma to Dead Warrior Lake". Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Dead Indian Lake". Google Maps. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  6. ^ "Grassland Information". US National Forest Campground Guide. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  7. ^ "Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands". Forest Service. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  8. ^ "Cibola National Forest Homepage". US Forest Service. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  9. ^ "Fishing in Dead Warrior Lake". Fishbrain. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "Roll, Oklahoma". Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  11. ^ "Dead Indian Creek, Oklahoma". Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Strong City, Oklahoma". Google Maps. Retrieved December 20, 2021.

35°44′53″N 99°43′05″W / 35.748°N 99.718°W / 35.748; -99.718