In the northeastern corner of Oklahoma, the Grand River carves a path through the lower region of the Neosho River that originates in the tallgrass prairies of eastern Kansas. This portion of the waterway begins at the confluence of the Neosho and Spring Rivers in Ottawa County near Miami and flows southward to its confluence with the Arkansas River east of Muskogee. The area of convergence of the three rivers Arkansas, Verdigris and Neosho is known as "Three Forks."

Historically, the Grand River was deep and swift-moving, but it has been modified by the construction of three reservoirs: Grand Lake, Hudson Reservoir and Fort Gibson Reservoir. From sandhill cranes to many species of fish including paddlefish, blue catfish and largemouth bass, the river area teems with a variety of wildlife. Grand, Hudson and Fort Gibson lakes are all part of the Grand River system that provides anglers with some of the best paddlefishing in the world.