Oakes is located in southeastern North Dakota in Dickey County about 80 miles west of Wahpeton and 70 miles south of Valley City overlooking the James River.
The rural town is situated in the middle of a sportsman's paradise with its huge population of pheasants and trophy buck mule and whitetail deer. Add to that the Oakes Country Club for golfers and Lake Lamoure, about 20 miles northwest of town, and the recreational opportunities are boundless. The Country Club is a semi-private facility with an open guest policy featuring a 9-hole, par 36, 3,000-yard layout.