Bloemhof Dam sits on the Vaal River at the confluence with the Vet River, straddling the border between North West and Free State provinces, approximately 300 km southwest of Johannesburg and 150 km northeast of Kimberley. Completed in 1970, the dam wall stretches 4,270 metres and the reservoir holds over 1.2 billion cubic metres of water across a surface area of roughly 2,226 hectares, though the broader reserve area is put at up to 25,000 hectares. A defining characteristic of the reservoir is its notably shallow depth relative to its large surface area, which shapes the paddling experience considerably.

The dam is open to all water sports, and powerboat launching facilities are available at both the Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve on the North West side and the Sandveld Nature Reserve on the Free State side. Paddlers using kayaks and canoes share the water with powerboats and jet skis, which is worth factoring into trip planning, particularly during summer when the dam draws the largest crowds. The dam is described as a popular summertime destination for boating, jet skiing, canoeing, and yachting.

For those interested in exploring further, the upper reaches of the reservoir extend toward where the Vaal River and Vet River feed in. One forum account notes a run of over 40 km from the Sandveld launch point to reach the upper Vaal River inlet area, while the Vet River arm offers shallower flats with drop-offs. Much of the surrounding shoreline is private land with limited public access beyond the two nature reserves.

The surrounding reserves support over 250 bird species including rare waterfowl, making birdwatching a natural complement to time on the water. Wildlife in the adjacent conservancy includes Black Wildebeest, Springbok, Eland, Gemsbok, Giraffe, and Rhino. The dam is also a well-known angling destination, with carp, catfish (barbel), grass carp, and indigenous yellowfish present in the water, so paddlers should expect to share the dam with fishing activity from both bank and boat anglers.