Broken Bow OK Camping

[TexasATM]

Does anyone here have any leads on camping on Broken Bow Lake in OK? I've heard that the lake is awesome and we're looking for an adventure this summer. I've found a couple of state parks, but I'm looking for some first hand experience/advice on where to camp. I'd love to have a site right on the lake so that we can just walk out of the camper into the water, but am not familiar with the parks or lake enough to know if that is possible.

Based on Google, Hochatown and Beaver's Bend are the two state parks nearby. Anyone out there have experience with these locations? Let me know!

Thanks!

[TexasATM]

Well, looks like Beaver's Bend is closed and I'll have to pick a new destination. Does anyone have any experience with Arrowhead state park or Lake Murray state park?

[wbrown62]

I usually go up SH 37 to near Idabel then take the 70 bypass north at the 4 way stop sign. This will take you around to Hwy 70 north to Broken Bow. Not sure where it would be best for you to hit 37. Don't know if your taking I-30 east or going up through Paris. If I-30, you will hit SH 37 at Mt Vernon. BTW, no need to stop at the office when you enter the park. Probably no room to park anyway if you have a large rig. You can continue right on around to the camp loop. The reservable will be the first loop you come to. First come first served is beyond the reservable section past the tennis courts. Good luck and have fun!

Also, when you pass the park office, there will be a 3-way stop adjacent to the office. Continue on straight to get to your area of the park. If you turn left, you will miss the RV loops. Come to think of it, there may be a few RV camp spots in the other section of park, but really not sure. Its been a while. Sorry.

[armadillo_17]

Checkout Cedar Lake some 30 miles north of Broken Bow. It is a national Forest Service campground. Nice fishing and swimming
lake. Water and electric.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Ok. Never heard of a GPS routing someone on that road, but one of the first things I learned about a GPS is to NEVER set it for 'Shortest Distance' routing - that will take you down all sorts of unsuitable roads to save less than a mile of travel distance.

[TexasATM]

She was talking about FM195 between Paris and Idabel. She suggested taking 82 over to Clarksville and 37 up to Idabel. I could also take 271 up from Paris to 70 and then head east. Either one of those routes is the same distance.

[Mountain_Mama]

One thing you may want to check on once you get there if you happen not to like yoursite in the reserved area. We checked with other campers in the non reservable sites to see when they were leaving. We found a site we liked better and ask them if it was okay to come over early the morning they were going to leave & put a small tent on it. We told the host in the reserved area that we were going to move & it wax not a problem. There are some sites in the reserved area that are desirable but we didn't get one. Talk to the hosts at both areas about the best way to work this out if you choose to do so. You must have a small tent to hold the spot.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Once I get into Oklahoma - I just follow US-70 east. Neither my Garmin nor my Rand-McNally have tried to send me down a dirt road.

The maps show a 'US-70 Bypass' across north of Idabel - which apparently isn't the route the bypass actually took. Since the state highway department has never corrected their data, it appears on the GPS.

Or she may be talking about FM-37 in Texas from Clarksville to Idabel. Which is a fine road to travel on with an RV - at least it was about 18 months ago when I last drove it.

As far as getting to Oklahoma - you probably know the DFW freeway system - and the construction on US-380 between Decatur and Denton, also in Farmersville, and the couple dozen stoplights between Denton and McKinney.

You can go up to US-82 and over to Paris, or through the metroplex and out I-30 to Greenville / Commerce and up TX-24 / TX-19 to Paris and US-271 to Hugo, OK.

[TexasATM]

wbrown62 wrote:
Only a small section of BB is reservable. It is a loop next to the river that flows out of the lake. You may or may not get a site next to water. The best sites are non reservable and are first come first served and people go to great pains to "save" the primo sites next to water. They will get there a few days early and pitch an empty tent on a nice site next door that is never used other than to hold the site for a buddy. Shouldnt be allowed IMHO.

I reserved a spot; won't know which one until we get there, I suppose. I noticed that only a small loop is reservable. We're going on Sunday, so maybe we'll get lucky and find a better first come first serve spot. Either way, we'll have a good time, but it's always a little bit better when you've got a good spot!

We'll be coming from Ft. Worth; any advice on routes? The lady at the campground said to disregard the GPS because it wants to take you down a farm road between Paris and Idabel. Avoiding that road only adds 15 miles to the trip, but backroads don't usually bother me. Anyone ever taken that route with a large camper?

Thanks for the pictures! The place looks awesome.

[Trlrboy]

Here is a link to a pile of pictures we took a short while ago at Beavers Bend SP when we were there with a bunch of friends. Also, we drove through Hochatown SP and thought Beavers Bend was much better.

Beavers Bend pics

[wbrown62]

Only a small section of BB is reservable. It is a loop next to the river that flows out of the lake. You may or may not get a site next to water. The best sites are non reservable and are first come first served and people go to great pains to "save" the primo sites next to water. They will get there a few days early and pitch an empty tent on a nice site next door that is never used other than to hold the site for a buddy. Shouldnt be allowed IMHO.

I have driven through Hochatown and it is a nice park. Can't remember if there are water side sites. Seems like there may be a few in spots, but can't be certain. Again, I think first come first served there as well.

I love Beavers Bend and have been going there for years.

[patperry2766]

Lake Catherine SP Arkansas

I have never been to Broken Bow, but I have been to Lake Catherine in Arkansas. From Ft Worth, it's really not that much further of a drive. We were really impressed with the park, and sites #26-70 have good waterfront access. The marina rents pontoon boats and there is a really nice swim beach there at the park.

[TexasATM]

Excellent feedback! Thanks for the info. I'll look into getting a reservation shortly for Beaver Bend!

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Beaver Bend above the dam water outlet is great for floating and swimming the Elm, Fern and Hickory camping areas on the map.

Beaver Bend Map

Below the powerhouse, the river alongside the Acorn and Buckeye camping areas (and Cypress) and the Cabin area are marked as 'No swimming' down to the low water dam (as of about 18 months ago my last visit) - but I've seen people in the water there in the past.

The two RV campgrounds at Hochatown SP are not located on the water. There is a big swim beach along the dispersed tent camping area. I've seen a few small TT/ popups dry camping in those sites in the past.

There are no other campgrounds on the lake.

Hochatown Map

Broken Bow is a 'relatively' new lake - I remember visiting the year it was filling up - late 60s.

It is an incredibly beautiful area - and worth the visit. Even with no lakeside camping sites.

One recommendation - take a motorhome/ RV in via the north Route 259A access - not the south. Yes, it is a big downgrade to Big Bend from the top of the dam - but a wide road. The south road is also a steep downgrade - on a narrow curvy road with almost no shoulders.

[TexasATM]

Thanks for the info. Is there swimming, etc, at Beaver's Bend?