Acorn Campground — Beavers Bend State Park

We spent the night at Acorn Campground, spot 5, in June. Hot but shaded. Space by the river. There was a grill, a fire pit, and a picnic table. It was easy to find our campground in Beavers Bend State Park. The heritage building is a good landmark. Loud Sirens went off twice during the day. When in the camper, though, they sounded quieter, and you could probably sleep through it. Sirens are to let you know to get out of the water because they are releasing water from dam. Can't swim in the river by our campground, but there is a swimming area to the north. This campground is on the lower level of the river, but there was no need to panic or move to higher ground when the sirens went off, even though it had been raining on and off as well. I’d been a little worried about flooding after reading about the 2015 flood, but the river remained beautiful and tranquil, offering us a stunning view—and even a playful sighting of deer paddling in the water. We left some trash on the campsite hook, only to find it scattered when we woke up. While picking up the trash, I noticed animal prints on our truck and camper. I went to the trash site to dump the trash, and a raccoon was staring at me when I opened the lid. The park staff assured us raccoons are common in the trash, so get ready to be startled. Watch out for poison ivy near the electrical outlets—bring calamine lotion—and note that mosquitoes, spiders, ants, and ticks are present, so pack accordingly. Didn't see snakes. A leaf blower is handy for cleaning off the RV pad. Gravel around the cement pad would have been nice because when it rains, it gets muddy, and there is poison ivy in the areas where you will need to hook up the RV to the electrical. Our spot was steps away from clean, air-conditioned bathrooms and showers. There were regular bugs in them, but not too many. The nicest bathroom for a campsite that I have been in. The park staff was welcoming, and there’s plenty to do—hiking trails, canoe or paddleboat rentals, and even a train ride, which I highly recommend if you love deer, as they’re abundant. You can buy ice at the train station too. Pack a life vest if traveling with kids, and if they want to experience water activities. We had reliable AT&T cell service throughout the park, so I was able to use Apple and Google Maps wherever we went. However, printed maps as well, and picked up a map from the heritage center. It’s a memorable spot for nature lovers and adventurers alike. It was peaceful.

Really enjoyed the Acorn campground - south end of park. There are many to choose from in this large state park, but I would return here. Site was level with the usual amenities all in working order and not too close to neighbors. The river ran directly behind the site and I was entertained by an otter family and ducks daily. There is a water release siren that sounds occasionally and it is loud, but it doesn't happen frequently, or at night, at least not during my stay. 

Enjoyed the hiking in this park. Lots of great cleared trails. Often times I was the only hiker. A real gem is the COE access road that runs along the river past the spillway. If you walk far enough down you can view the real "wild" river with the islands of cypress trees and boulders creating eddies and the relaxing sounds of the river spilling over and around. 10 out of 10 stars

No Verizon service except at the nature center (definitely worth a visit especially if you have kiddos, and the ranger here is fantastic!!). You can jump on their wifi, or if I walked to the pavilion behind the store I could get one bar on my phone. Note off season store hours in photo. Not much in the store. The BBQ at the Lookout restaurant is the draw.

Beavers Bend State Park is a incredible beautiful state park hidden in the southeastern corner of the state. We planned our trip and reservation process on the TravelOK.com website which I highly recommend reserving in advance because this place fills up fast. We ended up reserving a premium RV site 5 in Acorn and our 5th wheel fit perfect. This site is a back in site with the river directly behind the site. Site consists of 1 fire pit, 1 picnic table and barbecue pit. The hookups consist of water and 30/50 amp electric. The road is on a one way loop with shower, bathroom and trash containers within walking distance. Trails are also within close proximity and vary in elevation be prepared and bring water and pick up a map from the ranger station. With that said the place is green for a reason and very humid during the warmer months but if you want to cool off check out the swimming area or rent a Kayak or paddle boat. We were told that the most popular time to visit is during the fall due to the color change just remember reserve ahead time and happy camping!