Searching for a tent camping spot near Ardmore? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Ardmore, Oklahoma's most popular destinations.
Guy Sandy Campground is open seasonally for the summer. It opens no later than Memorial Day Weekend and closes no earlier than Labor Day Weekend. It is located on the western shore of Lake of the Arbuckles. This primitive campground offers basic amenities only. RVs are permitted, but no hookups are available. Communal water spigots and pit toilets are available. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring with a grill.
This recreation area is part of Lake Texoma
If you wish to camp along the trail keep in mind there are wilderness camps scattered throughout but you must carry in your sup- plies (water, food, fire wood, etc.). If you’re not up for roughing it in the woods there are also recreational areas that provide run- ning water and bath-houses.
This recreation area is part of Lake Texoma
Ranger
I agree with the others. It’s trashed and it is PACKED. The tent sites are a little too close together for my liking. Like on top of each other. I think your best bet would be to stay on the outer edge sites and not in the middle for sure. I’d also reserve online bc they are always full. I’ve heard of people being turned away that just show up to camp. It is EXPENSIVE also. You have to pay for your campsite and then also pay a fee per person. Tent camping is only $12.50 but then add on $16 per adult and $9 per child..... it’s ridiculous. There’s a lot of other places I would rather stay that are way less crowded and way cheaper. I’d suggest staying elsewhere and stopping in for the day if you want to go. ALSO you have to have a coast guard approved life jacket for everyone under the age of 12! So keep that in mind. Pets are not allowed at the falls either.
Scout
We spent the first weekend of March 2020 here and it was beautiful, even as the trees were still dead. We stayed in 52C, which has standard electric, 30amp.
We tent camped and it was beautiful!
Pros: -Reasonably clean comfort station (minus the normal daddy long legs) -Beautiful location on the lake and viewable from many sites -Easy to book online through the Recreation.gov app -Lots of trees for privacy and shade -The ranger made frequent drives through the loop for added safety and security -Campsites in C are all on a gravel pad, making it easy to setup
Cons: -Comfort station is quite a walk from some sites, including 52C - way too far to walk after dark. -Many sites looked tiny, may be too small for larger tents
Tips:
Legend
Lake Murray is a large state park which is an easy drive north from the DFW area, so I stay in the SP frequently, but never at this campground. It’s located a bit off the beaten path on the South end of the park. It’s also a smaller campground which accommodates smaller RV’s. Also, there is boat ramp, but it is not large and has little parking, plus it’s not located down the road that leads to the campsites. This means there isn’t constant traffic and power boat noise.
The campground is tucked into a cove of Lake Murray and is down the road from the dam. There are some very nice walk in tent camping sites where you could walk down to the rocky lake edge and swim. There are also a few drive in tent sites. However, be aware that when I stayed here in spring of 2020, there is no bath house or toilet facilities. There was a nice playground and a little picnic area right on the lake.
The RV sites are scattered around a circular road and there are several right on the lake. These are the best in my opinion. One of them (site 17) is labeled “premium” and I would pay the extra $ to snag this site.
Site 14 - Water/Electric 50 and 30 amp, no sewer (dump on site)
gravel pad, mostly level, has a tree on awning side so couldn’t deploy my awning, but really unnecessary because the site was nicely shaded
Cement picnic bench, BBQ, fire ring
Walk down from site to water with rock ledge to sit a chair on and dangle feet in the lake!
Site is private on 1 side with forested creek/water run off area, but neighbor is fairly close on other side
***No bathhouse (gutted - see photo)
Little cons: no trailheads within the campground, but Tucker Tower is a bike ride or hike over the dam and the trailhead to Ski Jump Campground the the Lodge connects here. (8.5 miles). Also Dump station at the campground is easy access, however the exit up the somewhat eroded gravel hill may require some maneuvering for larger rigs.
Definitely check out Tucker Tower when visiting and Lake Murray SP Nature Center is very well done! I’ll return again for the always good hiking and try to snag the premium site or site 9.
UPDATE 5/2021 - Marietta Landing Campground is being revamped.
GuideNice area to tent camp
Traveler
This is a great new RV Park. It's less than half a mile east of I-35 but I cannot hear any traffic noise at all. It is less than 4 years old. 90 % of the sites are pull through, long enough for any size rig. All concrete pads, dead level with tables. The bathrooms and showers are pristine. WIFI is fast enough to stream 40Mbps, there is cable TV with over 70 channels. It is 7 miles from Ardmore, OK, where you can find all the chain restaurants plus local fare. You are about 40 miles from Gainsville Texas, 70 from Denton. There is a fishing pond onsite, about 1 acre in size. They charge $5.00 extra for a site next to the pond. It's worth it. Rolling hills beyond the pond with no other buildings in sight. The park is only a few miles from Lake Murry State Park. I only stayed 1 night on my way back to Dallas from the mountains, but it could be a great destination park too.
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Guide
For tent camping only, no electric hookups, no water hookups, there are toilets with running water but no showers and pets are allowed.
Guide
Great Tent camping. The grills are combined with the fire pits. The RV area has showers that are separate from the toilets. There are no electrical outlets or hand dryers or soap dispensers.
Scout
We stayed at the point for 3 nights. Very nice well kept camp sites for rv camping as well as tent camping. Clean bathrooms and showers. It is however not within walking distance of the trails and nature center. Which is a must see beautiful area with trails and natural springs and waterfalls ..
Legend
This park is very large! There is camping for everyone here! Great marina, fishing, hiking, kayaking and camp fires! All types of RV and tent sites! The swimming beach is the best, but you have to walk way down a hill to get to it!
ScoutEach site is thoroughly bounded with retaining walls, making them perfectly flat. Driveway lengths vary dramatically, so check the details! Shower house has two decent push button showers. Dumpsite is clean and accessible, water pressure is average, 20/30/50 plugs at each site. Superb for tent camping, walk-in sites are ideal. RV pads are asphalt. Reservations required. Generally a great campground.
Scout
This is s great campground. Lots of well manicured spaces. Mainly pull though but some back in spots, primitive and tent camping spaces. It has. Great pool, great covered picnic area, horseshoe pit, basketball court and play area. WiFi is better in certain streams. Just ask during registration. There is a seated area at the casino shuttle bus stop. All and all, a nice safe campground.
RangerLoved our stay here in the tent section. Trees provided much needed shade, yet enough for solar to stay charged. Restrooms were close, showers were a little bit of a walk. Each tent site has a table and fire pit. Lovely views of lake Texoma. Great hiking and rock climbing opportunities. The marina store is a short walk away and you can rent kayaks and canoes!
Legend
It's not good for tent camping because there isn't any trees, but it's right by the dam. Good if you want to fish by the dam. It is a small campground. Very clean and grass is well kept. The people that work here are very nice. There is awnings over picnic tables, grills, and hook ups for R.V.s Not any hiking trails. It does have a swim beach.
ScoutI have camped here many times. The park is well maintained and offers beautiful hiking trails and scenery. It is also safe with plenty of staff making rounds to ensure everyone's safety. I have stayed at their pull through camper sites, shelters, as well as tent camping with no complaints. The park is also undergoing construction upgrades and new paved roads ATM but the areas are clearly identified on their website. Definitely a family friendly park with plenty of wildlife to enjoy!
TravelerI didn’t have many sites to choose from online and really lucked out! Overall the everything was well maintained, the campground host at the time was very friendly, and so was everyone else around. I was tent camping, but it seemed like at least 2/3 of the people had some kind of and RV so there are a lot of lights on all night, but nothing too obtrusive. Bathrooms were very clean and showers had hot water. There was also a nice beach for swimming.
GuideThis was the first time we camped in Loop C, which is reserve only. It was in January, so the Loop was about 1/3rd full with mostly RVs. Loop D, first come, first serve, had less campers. RV sites have water & electric & tent sites have shared water. The restrooms were very nice, clean and heated. We stayed at site 81C, which was a challenge to back into because of trees that were close to drive. The pad was fairly level & the picnic table/fire pit pad was separated from the RV pad. I could only imagine how secluded this site would feel with vegetation on the trees. This loop also had many tent sites and all the tent & RV sites are well sized & spaced. Some RV sites closer to the water look like they would be a challenge to level, but most sites have fairly level pads & all sites have very level picnic/fire pit pads for an area that has some generally steep slopes. There was only one lake view RV site in Loop C, 56C, that had the hookups on the side that pointed the front door towards the lake, but all had a gorgeous view from the picnic/fire pit pads. Absolutely love the Chickasaw National Recreational Area because of the many activities this park offers & its history.
TravelerMy son and I spent 2 nights tent camping at the Buckhorn Campground at Lake of the Arbuckles. We camped at Site 064 Loop C and it was very convenient to the restroom and showers. Also, the Camp Host was right next to us. But, there were no safety concerns. Boating on the lake was also nice. We took a Jet Ski and did some wakeboarding and it was not very crowded. All the campers we talked to were very pleasant and friendly. I would highly recommend this campground.
Scout
Year round enjoyment is part of the reason I like this place! Even though some of the campground is closed in the off season it still offers great camp sites. I've tent camped as well as RV. It is prone to flooding. It has flooded twice that I know of that caused the entire camp ground to be under water and closed for a lengthy time. They have been able to clean up and reopen with the same beauty it had before the flood. It is a Great place for the whole family!!!!
TravelerWe stayed in Loop C, site 48. Had to book about a month in advance, and didn’t have but 3 spots to pick from. Camp site was clean, and although far from the C comfort station, it was a short walk to the D comfort station.
Site had a picnic table, fire pit and lantern hook, with a nice flat area for any tent camping. We were in a teardrop, so the 2 parking spots made it really easy to back the teardrop in and park next to it. Campsites are pretty close together, so you can definitely hear your neighbors, but the trees do provide lots of screening. Easy walk to the lakeshore for some shoreline fishing, and campground itself is a quick 10-minute drive from town and the main park area.
Definitely a beautiful area of Oklahoma, and an easy campground to stay at. Would recommend to anyone.
Legend
Amazing and Great for trail riding
Sites: 26 family with electric and water
35 equestrian with hookups
3 equestrian tent sites no hook ups
1 day use shelter with electric
Reservations only: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov
No camp host Flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, trash, picnic table, dump station, boat ramp, dock
Great for horseback riding, fishing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and boating. Beautiful rolling hills with mature trees. Great shade especially in the equestrian area. Well maintained. Wonderful lake views with amazing sunsets.
LNT
BTYFI
Travel safe.
GuideWe loved the proximity to north Dallas. It makes for a nice getaway weekend. We enjoyed exploring the different areas of the park. We noticed most of the trailer/tent sites are almost in pairs. So two sites, have a common grassy area. Makes this park great for camping with friends or for making new friends, as we did! The store are the marina was a great break for ice cream on a hot day. Our friends have a boat on Lake Texoma and their home was only a 15 minute drive from the park.
GuideWe reserved in area D (tent camping no electric) for 2 nights. We got in the first night around 8 and it was pouring rain. So we did not stay the night. We returned early the next morning and were able to set up camp. They have concrete picnic tables, fire rings and the area we were in had a bathhouse. Stalls had a toilet, sink and shower area. The sites were pretty close together. Our neighbors were very friendly but I like having a little more space. Overall it was a good time. Just not as secluded as we are used to and the rain kind of put a damper on things.
RangerHiking is must-do with caves and waterfalls. Swimming along the falls is also quite memorable (bring water shoes, though not required). They have screened-in shelters for eating and camping, which tells you bugs can be an issue here. Other camping options include cabins, full RV hookup, and tent sites. None of these are along the water, but you can walk to the falls on a trail. None of the sites are shady or have great privacy. Camp store, restaurants, souvenir shop. Busy but well-deserved popularity. Enough to do to spend a whole weekend. Not far from Chickasaw Park and Cultural center.
Guide
We found a nice secluded tent site, despite it being fall break weekend. There are many campgrounds at Lake Murray to choose from. We chose this site which was conveniently located near a nature trail with a beautiful lookout point, as well as a hiking trail. Did not use the restroom facilities, but judging from the nature center, lodge and other park facilities I am sure they were nice. The recently built lodge is beautiful. The staff we met were friendly and helpful. Seems like a very nice and well rounded park even if you aren’t planning any lake or water activities. dog friendly. We will be back!
GuideWas able to spend a night at Buzzards Roost campground while visiting Lake Murray State park. Our tent site was at the point and provided us with great views of the marina, and Tucker Tower. There is plenty of parking and the tent pads were nice and level with plenty of space for larger tents. Each fire pit had it own grate that provides a cooking surface over the fire; however, must were damaged but still usable. Bath house is a little older but the amenities were nice. There are 4 showers that are available with great pressure and temps. All but a few campsites were on the water so it makes it easy to put in a small water craft or even pull a larger boat up to your site.
TravelerThis place is overflowing in the summer. Filled to capacity with a mile long line sometimes. I don’t recommend it unless you love crowds.
However, this is a nice destination for a weekend winter camping trip. Lots of hiking, great scenery, and my favorite part, they stock the creek with trout!
It’s $15+tax to fish 12.50 to tent camp $6 entry fee if not fishing. I went in on a Friday night, camped Friday and Saturday, left on sunday, fished on Saturday and it’s was $55-ish.
While you are in the area try the fried pies at Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies (coconut cream) and the best bbq you’ve ever eaten at Smokin Joe’s (smoked hot wings are my favorite.
Pros: Beatiful scenery, several trails, caves, an old concrete castle to climb.
Cons: cost, litter, facilities aren’t great, can’t cut trees for firewood
Legend
A very neat place for people that are interested in civil war history. Boggy Depot Park received its name from Clear Boggy Creek and was originally used as a depot for the Chickasaw and Choctaw people as they arrived in Indian Territory during the removal.Then a Confederate commissary and outpost depot during the Civil War. In 1972, Boggy Depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It even has a cemetary in the campground. It spooks me out. This is whats remaining of a ghost town. It was part of the Butterfield Stage Route, and a lot of old history. Looking around the park you will see signs and information about the various events and reasons of importance for Boggy Depot throughout the early years of American history. It is remote in the country nestled in very old oak trees which makes it beautiful. It is very shady with over a hundred camping spots. There was only 2 other campers staying there. It is a great place for hunters too. It even has a check in station. It has a fishing lake, pretty nature trails, a baseball diamond, a basketball court, a great playground, picnic tables, group picnic shelters, charcoal grills, and comfort restrooms with showers. A big campground, with over 100 campsites. including RV and tent camping. It also has a cool little creek. It's about 15 from Atoka, Oklahoma. The park almost closed because of state funding but some of our Native American Tribes saved it and is now ran and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. This is like a hidden gem to me.
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
475 South Park Lane Atoka, Oklahoma 74525
PHONE NUMBER
Main Line: (580) 889-5625
Tent camping near Ardmore, Oklahoma offers a variety of experiences, from serene lakeside spots to more rustic settings, perfect for outdoor enthusiasts looking to escape into nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ardmore, OK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ardmore, OK is Guy Sandy Campground — Chickasaw National Recreation Area with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Ardmore, OK, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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