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Best Tent Camping near Bethany, OK

379 Reviews

Tent campsites near Bethany, Oklahoma include several established options with varying amenities and surroundings. Liberty Lake in Guthrie provides lakeside tent camping with spacious sites that offer water views. OK Treehouse offers a unique tent camping experience with artistic elements, while Lazy H Alpaca Ranch provides a distinctive setting where tent campers can experience farm life while enjoying primitive accommodations.

Most tent-only sites in the area feature basic amenities including fire rings and picnic tables. Liberty Lake has multiple lakefront spots with packed dirt and gravel surfaces that accommodate walk-in tent camping. The sites typically lack electrical hookups but provide toilet facilities, though most are vault or portable toilets rather than full restrooms. Lazy H Alpaca Ranch offers drinking water and toilets but no showers, creating a more primitive tent camping experience. Fires are permitted at most locations, with firewood available at select campgrounds including OK Treehouse. Campers should note that several locations like Romulus Lake do not offer modern toilet facilities.

Walk-in tent locations throughout the region provide more secluded experiences compared to developed campgrounds. North Sentinel at Lake Thunderbird State Park offers tent-specific sites with electric hookups but limited amenities otherwise. Sites typically have space between them, allowing for privacy not found at more developed campgrounds. The Shawnee Twin Lakes area provides tent camping with access to fishing and water activities, though recent reviews indicate some camping areas may have closed. A visitor commented, "Beautiful sunset views and nice, spacious, clean campsites all with fire pits with attached grill." Tent campers seeking more natural surroundings may prefer Liberty Lake, where sites are described as having "plenty of room to spread out in a tent" with lake views and water access a short distance from parking areas.

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Best Tent Sites Near Bethany, Oklahoma (7)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Bethany, OK

379 Reviews of 7 Bethany Campgrounds

  • William A.
    Dec. 16, 2019

    Lake Stanley Draper

    Primitive but cheap

    the Campground at Lake Stanley Draper is Primitive.  There are no Electric or water at the campground and no dump stations.  They have started to clean the campground up by removing old brush and adding new tent pads, The only restrooms are 2 Porta-Potties at the campground so be prepared for no showers or running water.  Also there are no campfire rings provided and if you want a fire you must bring your own and it must be atleast 4 inches off the ground.  If you visit you must get a permit from the Marina office and call ahead to make sure they are open.  Because this is not on the water of the lake, you will need to drive to fish or boat.  there is alot of road noise so if you are looking for a quite place this may no fit your needs.

  • J
    Jun. 7, 2024

    El Reno West KOA

    Easy access- ridiculously close to neighbors

    We were in Site# 66. We had Full hook- up with a paved pull-through.
    We travel towing a 14 foot trailer and were able to fit both in our pull through site along with my jeep.

    The site was easy to level. Our site was not shaded with limited trees. In eight years of RV-ing, we’ve never had such little space between us and our neighbors. We literally walk out our door into their sewer. (See pictures) My husband can touch both RVs with his arms outstretched.

    The lot did not come with a concrete patio, picnic table, or a fire ring. Some lots had a picnic table. We did not request one since we’d be eating at our neighbor’s sewer.

    It is an easy access to the campground from highway -(right off the highway).

    There is free WiFi. They offer Cable TV and there are many local channels).

    They do not sell wood here.

    They do not provide garbage service at your site but there are many barrel drum trash cans that can be accessed.

    You are allowed to ride personal golf carts. They do not provide golf cart rentals. There is really not a need to have a Golf cart because it is a smaller campground.

    They do have a Swimming pool (not heated & freezing). They have a fishing Lake on property (it is hidden behind some cabins so you could stay here & never know the lake is here). There are two Buffalo that are owned by the owners of the restaurant and trading post above the KOA (who also own the KOA).

    There is a Playground and jumping pad for kids. They have a basic general store.

    There is not a snack bar/restaurant on site but there is a restaurant at the top of the hill.

    The streets are paved and good for riding bikes. There is not really anywhere to ride bikes outside of campground.

    This is a RV park but also have many cabins for rent and tent areas.

    They have 2 shower houses. The shower house has the typical stalls. These are kept very clean.

    There is a laundry facility. It is a cash only facility. You’ll need to get change in the main office while they are open (no change machine). There are approximately 6 washers and 6 dryers. It is approximately $2 to wash and $2 to dry a load.

    They have a fenced in dog park.

    Bugs were an issue and bug spray was definitely needed.

    There were no trails to hike in the campground.

    We’ve noticed that the casinos nearby mainly offer slot machines only (very few have live tables (craps, roulette, blackjack,etc.).

  • M
    May. 18, 2025

    Critter Alley — Lake Thunderbird State Park

    Good spot!

    Good little areas. A good amount of space. Not enough if you’re wanting privacy as other camp set ups are close. Some tent sites are handicapped accessible. However some are a steep walk to get down to. Not all, but some have a rocky steep path. Every tent area has a fire pit or some kind and a picnic table which is neat.

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    Jun. 21, 2021

    Little Axe — Lake Thunderbird State Park

    Great State Park in Oklahoma

    We had a great stay in Lake Thunderbird State Park near Norman Oklahoma. The park has 11 campground areas situated around the 6000 acre centerpiece lake with many tent, RV sites and some of those have full hook up; our choice was the Little Ax campground on the southern end just off Oklahoma 9. In addition to water activities the park offers hunting, horse rental and boarding, equestrian trails, hiking, mountain biking, nature trails, a nature center, and an archery range. Our lakefront site#37 was nice and shaded with a gentle lake breeze offering a concrete pad, water, 30/15 amp electric, concrete table, lantern holder, fire ring and grill at site. The campground has an entry station, camp host, picnic shelters, playground, bathhouse and laundry, beach area, common fire pit, Verizon 4 bars, dump station, trash receptacles, interior roads are paved, with many sites waterfront. RV sites are close quarters. Tent sites are amazing...pads, concrete table, fire ring, grill, water spigot dispersed, waterfront sites. The town of Norman has all the amenities: shopping, dining, groceries, fuel and yes, Walmart. The area is home to local wineries and breweries and also the hometown to actor James Garner. WARNING: Oklahoma State Parks charge a daily parking fee per vehicle of$10 in addition to the camping fee and they enforce it...just saying from experience...read the information carefully! 13101 Alameda Dr, Norman, OK 73026 GPS- 35.234940,-97.219224 for the Little Ax Campground.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2019

    Guthrie Lake

    Tents Only

    In a pleasant change of pace for camping I pulled into this location to check out the options which exist in this region for camping in a tent. Wow was a pleased when I discovered that this location was designed for tents only!!

    The pros were great water access, flush toilets, great parking and access to a self pay station. The cons, completely primitive and the roadway is pretty close to the camping area.

    This location is maintained by the City of Guthrie. They have nice parking lot and boat ramp at this location in addition to a fishing pier. A lot of people choose to pull off into the zone deemed camping however for a more shaded coverage when fishing. With that being said there is still plenty of room to have you own little piece of comfort.

    You are supposed to park and walk in the 100 yards to the campsites however I did notice that locals drive into this area. It is pretty open and the main concern is that you pay for day use or overnight uses.

    There are some scattered picnic tables and trash cans however only one are which has bbq grills and this are is pretty removed from the designated camping zone.

    I noticed when I was visiting a lot of traffic down the access road which wasn’t loud really but could be distracting if trying to relax. The traffic was mainly from the residential area which also surrounds the lake.

    Overall I really liked this area for day use but am not completely sold on it as a camping area.

  • Crystal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2019

    Liberty Lake

    Small campground with secluded sites

    Visiting this campground so was expecting similarities between it and the Guthrie Lake campground as they are both maintained by the City of Guthrie. But I was pleasantly surprised as the road turned to packed rock and dirt and started to get more and more remote in appearance. I noticed equestrian crossings and trails and also signs marking arc access points before entering.

    When arriving to the lake itself traffic splits off into one way lanes. You pass a house like structure which serves as a paystation for entry, though when I visited no one was there to accept my money and I didn’t see a self pay area.

    The boat ramp and fishing pier is the first thing you see when entering the park with large parking and easy water access. There are a few picnic tables at this point to enjoy the day use space. Just beyond that a swimming “beach”. This was a little perplexing to me because there was less than a foot of red dirt sand then water which was marked as appropriate. The beach itself was tiny but it was nice to see they had created a space unique to swimming in the area for safety. No also noticed an abundance of naked signs about life jacket safety which I thought was great!

    As you continue to drive away the more commercial day use area there are 7 campsites each with large parking areas, grills, fire rings, picnic tables and plenty of room to spread out in a tent or RV. These sites do not have hook ups but what they lack there they make up for in lake views. Each site had a clear view of he lake and water access only a short distance from your parking area.

    Restrooms are only port a potty units and with recent winds some of these had been knocked over or damaged by tree limbs, so that is something to consider.

    I really liked that this location by far seemed more established than the other city maintained option and also had more privacy overall.

    Tips:

    • Call ahead if you want to stay here on a weekend since there are limited sites and reserve in advance

    • Check weather before traveling, it is very common for bad weather to roll through this area and with all of the trees you want to make sure you are safe.

  • J
    Jun. 8, 2020

    Bell Cow Lake Campground C

    Nice hidden gem

    Had friends come to town with an RV and we decided to do a last minute camp out.

    After finding out all of the RV and tent camping areas around OKC were at capacity we gave Bell Cow Lake a shot and we were not disappointed. We stayed in Camp Area B, Friday night there were a handful of RV spots still available and we were the only tent campers. Saturday a few more tent campers arrived but there was still open sites between us. 

    Our friends in the RV stayed in RV site 1 and we stayed directly across from them in tent site 3. There was some small trash, cigarette butts and such around the site, cans in the fire ring adjacent to us (site 2) but over all it was a nice spot with ample room to put tents. 

    The tent area is on the water with water access through the grass along the shoreline. Swimming was great with a sand bottom once you got past the grass along the shoreline. There were tons of fish hitting the surface in the evening but I was unable to catch any. Each tent site had a table but it either had a fire ring or a grille (alternating) it would have been preferable if each site had both. 

    The bathrooms weren't the cleanest but were what I would probably expect for a camp ground owned by a smaller city. 

    Bell Cow lake may become one of our go to places as it is still within an easy drive from OKC and half the price of the next closest lake to camp at (Lake Arcadia).

    Tent camping is $10 a night, RV is $20. 

    One of the only things we did not like was with the campsite being 2 miles from I-44 you could hear the highway traffic all night and there was not fire wood available to gather or purchase (perhaps in town) so though it is generally frowned upon to bring your own you won't have a fire otherwise.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 2, 2022

    Arcadia Lake

    Very quiet!

    Edmond Park is one of three separate parks around Arcadia Lake; this one has primitive (no hookups) campsites. This park/campground was the quietest of the three we visited; in fact, we did not see any other campers when we were there on a weekday in early May. Of course, this may not be the case on a weekend in the summer! 

    The bathroom facilities are sub-par– dated and not very clean. NO showers.

    This campground would be nice for families as the playground was located centrally and is easily accessible from all sites. 

    There is also a primitive group camping area. 

    There is a swimming beach/day-use area not too far away. 

    There are no hookups in any of the sites here and many of the driveways were short so it would be better for tents or small RVs/camper vans.

  • Jessica W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 12, 2022

    Arcadia Lake

    Their system is awful the views are great.

    Get there at the right time which is checkout time. It doesn’t matter if the site is empty check it’s probably paid for. With that said if you manage to get a spot it’s going to be a nice stay. Huge spots close to the water and lots of wildlife it’s hard to believe the city isn’t far away.

Guide to Bethany

Tent camping near Bethany, Oklahoma presents options within 25 miles of the city. Campsites in this region experience hot, humid summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 90°F and mild winters. Most locations sit at elevations between 1,100-1,300 feet above sea level with terrain characterized by rolling hills, small lakes, and prairie grasslands.

What to do

Fishing at multiple lakes: Liberty Lake in Guthrie offers fishing opportunities for catfish, largemouth bass and crappie. "Great place to take the kids, grandkids to Fish and have fun behind the boat on toys," notes James S. about Liberty Lake.

Boating and water activities: Shawnee Twin Lakes provides boating access with boat ramps near camping areas. Julie H. mentions, "The swimming areas were nice and it was perfect for our boat!!" at Shawnee Twin Lakes.

Unique farm experiences: Camp among alpacas at Lazy H Alpaca Ranch where visitors can interact with the animals. "We got to pet the Alpacas and the 3 Great Pyrenees kept us company. We camped early Jan and it was cold. Kathy was very friendly and helpful," shares Patty S.

What campers like

Spacious lake view sites: Liberty Lake offers camping spots with water views. Hillary B. reports, "The campsites were minimal but had lots of space and were right on the lake. We had a beautiful sunset too."

Unique accommodations: The OK Treehouse provides an artistic camping alternative. Catherine C. writes, "Such an inspirational space and amazing hosts. A sacred spot in Oklahoma City worth of meditation and communion with nature- priceless."

Secluded camping spots: Some locations offer more privacy than others. Crystal C. notes about Liberty Lake, "I really liked that this location by far seemed more established than the other city maintained option and also had more privacy overall."

What you should know

Seasonal considerations: Winter camping requires preparation in this region. About Lazy H Alpaca Ranch, one reviewer mentioned, "We camped early Jan and it was cold."

Facility limitations: Many sites have minimal facilities. At North Sentinel, visitors should expect challenges. "The showers sprayed water everywhere except for where you need it and there were condom wrappers and dirty diapers on the floor," reports That_Other_Grace.

Campground closures: Check ahead as some areas have closed. Nancy B. warns about Shawnee Twin Lakes: "The designated campground is now closed to camping. We ended up staying at the boat ramp."

Camping regulations: Rules vary significantly between locations. At North Sentinel campground, restrictions apply to certain tent types: "Don't bring your rooftop tents here. They will call the cops on you in the middle of the night and make you leave."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Some campgrounds offer family-friendly facilities. James D. observed at Shawnee Twin Lakes, "There is a playground and picnic pavilion which would be good for families."

Group camping setup: Certain sites accommodate larger family gatherings. Lisa P. notes, "The price per site/night allows for two tents on one site! Concrete picnic tables at every site make it nice for large groups and for board games."

Educational opportunities: Children can experience farm life while camping. At Lazy H Alpaca Ranch, families can interact with alpacas under supervision, creating unique learning experiences for children.

Water safety awareness: Lakes have varied swimming conditions. James D. reports, "My wife found it a bit boring but she isn't as into fishing as I am. She just enjoyed the water. She went swimming and said the water was nice."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookups available: Most tent camping areas near Bethany have minimal RV amenities. Julie H. shared about Shawnee Twin Lakes: "We did fine tent camping but nothing for electric hook ups."

Site size considerations: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger vehicles. Jessica W. observed about Liberty Lake, "The parking lot is bigger than the grass areas you have to work with."

Water access for boats: Those bringing boats should research launch points. "Great place to bring a boat you'll need it to see most of the lake," advises Jessica W. about Liberty Lake facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bethany, OK?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bethany, OK is OK Treehouse with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Bethany, OK?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Bethany, OK, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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