Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Bethel, OK is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Bethel is surrounded by family-friendly activities. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Bethel, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$20 - $40 / night
"Located in SE Oklahoma, this park is very large. Several trails and pull off spots near river and lake."
"As indicated above, the Hochatown area is close to the Lake. There are several different campgrounds in this area and it’s all very spread out."
$30 / night
"This is as near perfect as you can get!"
$15 - $40 / night
"We stayed in the non-electric sites (North Shore loop). Campgrounds were incredibly peaceful and quiet."
"They do have a quiet hour which is after 10pm. This is nice because there aren’t people partying all night long. There are tent spots and also RV."
$23 / night
"Trails are short but have nice views. Forest trail is overgrown once you leave the state park and go into the national forest."
"The drive to the park is wonderful with great spots to take in the views as you drive to the top. We even spotted a bald eagle at one stop. "
$12 - $105 / night
"I drive truck, always have a hard time getting in/out of places with a semi and usually end up not getting to camp. The main pavilion in the center of the grounds is HUGE!"
"We set up near the multiple shower room and toilets on a hill near the facility. Unfortunately we got rained out hours later."
$25 - $60 / night
"Owners and staff were great! Very clean, and a very beautiful camp ground! There is ice machine on site, and basic necessities available at the office store."
"Very nice staff and close to Mena and Ouachita national park. Sewer hook ups on almost every site and a lot of trees and well shaded area, but little tight place and not well leveled."
"Right next to the river for kayaking, canoeing or just relaxing. Off-road vehicle trails a petting zoo on site."
"Staff were amazing. So helpful and so friendly. The campground is a work in progress but they are doing a great job. The rv spots are shaded."
ScoutWe stayed in the non-electric sites (North Shore loop). Campgrounds were incredibly peaceful and quiet. There is running water and bathrooms which were relatively clean.There was no campground host and nobody came to check our reservations, but it was not crowded so that could be why. There is a fishing dock and a trail that goes around the entire perimeter of the lake. Each site has a tent pad, picnic table, grill, lantern poles, fire pit, parking spot and small counter-like food prep area. The setting is absolutely beautiful with tall pines, rolling hills and a gorgeous lake. Saw a ton of wild turkeys and two cottonmouth snakes.
GuideThis campground is one of my all time favorites!! It has everything you want in a campground and more. Hiking here is definitely the best, because the views are amazing!! The campground is always really well kept as well which I appreciate. The campsite spots themselves are pretty big in size and are separated by trees and bushes. Feels very private. They do have a quiet hour which is after 10pm. This is nice because there aren’t people partying all night long. There are tent spots and also RV. We camped, so I’m not sure if th RV spots are set up for electricity. The lake nearby is great. We brought our kayaks and had so much fun hitting the lake in the morning. It does get busy as the day goes on, especially in the summer on the weekends. Hiking is great, and there are multiple good spots nearby. Again, go early to beat the crowds! Dogs are welcome but must be on leash. Vaulted toilets on site and a place to fill up your water! Can’t wait to come back.
ScoutReally pretty area up in hills/mountains. Park has a lodge, restaurant, mini golf, ice cream shop and a train. Would be a great place for families with kids. Trails are short but have nice views. Forest trail is overgrown once you leave the state park and go into the national forest.
Only downside is the sites are right next to each other and have odd configurations. Our site has a picnic table and grill behind the site and the fire pit in a separate area on the drivers side of the camper. Our next door neighbors fire pit is also right there but closer to our propane tanks (yikes).
Those with dogs should be aware that we found quite a few ticks on our dog, us and in the camper.
TravelerLocated in SE Oklahoma, this park is very large. Several trails and pull off spots near river and lake. Hochatown has several restaurants, food trucks, breweries and small kid activities such as bumper cars, mini golf and a maze. It's still a state park but offers more nearby options than most state parks. We stayed 4 nights but I would have loved to stay longer. We paid up for a newly renovated premium spot on the river - Buckeye campground site 4. Restrooms, showers and a small laundry room on site. If traveling in the summer, I would recommend Acorn or Cypress campground - shaded!
ScoutWe learned about this campground through the owners activities with Veterans. We stayed for 7 days and we were able to have totally relaxed days as well as very active days. Right next to the river for kayaking, canoeing or just relaxing. Off-road vehicle trails a petting zoo on site. Check the web site for activities, there may be live music or a large gathering scheduled which may or may not be your thing. The only reason I rated it 4 stars is that it’s a work in progress. New cabins were being added and more trails were being cut while we were there.
LegendI recently spent 4 days at Beavers Bend State Park ("BBSP") on a camping trip with my brother. We had initially planned to go camping at Lake Ouachita in Arkansas; however, unfortunately we were unable to go due to the COVID crisis and Arkansas only allowing in-state residents to begin camping again on May 1st. As a result, we had to make a fall back plan so we landed on BBSP. Since we didn't make a reservation until the last minute, the only camping area with sites available for the full length of our trip was in the "Hochatown Area."
Per a sign I noticed on the side of a local business during our trip, "Hochatown" is pronounced as follows: (1) "HO" - like Santa Claus, "Ho, Ho, Ho!" (2) "CH" - like CHicken, not a "K" (3) "A" - like "UH" (4) "TOWN" - Well, you know, like "TOWN"
First of all, BBSP is HUGE and very spread out. If you're looking for a park where you can pretty much walk or ride a bike everywhere during your trip, this is probably not your place. It's possible, but it wouldn't be enjoyable in my opinion. Broadly, the park is generally located on the western side of the Broken Bow Reservoir and runs south to north across approximately 12-15 miles. The hub of activity containing the typical state park-esque things is in the southern section of the park.
There are basically two general sections of the park, both of which have several camping areas within them. One is on the north side of the park and the other on the south. The northern half is the Hochatown area (or “Lake Area”), while the southern half is the Beavers Bend area (or “River Area”). Where you camp will largely depend on what you plan to do.
As indicated above, the Hochatown area is close to the Lake. There are several different campgrounds in this area and it’s all very spread out. Basically, if you have a camper/rv, your options are Armadillo, Quail or Turkey. We stayed in Armadillo because that was the only area available. Of the three, I think Quail is probably the best area, but at the end of the day, I think they are probably all comparable. The sites in Armadillo were well shaded with level/paved pads. Picnic table, lantern hook, and fire pit. There was also a big pavilion right behind our site. If our kids were with us, it would’ve been nice in the event of rain. Some sites in Armadillo have sewer and others don’t. We were in site #4, no sewer. I was skeptical at first, but I really liked it. The bathhouse wasn’t open but it looked ok. Armadillo is about 300 yards away from the Lakeview Lodge. Leave Armadillo area, cross the street and make your way to the Lodge. There is a boat ramp and lots of area to enjoy the lake shore. The Lodge looked a little sketchy but generally probably decent. As for the other, non rv areas, those include: Blue Jay, Eagle, Coyote, Deer Drive, Turkey, Grasshopper, Firefly and Hawk. These are walk-in tent sites really close to the water. If you’re a tent person, these are very cool sites. All areas have bathhouses. In addition to water activities, there is a nice golf course a few miles north that runs along the lake (Cedar Creek Golf Course). We played a round during our trip and really enjoyed it. Reasonably priced ($40 for 18 with cart; $27 or so for 18 with cart at twilight, or after 4pm during daylight savings). It was a solid little course with some great views along the back 9. In addition to those things, there are several moderate hikes that are all around 3 miles in the Hochatown area. You can also combine them all and go on a mega 16 miler that takes you up and along the crest of the mountain overlooking the lake. Views are fantastic but would caution anyone who is not in shape or not accustomed to hiking. In short, if you’re planning to do a lot of boating and fishing, the Hochatown area will be your jam as there are multiple boat ramps and the marina is generally about the same distance from all the camping areas in the northern section of the park.
The southern area of the park is the Beavers Bend or River Area. From the outset, without question, this is preferable to Hochatown area in my view. This area of the park looks like something from a movie and there are several camping areas, including (from north to south): Hickory, Grapevine, Elm, Fern, Dogwood, Acorn and Cypress. Again, if you’re taking a camper/rv, you’ll be limited to Dogwood, Fern, Acorn or Cypress. Without a doubt, you will want to try for a spot in Acorn or Dogwood (in that order) first. Next is Fern, though it is right next to horse stables so unless you like the smell of horse poop, probably want to look at Cypress. Acorn and Dogwood areas have sites along the river that are amazing. The pads are great, and there is sewer. Specifically as to Fern, it is a small area that offers bigger sites and some seclusion while being on the river, but it’s generally people with trailers for horse related things due to proximity to stables.
Cypress is probably last or 3rd of these 4 areas for a few reasons. First, it sits across the road from Acorn and not on the water, but it is at least in close proximity to the river. Second, the pads are gravel/dirt and short. If you’ve got a rig that's anything longer than 17 ft, it could get tight in a hurry. Third, the trees make these sites really tight in addition to the length of each pad. Fourth, the sites are stacked on top of each other leaving hardly any room between sites. If you were taking kids, I could see that being a source of stress trying to keep your kids from encroaching on your neighbors 24/7. Basically, it’s just much less appealing overall than Acorn or Dogwood, but it is still probably better than the Hochatown area if you've got a smaller camper or a PUP like me.
The “main” park area is by far the southern half of the park, or River Area. This is where the visitor center and heritage center are located, both of which are fantastic. There is also a park general store and other concessionaires on site. Obviously that's are big plus to have access to those things, even if you aren't planning on using them. There are several different swimming areas along the river with sandy beaches that are clearly marked, as well as hiking trails and flat, paved trails for leisurely bike riding or, in my case, a path for my boys to use their little scooters. Dispersed among the camping areas are many, many cabins that can be rented. Some are nestled into the side of the hillside, while others look right out over the river. I have not stayed in a cabin but they appear to be quite nice. I also have a friend who stayed in a cabin at the park with his family for a week every summer and he raves about his experiences. In addition to trout fishing in the river, there are also numerous float trips you can take in this area of the park, most of which follow along the Mountain Fork River. In fact, there are even portions of the river south of the park (Lower Mountain Fork River) with Class III rapids for rafting. In the same area, there is the Lower Mountain Fork River Trout Fishery, which is a phenomenal flyfishing location. Overall, this area of the park looks like a movie. There is so much to do you can’t hit it all in a single trip.
Lastly, a few comments about the area surrounding BBSP. Being from Oklahoma, I will say that in my humble opinion, much of the state is not pretty at all. However, this area of the state is absolutely stunning and doesn’t look like Oklahoma; rather, it looks like Arkansas. With that said, the towns of Hochatown and Broken Bow are pretty rough and frankly sort of sketchy in all respects. Closer to the park (along 259), it is very “touristy” on both sides of the road. There are several restaurants, bars, gift shops, and activities like miniature golf and a go cart track. For my family, it’s a perfect spot for us, as my wife loves the tourist-type gift shops and my boys would love the mini-golf and go-carts. To that end, if you’re looking for something all natural, I would say you should either stay in the park, or just don’t go to Beavers Bend. Due to the geographical location of this park, it is situated in a spot that's nearly equidistant in all directions to Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. As a result, this is one of the most visited areas in Oklahoma. During our trip, it seemed like there were more Texas and Arkansas plates than Oklahoma. It's clearly a tourist-esque location, that's particularly true during the late spring and summer months.
Overall, even though I have visited several parks in Oklahoma, I haven't seen them all. Despite that, I feel confident in saying that Beavers Bend is probably the best the state has to offer in terms of state parks and camping. There is so many different things to do that it could appeal to anyone and the scenery is stunning. Plainly, you just can’t go wrong here, even if you end up in a less preferable camping area. If you live within a reasonable distance from this park, it’s definitely somewhere you should visit.
RangerGreat place to camp. Lots of trees. Great scenery on the drive in. Tons of hiking trails. Also a good pizza restaurant nearby. Tons of cabins to rent nearby if you want. The river has great trout fishing too. There is a playground, horseback riding, swimming and a little museum. Lots of stuff to do. You could easily spend a week here.
Amended review for May 2020
This was our 2nd trip to Beavers Bend. We stayed in a tent at the dogwood campground. So, here are my thoughts from this particular trip.
We arrived a few days after Memorial Day, which might explain some of our experience but I have a feeling our time was pretty typical. We reserved a tent site at the Grapevine site and when we arrived the grill was broken and there was trash everywhere. Maybe this was because of the holiday but it was 2 days after Memorial Day. I’ve never seen so much trash on any of our camping trips and this was our 18th OK State Park to visit. We ended up switching to the Dogwood campground which was a huge pain because you normally have to pay online but our Verizon phones had no service so we had to drive back to the office a couple times to sort everything thing out. Our campsite was nice and quiet and secluded but they only had a pit toilet. I find that pretty disappointing considering this is probably Oklahoma’s most visited park but I’m sure there’s no money to make much needed improvements. A few times we would drive to the Fern RV campground bathroom to use the flush toilets but those were pretty bad as well. There was a pile of fast food trash in the men’s room for the entire 3 days that we were there. So, obviously the camp host/rangers don’t even bother with trying to clean up. Also, no soap in the bathroom. Of all times, with Covid-19 going on, you’d think they would have soap. On our last day, we walked through the Acorn and Cypress RV sites and these seemed pretty nice and newer than the others.
Now, on to the things we liked. There is so much to do here. Tons of hiking trails. You should definitely do the Cedar Ridge trail which leads up to the cliffs above the river and has one of the best views in the entire state. We also did a canoe float trip. They take you up the river in a bus and put you in the water and you float back at your leisure. Super cheap by the way. I think it only cost $23 for the 4 of us in a canoe. We also did horseback riding, a little train ride and rented kayaks. There is a museum at the park office that is focused on the lumber industry if you’re into that type of thing.
In conclusion, this is a great park aside from the bathroom situation. Plan to spend a few days here. Verizon gets no service in the park (other than at the top of the cliffs on the hiking trail) but you can drive 3-4 miles to the highway and get service. The office has WiFi as well.
GuideThe drive to the top of the mountain is a winding one. The campsites are very close together. Our site would not allow more than two lawn chairs around the campfire it was framed in and small. The showers were mediocre warm with no heat in bathrooms. The high point of this camping trip was the lodge. Good restaurant with reasonable prices. Fog can be an issue.
ScoutI rode my motorcycle and tent camped for 4 days and three nights. Camp road conditions very good, I have a touring model bike. Owners and staff were great! Very clean, and a very beautiful camp ground! There is ice machine on site, and basic necessities available at the office store. There is also a beautiful pond on the grounds that was awesome to walk around and just a very pretty place to stay. I will go back👍!
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