Best Cabin Camping near Claremore, OK

I don’t normally leave reviews, but my experience at the facility needs to be shared.

I called the number provided and was able to find out info on cabin rentals .  I asked what I would need to bring and a young girl explained just cooking pot and pans.  I asked about a fire pit  since I wanted to have a fire for hot dogs and marshmallows.   Yes there are large pits  was the answer.    Thank goodness I camp on the regular, I’ll explain soon.   She did warn me there are chickens near the cabin I wanted.  Well good, I thought, I wouldn’t miss my  own flock so bad.

Upon arrival, before noon, the office was closed.  I walked back to my truck to get the phone number and saw a truck with a camp logo on it driving by, leaving….   Same young girl answers and says she is heading back to check me in.  I get the key and drive over , get parked, and see the chicken coop, it’s pretty close to the cabin.   The next thing I see is a big fire pit; full of trash!  Flies everywhere!  Well that can be cleaned up, right?   There was chicken poo all over the steps and deck.  That can be cleaned up , right?  So I opened the door, flies and a dank smell hit me hard.  . Nice.    It appeared that the inside had not been cleaned either, sticky stuff on the stove, sink and fridge.  The shower was a joke. There were extension cords running through a sliding window which left a half inch gap just open to the outside…. I plugged that with paper towels I had brought.  There was a king size bed , but the pillows and sheets were stained.   I found dead flies in the fridge as well.          Before I brought anything in, I wiped down all of the surfaces. I spread my sleeping bag out on top of the provided bedding and covered up with a couple of blankets.   I always bring towels as well, I’m glad I did, those are not provided either.    I had also brought T - paper as a precaution,  so glad I did…..       

 I really just wanted to make the best of this and I know it’s hard to keep these river cabins clean so I decided to tough it out.  The next morning, I paid for my float and asked if I could have bags to clean out the fire pit… but then asked if THEY could clean it while I floated, the young girl handed me three trash bags and said “some one was supposed to get that”. I laid the trash bags on a log near the pit so they could be used.     

My float went well and was great fun.  Upon my return to the cabin, the fire pit trash had been burned and a plastic bag was still smoldering!  There were still tin cans and other debris in there, and it stunk!   So , I could not / would not use it for cooking or just lounging around!  Later, I was hungry and decided to use the oven.  When I opened it, there was a skillet with old moldy food in it!   It smelled horrible and I gagged!   I took a pic of the offending skillet and showed it to the other office worker; a lady and her little girl.

She said that she usually is the one that cleans , but she didn’t do this cabin this time.  

She closed the office, called the owner, and removed the offending skillet.  She stated there would be something done….  There was never an offer of compensation of any kind.   My recommendation is don’t stay in the cabins.

The campground as a whole was just worn down and trashy.  The staff were nice but didn’t really seem to want to be there.

called on June 27th to reserve a cabin for 6, Saturday the 2nd- 4th, At first was told they had no cabins available about 15 min after I made the call John the owner calls me back to tell me they had a cabin that was a 2 room available for theses dates and it was 100 per night and would sleep 6. I said we would like to reserve it. After hanging up called to inform my husband that we got a cabin then remember that I forgot to see if dogs were allowed, so I had to call back to make sure cause I can’t leave my fur babies. When I called it was a young girl that answered and said yes dogs were allowed and proceeded to talk about her 2 little puppies that were in the office with her. When packing and getting everything we needed together on Friday the day before we left we called to make sure the cabin had bedding and towels etc.. the young girl said yes. We get to sparrow resort on Saturday afternoon 2 young girls checked us in gave me a key pointed us in the direction of the cabin we pulled up to a cabin unloading all our stuff and unpacked was at this 2 bedroom cabin for approximately 2hours when John the owner came to this cabin told us we was at the wrong cabin I told them the key unlocked it. They said this was not cabin 2 and the people that reserved it would be up later so we gathered our things and moved to the cabin they said was ours that was next door. OH MY WAS WE LET DOWN. Mind you we have 2adult children myself and husband and 2 teenagers and 4 dogs they put us in a concrete prison that had missing curtains holes around the air conditioning window unit It was dirty holes in the walls. One king size bed a chair and a futon couch one room box. Bedding on bed only with a dirty comforter. For$100 a night not including the float trip. We were let down but determined to make the best of this we went to the store and bought bedding and towels and cleaning wipes. The next morning get up and noticed no one was in the 1st cabin still. So my daughter and I go to the office to get out float paid for and ask if we could get the bigger cabin since no one was in it told them I would pay more for it the little brown haired girl said yes then the other girl with a nose piercing said no it was booked and we should have had to pay a pet deposit of 15 a dog and we needed to pay this fee and was nasty with me. I said I wanted to by one raft and 2 tube rentals she keep saying and 60 pet deposit the brown haired girl rung up the float while the nasty teenager kept repeating and pet deposit the other girl stated stop worrying about the deposit and she kept saying it! The sign read tube float for 4 hours was only$20 and the raft was 25 per person for 4hours she charged us 30 x 6 people to float the 4 mile I said the 20 tube for 4 hours she nasty teen says that for just playing in the water😡 really the sign clearly says 4hour float only$20 and 25 for rafting over 4 people. I ask again about the other cabin the nasty girl said Chelsea and her 2 daughters were staying in it. Really because Chelsea and John the owner were the ones that came to the cabin the day before and Chelsea said she was the cleaning lady and John was the owner. Always we paid our pet deposit and float trip and tried to make the best of this regardless i a grown woman not to be argumentative with a child. This morning comes and we can’t wait to leave we cleaned the crap out of our concrete box prison and went to to office to return our key and get my 60 dollar pet deposit back and the nasty little teen was by herself while we started recording the whole encounter since day prior I ask for my pet deposit she said it don’t work like that I said excuse me you say deposit that means I get my deposit back if no damage was done. John came in and said what do we want he said you want your deposit here thank for staying and goodbye🤯wow what service. The best part the large cabin stayed vacant the entire time. The teenager that was running John’s business will be his downfall she don’t know how to treat people VERY DISRESPECTFUL!!!  Will never be back!!

What a neat little park in Northeastern Oklahoma! What I really liked was that most of the park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Depression and New Deal eras. Many of the buildings were still in use including shelters and cabins. What I didn't like were the terribly short hours of the office- open 8:00-4:30, although no one was around as late as 8:30 in the morning. Back to the positives, the tent sites were separate from the RV sites by a good 1/4 mile so no worries about generators. I camped in site Q which was on the interior of the tent loop, but the prime spots were on the outside of the loop. If you can get site R you will be in heaven!. Each site had a picnic table and fire pit and there were nice level places for tents on all sites. There is a nice overlook in the tent loop to watch the sun rise over the valley. The bathhouse was clean and had electric. There were two shower stalls, but no doors or curtains, so best not be modest. The RV sites seemed well spaced and well maintained. There were several nice trails in the park, with one that left from the tent loop, but they weren't really well marked and it was difficult to find any trail maps. There is a pretty little lake near the entrance that you can rent canoes to take a spin around the lake, but again, it depends on whether someone shows up to man the office. Apparently I wasn't the only one struggling to deal with the office hours as someone just dumped their boat paddles and PDF's in front of the office door since there was no one to turn them in to.

Beautiful old, but refurbished campground in Northeast Oklahoma, built by the CCC! Our last night of a 16-day trip is quietly coming to a close. We made reservations on-line (that's another story!), and when we got there around 8 p.m., the RV campground was about 1/3 full. There are only electric hookups and community water is scattered through the campground. There are tent cabins to rent, and separate tent camping area, also where the overlook is, although it was overgrown and not easy to see the view! There are newish shower and toilet buildings scattered around and my hubs said they were nice and clean... shower water warm only. There is a swimming pool opening early June and nice walking trails. Lots of history if you go that route!

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Nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks, Natural Falls State Park boasts a unique beauty which is unmatched through other state parks within Oklahoma. Perhaps best known for its beautiful waterfall, there are many other things to do here that make this a great place to visit during camping season. 

I visited during the summer months, it was hot and sticky outside, but slightly overcast making it a perfect day to visit and enjoy the park itself as well as some of the camping options. 

Exploring this park is fun as trails wind around and meander through some of the most beautiful areas of Oklahoma. If you are a person who likes mountains more than plains, this area of Oklahoma is one for you as lush tree coverage and rocky crags abound. 

The campsites themselves are pretty typical of an Oklahoma campground. 44 RV sites, also which can accommodate tent campers who are in need of power and 17 tent sites are available in addition to yurts they have on property. Yurts are pretty common in many Oklahoma State Parks in this region I have found. The sites are pretty standard with fire rings, picnic tables and some lantern hooks, just the basic ground work laid for you to set up your own unique adventures. 

When visiting I noticed that the Yurt section had no visitors during the week day and the campground itself was sparse as well. During the weekends I can imagine this fills up much more as it is a great place to visit. 

Visiting is fun with lots to do including the hiking trails however they also have playgrounds, volleyball and disc golf. The one downside for those visiting during the heat of summer however is, unlike many parks in Oklahoma which offer swimming beaches or pools, this park does not have any swimming resources. This was not a deal breaker for me personally but I would think for many it could be. 

A few things I noted that apply at the park that could be negatives to visitors passing through. They do currently have a reservation system, this can have both pros and cons. The reservation system is pretty easy to navigate but does state that on weekends you must book for the 2 days of the weekend no exceptions. When visiting the park in person I was told you can also get a site on the day of, however there is no guarantee of sites being available. Unlike many parks which hold a certain number for arrivals they are moving toward a fully online booking system like many other states.

Fairly small state park but they have a lot to do. They have 17 tent sites and about 45 RV sites. There are also nice looking yurts you can tent. Our tent site had a picnic table, lantern hook, charcoal grill and a fire ring. Bathrooms were clean and had flush toilets and a shower.

There are 4.5 miles of great hiking trails at the park. You can find some great hidden spots along the river and enjoy the quiet.

Of course, the best part of the park is the 77 foot tall waterfall. The hike to the bottom is fairly steep but there is a sidewalk that takes you to an overlook at the top.

The park has probably the longest disc golf course I’ve ever seen.

Overall, I highly recommend Natural Falls State Park.

New weekend-- new lake! Took a couple of extra days and spent an extended weekend at Lake Keystone State Park about 30 minutes west of Tulsa. 

The park has two campgrounds with full hookups... Green Country and Lake Country. The former has probably twice as many full hookup spots, but the latter is more picturesque. The view for most of Green Country is the boat shop and the marina. However, Lake Country campground overlooks a cove with easy access to the water. The park features a couple of trails that are good for walking, hiking, and running. Both are connected to the Lake Country campground and one of them will take you to the General Store near the park entrance. Don't expect to find groceries at the store but you can get ice, pop, candy, souvenirs, and ice cream bars. 

Green Country campground features Pier 51 Marina. The marina store rents boats and tubes if you're looking for something to do on the water. In front of the store is the Pier 51 Cafe-- Winn's on the Water. Nice little restaurant with outside dining on the dock. Thursday nights are$1.50 tacos and$2 Tecates. Friday is karaoke night. And Saturday night usually features live music from local/regional artists. 

The cove is pretty rocky but there is a swimming area and a couple of good areas to launch/land a kayak. The cove stays pretty calm since it's, well, a cove and due to it being a no wake zone because of the marina. If you head north on the water about a mile or so from the cove and go around the point you'll find a nice sandy beach across the way. 

The Lake Country campground was clean and seemed to be taken care of well. Although, when we pulled in our site hadn't been swept or blown off and was covered in cotton from the cottonwood trees. The fully modern sites have nice, level concrete pads with picnic tables and grills. However, they are close together and the little strip of grass in between each site is kinda scrubby. Due to the small sites there aren't any fire rings by the pads but there is a community fire ring nearby. If you like more space and don't need sewer hookups then look at the sites closer to the water. 

All in all, while the sites weren't perfect it was a nice campground and will probably warrant another trip.

Sequoyah State Park located just 8 miles from Wagoner Oklahoma has something for everyone. Sitting along the shore of Ft Gibson Lake with more than 19,000 surface acres and 225 miles of shoreline make this a water enthusiast paradise. From power boating, canoe and kayaking, fishing or just hanging at the beach area you will not be dissapointed. The park offers saddle rides, hiking and golf with a huge lodge facility complete with pool and splash area, dining, 104 guest rooms and 45 cottages. Camping is available in 5 campground areas varying from primitive tent camping to full hook up RV and bathhouses. The Choctaw campground sites all have water, sewer, and 50/30 amp electric with concrete pad, table, fire ring. Seminole and Cherokee having a mix of services. Paradise Cove and Chickasaw are for tent camping. There are plenty of picnic areas and playgrounds dispersed throughout and you definitely don't want to miss the Three Forks Nature Center. 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! Park Office GPS- 35.9279936,-95.2507104 Reservations: https://www.travelok.com/ Park Office: 17131 Park 10 Hulbert, OK 74441