Best Campgrounds near Claremore, OK

If you are looking for a nice place on the Illinois River to camp, float the river, set shuttle or just hang out, this is a very nice place.  You will enjoy the privacy compared to other campgrounds in the area that have large crowds.  Book early as it fill up fast and they do not offer more than one or two spaces per day.  The campsites are large and open with lots of shade trees and could easily accommodate much larger groups if needed .  Be careful when camping, as it is near the river and if the water gets high, you will need to move up to the higher bank.

We called ahead and clearly explained we needed a full hookup site to test out our motorhome before a major trip. We were also told they had a playground and asked to be placed as close to it as possible. We confirmed that checkout was at 11 AM and were told if we needed a late checkout, it would be an additional$20.

 When we arrived, we were one of the only guests there, yet they still insisted on charging a late checkout fee. Even worse— the site they gave us had only 30 amp electric hookup— no water, no sewage hookup— despite what we were promised over the phone. The“playground” was a complete joke: no swings, no slides— just a small metal structure with a few steps. Nothing like what is pictured or advertised. When we asked for a refund because the site was not what we were promised, the older woman at the front desk laughed and said,“It’s raining, the kids can’t play anyway,” and refused to refund us. 

She offered a“credit toward a future stay,” which we obviously declined. There are only THREE sites in the entire park with full hookups, and they are right at the front gate next to the train tracks. As a military family(my husband is a disabled combat vet), it’s also worth noting they do not offer any military discount. Between the poor service, false advertising, and complete lack of accommodations, this place is wildly overpriced and absolutely not worth the three-hour drive we made to get there.

 0/10 recommend. Save your money and go somewhere else. We left and stayed down the road by Pier 51 instead— a much better experience.

This site doesn’t have a lot of overwhelming features like playgrounds or things like that but it is beautiful and you can hear the water moving constantly. It’s just off the highway so there is some road noise, but with that being said, it allows you to basically pull off the road and pull right on. There’s no formal check in sight so if you book here you do have to book online. there is a camp host staying here but that be prepared to bring your own firewood if you want to fire if you need anything, you will have to go outside of the campsite to get it

This is a great area by the river. It is a bird watcher’s paradise, and we saw a lot of people fishing. There is a boat access area as well. We did camp there in a tent for one night, but were politely told by a game warden the next day that, though it used to be open for that, it is no longer allowed. It is open to the public only during the day. There are still signs up showing tent camping, but they are apparently inaccurate. We had a great time and he welcomed us to stick around and hang out for the day, but no more camping. I was able to see multiple species of Oklahoma’s woodpeckers, some birds of prey, and many songbirds. Go during the day! Still worth it, even if you camp elsewhere.

Once arriving at the camp site, I discovered that the sites near the lake were very sloped making it a little difficult to find a flat spot to set up a tent. I talking to one passer-by, who was unfortunately house-less at the time, who explained that Hawthorn Bluff does not charge for camping until April 1st. I paid for my campsite as the website did not state this. I'm not upset by this because I know the fees will help maintain the park. However, this makes for some very interesting campers. The couple next to our site were having a domestic dispute where the lady sped off in her car after cussing her partner out for some time. She returned later with an 18 pack, one in her hand, and thankfully they seemed to have made up. This was hard to explain to my young kids who witnessed the whole exchange. Since they were not charging for campsites during my stay, the showers were locked and not opened as well as another restroom. There was only one opened restroom on the opposite side of the park and it had beer cans and other trash in it. 

Nice views of the lake, but I think I'll cross this one off my list for next time.