Matthew E.
Scout
ScoutOuachita National Forest Cedar Lake Recreation Area
This is my favorite spot to camp
With so many trails that you can access just by walking out of the camp site. This is my favorite spot to camp in Oklahoma
Equestrian Camping near Heavener, OK
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Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground offers dedicated camping areas for horse owners in the Ouachita National Forest near Heavener, Oklahoma. The campground features both primitive and developed sites with electric hookups and water access. Horse-friendly campsites accommodate tents, RVs, and trailers with ample parking space for horse transportation. The campground provides access to multiple trails for riders to explore the surrounding pine forest and lake views. Cedar Lake campers particularly value the spacious sites separated by trees and bushes, creating a private atmosphere for visitors and their horses.
Trails around Cedar Lake connect directly to the campground, allowing riders to access a network of riding paths without trailering. A 3-mile trail circles the entire lake, providing relatively flat and easy terrain for beginners or warm-up rides. More challenging trails like Horsetheif Springs Trail offer extended riding options up to 14 miles. The campground maintains clean facilities with flush toilets and hot showers that serve both equestrian and non-equestrian campers. Horse owners should bring all necessary supplies as the nearest town is approximately 45 minutes away. Weekday visits typically offer more solitude for riders seeking quiet trail experiences, while weekend summer visits see increased activity on both trails and lake areas.
Best Equestrian Campgrounds near Heavener (14)
1. Cedar Lake (Oklahoma)
"If you want to hike, there are more hiking trails and equestrian trails than you could actually accomplish even in fourteen days. The GPS points are all over the map."
"We completed this campout with another family and this is our favorite campout in Oklahoma. The large pines, the facilities and the hiking is wonderful. Cedar lake is beautiful."
from $15 - $40 / night
Check Availability2. Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground
"This was mine and my mom's favorite place to camp in Oklahoma. The campground is heavily forested with pine trees and there are some sites right off the lake."
"I’ve lived in OK for 30+ years and didn’t know of Cedar Lake in the Quachita mountains near Heavener, OK. It’s incredible!! Clean site, right in the national forest."
from $10 - $23 / night
Check Availability3. Billy Creek
"The ATV trails are around camp and the noise from the machines buzzing by can be a lot, but it wasn’t a busy weekend so not too bad."
"This was such a cool place and a perfect distance away from everything. There were plenty of options for camping spots but also plenty of people there that you don’t feel completely alone."
4. Long Lake Resort
"Buffalo, horses and awesome amounts of fish! We stayed here in a duplex cabin and could just fish right out our back door. They have hiking trails and 2 private lakes."
from $35 - $40 / night
Check Availability5. Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground
"Super close to the Talimena Scenic Drive and Horse Thief Spring and plenty of ATV/UTV trails. The park hosts were amazing and came to check on us throughout our stay."
6. Ouachita National Forest Cedar Lake Recreation Area
"With so many trails that you can access just by walking out of the camp site. This is my favorite spot to camp in Oklahoma"
7. Robbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
"Stayed in the Equestrian campground with access to miles and miles of trails. It was wonderful and some of the best hiking I have done in quite a while. The hikes along the lake edges were great."
"Campground was alongside the highway, however the highway divides the state park, sites up the hill are farther away from the highway."
from $32 / night
Check Availability8. CMA Iron Mountain Cabins and Campground
"This campground is located right off of Hwy 71 for easy access. Plenty of room for big rigs. Just a short ride to the Wolf Pen Gap trail system."
"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!"
from $12 - $105 / night
Check Availability9. Sallisaw-Fort Smith West KOA
"They also have normal cabin rental and tiny home rentals that were perfectly positioned around campground and fishing pond. My only complaint would be that the sites are really compact."
"Also hiking trails. Also some tent sites. There is a whole new section for Class A and large 5th wheel campers now."
10. Boondockers Landing
"This is as near perfect as you can get!"
from $30 / night
Drive Time
- 41 min from Fort Smith, AR
- 1 hr 29 min from Fayetteville, AR
- 2 hrs 8 min from Hot Springs, AR
- 2 hrs 34 min from Texarkana, TX
Recent Equestrian Camping Photos near Heavener, OK
2 Photos of 14 Heavener Campgrounds
Equestrian Camping Reviews near Heavener, OK
114 Reviews of 14 Heavener Campgrounds
Kelly Z.
RangerCedar Lake Equestrian Campground
Great campground
This was mine and my mom's favorite place to camp in Oklahoma. The campground is heavily forested with pine trees and there are some sites right off the lake. It has a very nice bathroom facility with showers. Normally when we would go (in the fall and spring) it was not very crowded. Lots of great hiking trails nearby and the scenic Talimena scenic drive is beautiful, especially in the fall.
Teresa T.
LegendRobbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
I stayed for almost 10 days
Stayed in the Equestrian campground with access to miles and miles of trails. It was wonderful and some of the best hiking I have done in quite a while. The hikes along the lake edges were great. There are horse trails id have loved to have done but it was time to move on. Of all the campgrounds, and there are many in the park, the Equestrian is the best if you want to hike.
- Vanessa M.Legend
Robbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
Pleasant
Campground was alongside the highway, however the highway divides the state park, sites up the hill are farther away from the highway. We stayed on a site that was basically parallel with the main highway, however the trees offer privacy and noise reduction. There is water access and many trails that are available. Some campgrounds are closer to the state park's main geological feature which are the caves that infamous bank robbers used. This state park offered what I would consider typical of Oklahoma state park trails. They are poorly marked, more challenging than advertised, and not appropriate for certain types of activities. Generally when in Oklahoma I prepare for the worst to avoid a negative experience, and it works well for me. Horses do access some of the trails so horse flies are prevalent in those areas, I recommend bug spray.
We do intend to return to this area to camp again in the future.
Melanie W.LegendRobbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
Summertime fun
Robbers Cave State Park is located in the scenic, hilly woodlands of the Sans Bois Mountains of southeast Oklahoma. It is located 5 miles north of Wilburton, Oklahoma, on State Highway 2. Park amenities include camping areas modern to primitive, beautiful lodge, cabins, swimming pool with splash pad, 4 small lakes, streams, a nature center, picnic areas and miles of hiking, cave and equestrian camping andtrails. The office is also a store that sells camping supplies, worms, beer, ice, charcoal, candy, pop, ice cream etc. You can rent kayaks, canoes, bikes and Golf carts for running around by the hour or a golf cart for a whole day for $40. They have fun things to do for all ages such as walking tours, canoe tours, making fishing poles out of cane and then fishing with it. The hay ride is fun. It stops to let you off to see the oldest living pine tree in Oklahoma and stops at artesian water free flowing spout to get a cold drink of sweet water. The hay ride cost $4. There's camping up by the office, down by the lake and stream or primitive camping off hiking trails in the mountains. It gets very hot in the day but the nights are great. So if your hiking be sure and take plenty water. There is all kinds of hiking easy to hard. The lake was not as clean as it was the last time I was there. They have a huge flock of geese that have made Lake Carlton there home this summer. I saw a pair of Bald Eagles and deer. I saw adorable twin fawns. The heat was a little too much for me this trip so I stayed in the lodge. It's is very nice with the most beautiful view of the mountains. Star gazing is awesome. The people that work at the park are very nice. The town of Wilburton is only 5 miles away.
- PPatrick G.
TravelerCedar Lake Equestrian Campground
A great campsite with great hiking, and amazing views!!
We will BE back!! I’ve lived in OK for 30+ years and didn’t know of Cedar Lake in the Quachita mountains near Heavener, OK. It’s incredible!! Clean site, right in the national forest. At the time we went they had a camp host that met you, took you to your site, and checked in on us several times during our three night stay. She was really friendly, helpful, and our two boys thought she was the best when she gave them Smokey the Bear pins! While they do have bathroom and shower facilities our section of camps were down along with several others do to septic tank system issues that they were waiting on parts to arrive to fix. They provided portable toilets in the interim which worked fine. There is a really fun trail that runs right around the entire lake, and it’s a little over two miles. Nearly all natural terrain throughout the hike which makes it especially nice. Though we didn’t visit they have a section also for equestrian camping and riding as well as RV hookup sites. Can’t speak highly enough of this camping area!
Kyle H.
GuideRobbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
Our First Camping Voyage into Oklahoma
Our first Oklahoma camping trip lead us to Robbers Cave State Park in the southeastern portion of Oklahoma. It is located on more than 8,000 acres in the San Bois Mountains. The parks claim to fame is outlaws such as Belle Starr, the Dalton Gang, and Jesse James used it as a hideout from the law. This was going to be our first full week of vacation spent in the popup, and our first camping trip outside of Missouri. We selected Robbers Cave State Park for two reasons it’s distance was a little over 4 hours away, and the number of amenities it offered for our 4 year old on our extended outing.
The first thing this park did was challenge my perceptions on what the Oklahoma landscape is. This is a park is located in an old growth pine forest, located in the rocky terrain of the Sans Bois Mountains. The park is split in half by Hwy 2 with the east side of the park consisting of the RV campgrounds, cabins, and Belle Starr Lodge. The west side of the park includes Lake Carlton, the equestrian camps, swimming pool, miniature golf, and nature center. This layout was negative in the fact that we could not walk between two sides with my son because of the distance and elevation change, you could rent golf carts if you would like. The positive was that it kept traffic down in the campground from the day use visitors of the park. We booked site 23 in the Old Circle Campground, when booking on the Oklahoma state park website there are no photos of the sites, only short descriptions…sometimes. I will let you know there is a youtube video that someone made driving around the old circle campground. I used this to take a look at our site after booking it. Site 23 was a pull through site with full hookups located only about 5 feet off the main campground road. This could be a problem if the park was busy and there is a lot of traffic. Lucky for us we were camping through the week and this was not an issue. The site then on the opposite side held our own little secluded spot surrounded by pine trees down a slight slope from camper. We had a fire circle, picnic table, grill, and lantern post. We loved this site for this very reason. I will post pictures of both sides of our site below so you can get a visual. The bathroom and shower house is located in the middle of the old circle loop. The structure is very old and very dated stone structure, where you might find frogs sitting on shower curtains, spiders, and lizards (Those are just the ones that I witnessed). There is a newer shower house located outside of the Whispering Pines campground, next to the campground office and store. If you go to the newer one to take a shower make sure you have some quarters, or some dollar bills, because the showers cost money. Four quarters will get you 6 minutes worth of shower time.
When we were not at camp we spent most of our time exploring the west side of the park. We spent two afternoons swimming in Lake Carlton. The designated swim area has a very rocky drop-off for an entrance, but once out it was very nice swimming. There is a concrete pier that is located along the swim ropes that you can climb up and jump off of. Besides swimming you could rent peddle boats, canoes, and paddle boards to go exploring. There was a pool with two water slides and a splash zone, it is $5 dollars to enter for the entire day. My son also got to play miniature for the first time at the course located next to the pool. One word of warning the golf course is very dated with carpet ripped or completely missing in spots. This did not slow us down at all, it just needs a little work. They also sell shaved ice at the miniature gold building.
The Oklahoma Park staff were very knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to answer any of my questions. Also when you get to camp they will give you a schedule of all the events that are going on throughout the week you are staying. We did a hayride that lead us through the park to the stables where there is a petting zoo, we saw the second largest pine tree in Oklahoma, and drank water from anartesian well. They also had a campfire with stories and smores one night, a cane pole fishing class, and even a tour of Lake Carlton by canoe. Just make sure you have cash because each item does cost money.
The last thing we did before leaving Robbers Cave State Park after our three night stay was to go and search for the outlaws in the cave ourselves. I will give you a spoiler alert, the hiking trail to the cave is steep and rocky with big drop-offs, so be careful with small children. It is a ¾ of a mile trail that my son absolutely loved. He was trying to find the robber that was hiding out. The hike was worth every hair raising nervous parent moment.
It is a consensus with my family that we will need to return to this park again. It has so much to offer, and we did not even touch on the many miles worth of trails to hike or go for a horseback ride on. We look forward to our return to continue the exploring and searching for the elusive robbers.
- Teresa T.Legend
Cedar Lake (Oklahoma)
Fabulous
This place genuinely is amazing. If you want to hike, there are more hiking trails and equestrian trails than you could actually accomplish even in fourteen days. The GPS points are all over the map. Essentially, come down to Cedar Lake. And there are two group campgrounds, a spot called shady lane equestrian, campground, and then the campground right on the water, they're all terrific. Most nights there wasn't anybody here. I spent four nights in the equestrian, campground and two nights in shady lane absolutely terrific.
- Neil T.Legend
Robbers Cave State Park — Robbers Cave State Resort Park
2nd Visit - will again given the chance
Our first visit was in November and the fall color was stunning.
Early March for this visit and definitely winter scapes...but still beautiful.
Trout fishing just steps away from camp and we had the whole campground to ourselves for the night.
The afternoon hours did have some rambunctious local teens, but they kept to themselves. Can’t blame them - I’d have hung out here in my teens too if I lived close.
Just up the road on the main lake they are building a new restaurant overlooking the lake. They are getting a new office and other upgrades too.
Kayak rentals and horse rides nearby. Plus lots of hiking.
Guide to Heavener
Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground sits at the heart of horseback riding opportunities near Heavener, Oklahoma. Located in the Ouachita National Forest at an elevation of approximately 800 feet, the area features rolling hills covered with pine forests. Summer temperatures typically reach 90°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder weather in the 60-80°F range, making these seasons ideal for equestrian camping trips.
What to do
Explore lake trails: At Cedar Lake, a 3-mile trail circles the entire lake. "Beautiful views and great family fun! One of the best camping trips that our family has ever taken. Lots of things to do, hiking and camping was amazing," notes Hope F. The relatively flat terrain makes this trail suitable for beginner riders.
Visit Talimena Scenic Drive: Located near Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground, this renowned scenic route offers spectacular mountain vistas. "This place was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! So beautiful with all the pine trees and being so far out from everything. Super close to the Talimena Scenic Drive and Horse Thief Spring and plenty of ATV/UTV trails," shares Kristi B.
Fish in stocked lakes: Fishing opportunities abound at nearby lakes. "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," advises Ashley W. Morning fishing typically yields better results before recreational boaters arrive.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Campers appreciate the natural separation between campsites. "The campsite spots themselves are pretty big in size and are separated by trees and bushes. Feels very private," reports Ashley W. This layout allows horse owners to maintain space for their animals while camping.
Clean facilities: Despite the remote location, campers value the maintained amenities. "Campgrounds were incredibly peaceful and quiet. There is running water and bathrooms which were relatively clean," notes Amelia S. The facilities support both equestrian and standard camping needs.
Natural setting: The pine forest setting creates a distinctive atmosphere. "We completed this campout with another family and this is our favorite campout in Oklahoma. The large pines, the facilities and the hiking is wonderful," shares Megan P. from Cedar Lake.
What you should know
Distance from supplies: Plan ahead as services are limited in this remote area. "The closest store/town is about 45 minutes so be sure to bring everything you need with you," warns Kristi B. from Cedar Lake Equestrian Campground. Bring all necessary feed, tack, and supplies for your horses.
Wildlife encounters: Be prepared for local wildlife. "Saw a ton of wild turkeys and two cottonmouth snakes," reports Amelia S. Proper food storage and awareness of surroundings are essential for safe camping.
Weather considerations: The area experiences significant seasonal variations. "When we lived in Oklahoma we would camp out regularly in March, bring jackets and stuff to keep warm because it is still very chilly, but warm enough during the day for some nice hiking," advises Megan P.
Tips for camping with families
Bring bikes for kids: The campground layout supports family cycling. "The girls rode bikes, swam at the pool and in the lake, the wife and I fished along the creek below the dam," shares Wayne T. from Robbers Cave State Park, which offers similar family-friendly features to Cedar Lake.
Plan weekday visits: For quieter experiences with children, consider non-peak times. "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!" recommends Ashley W.
Check campground events: Some campgrounds offer scheduled activities. "When you get to camp they will give you a schedule of all the events that are going on throughout the week you are staying. We did a hayride that lead us through the park to the stables where there is a petting zoo," notes Kyle H.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for horse trailers: Choose sites with adequate space for both RV and horse transportation. "We needed an electric hookup to charge the batteries on my boat every night and he was able to give us a site with hookups close to the boat ramp," explains Nate S., highlighting the importance of selecting appropriate sites for vehicles and equipment.
Utility considerations: Check the available hookups for your specific needs. "The RV area looked new because all of the power boxes had 50/30 and 120 outlets and breakers which is super cool. All of the sites had sewer and water connections too," reports Cynthia H. from Long Lake Resort.
Asphalt and gravel sites: Most equestrian campgrounds offer improved surfaces for RVs. "Asphalt and gravel sites. Clean bathrooms. Water and electric only," notes Jennifer O., adding "Don't forget the ice, there's nothing close."
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Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Heavener, OK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Heavener, OK is Cedar Lake (Oklahoma) with a 4.9-star rating from 13 reviews.
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