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
Dog-Friendly Camping near Muse, OK
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Several pet-friendly campgrounds near Muse, Oklahoma offer tent sites, RV spots, and cabin rentals across the forested hills of the Ouachita region. Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp permits pets throughout its grounds with standard leash requirements. Billy Creek Recreation Area welcomes dogs at its primitive riverside campsites, where pets can enjoy the sound of water flowing over rocks. Big Cedar Cabins & RV Park and Talimena State Park both provide pet-friendly accommodations with more developed amenities including electric hookups and shower facilities. Heavener Runestone Park maintains 18 pet-allowed campsites with water and electric hookups. Most sites require pets remain leashed at all times. The vault toilets at some campgrounds are occasionally padlocked during off-seasons.
Hiking trails throughout the Ouachita National Forest provide excellent opportunities for dogs to stretch their legs, with the 3-mile path around Cedar Lake particularly suitable for dog walking. The Horsetheif Springs Trail offers either a short loop or extended 14-mile option for more adventurous hikers with dogs. Multiple dispersed camping options exist along the Talimena Scenic Drive where pets are welcome without fees, though these primitive sites lack facilities. During summer months, the creeks and lakes provide cooling opportunities for dogs, with Billy Creek offering easy access to water via short trails. The campgrounds remain peaceful and quiet with enforced quiet hours after 10pm, creating a respectful environment for all campers. Tall pines and rolling hills characterize the setting, with occasional wildlife including wild turkeys visible throughout the area.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Muse (97)
1. Winding Stair Campground (Ok) — Ouachita National Forest
"If you plopped me into this camp I wouldn’t have guessed I was in Oklahoma."
"Driving from Mena to Talihina along this stretch of highway is a treat when it comes to the spectacular views. "
from $3 - $14 / night
2. Cedar Lake (Oklahoma)
"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."
"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."
from $15 - $40 / night
Check Availability3. Billy Creek
"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."
"There was a easy and short little trail down to the river and lots of large rocks to hang out on. The campsite has tons of big trees. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table and grill. "
4. Talimena State Park Campground
"This State Park is located in SE Oklahoma and is a hidden gem. The park has a number of RV sites and tent sites."
"There was at least one other trail leading away from camp. Camp store is closed during the week - at least during the time of year of our visit.
The town of Talihina is about 6 miles from camp."
5. Dead Man Gap Dispersed Campsite
"Go another 40 ish yards and there is the end of the side ‘road’/stone path and you’ll find the site we stayed at.
There is a great fire pit and a well established site.""First time in the Ouachita national forest and we found a most excellent spot next to Lillard Creek off of 6010 Deadmans trail Rd. Would recommend a 4wd vehicle."
6. 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."
"It’s wonderful in the fall when the leaves are changing, the days are cooler, and the nights are perfect for gathering around a camp fire."
from $10 - $23 / night
Check Availability7. Talimena Scenic Drive
"Van: Promaster 3500 159 Ext Company: Dog
Spot comes up on you Fast when driving: Tip if you come from Talihini: You'll see a very clear road on your LEFT (Another Spot) slow down and look on your Right"
"From the Scenic Drive, go down forest road 6014, just near horse leaf Springs and about a 1/2 a mile down the road. There will be a crossing road that has dispersed camping on both sides of it."
8. Deadman Gap South Trail Dispersed Campsite
"Small peaceful pond and is right off the Deadman South Trail."
9. County Road D1590 Dispersed
10. Queen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park
"Trails are short but have nice views. Forest trail is overgrown once you leave the state park and go into the national forest."
"The lodge is a pretty short walk up hill. It has a restaurant and small gift shop. It also has a lookout, and two trailheads. The lobby is spacious with a great view."
from $23 / night
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Drive Time
- 1 hr 13 min from Fort Smith, AR
- 2 hrs from Fayetteville, AR
- 2 hrs 5 min from Hot Springs, AR
- 2 hrs 15 min from Texarkana, TX
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Muse, OK
50 Photos of 97 Muse Campgrounds
Fred S.
Winding Stair Campground (Ok) — Ouachita National Forest
Jennifer O.
Cedar Lake (Oklahoma)
Brien
Talimena Scenic Drive
jim
County Road D1590 Dispersed
Rudy D.
Dead Man Gap Dispersed Campsite
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Wards Campground — Lake Wister State Park
Elizabeth R.
Below the Dam Campground — Lake Wister State Park
Matthew M.
Queen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park
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CMA Iron Mountain Cabins and Campground
CHRISTI A.
Mena/ Ouachita National Forest KOA
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Armadillo Campground - Beavers Bend State Park
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Acorn Campground — Beavers Bend State Park
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Muse, OK
351 Reviews of 97 Muse 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.
Ana A.
GuideSandbar Area Campsites — Cossatot River State Park - Natural Area
Memorial Weekend
This place is a beautifull forested remote area and you have to drive over 4.5 miles to get to the campsite, its a two lane dirt road, lookout for deer and other critters crossing. We stayed at the walk in campsites, they have those and a few where you can park next to your site, don’t expect very much privacy, you can’t make reservations, they are all first come first serve and you pay at your site. All are tent only. we stayed at #20 with a short walk from the parking area but a little bit too close to #21, 18 and 19 seem to be the ones with more privacy. We did have a nice shaded site with a fire ring, a barbecue grill, a picnic table and nice surface for your tent. the camping area is just a short walk to the sandbar where you can enjoy the cool floating water. The bathrooms are adequate but no running water, therefore don’t expect showers. We camped with our dog Lulu, the sites are pet friendly and she had fun in the water too. There is an abundance of wild life, keep an eye for snakes and thicks!
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.
Tracey L.
TravelerShady Lake Campground
One of our favorite places!
We have been coming to Shady Lake for decades and it is one of our most favorite places. It is a good location on the edge of the Ouachita National Forest with plenty of things to do within the recreation area and in the surrounding area as well. There are multiple hiking trails, some with connections to longer trails outside the rec area. Access for hunters and ATVs outside the rec area. Beautiful canoeing (bring your own boat) where you can see otters, eagles, yes- snakes and all kinds of wildlife. I love that this is an older more rustic park, some people have considered that a negative but to me that is a positive (people who like everything shiny and new definitely should look elsewhere). If the cat wasn't already out of the bag on this treasure of a camp, I certainly would not make a post encouraging more people to come here. lol! Sadly they have demolished the A camping loop right at the front and are 'upgrading' it to bring in more people with bigger rigs. the heavy construction has run off a lot of the wildlife for a couple seasons so will see how it turns out in the end. I hope the Bald Eagle and otter family return when it all quiets back down. There are sites with water and electric and tent only sites- some of which are very primitive and if you like to be far from other campers and can do primitive sites- they are a plus! (some will think they are awful, but to others they are a bonus- lol!) If you love getting back nature, peaceful cell phone free beauty and quiet in a rustic camping setting you will love it. Fishing, hiking,, swimming, nearby ATV riding, hunting, easy access to other nearby national forest rec areas, rivers and trails.
Vanessa M.
LegendQueen Wilhelmina State Park — Queen Wihelmina State Park
Small
The campground is small with limited pads. Each site is close to the next and are generally occupied with RVs or camper trailers. I would suggest that this campground is most appropriate for the camper who prefers a more modern feel. There is ample cell phone service, WiFi is nearby, facilities are clean and modern. It is approximately a 15 minute drive into Mena, AR where you can find significant shopping. The campground is also near a large hotel. There are many hiking and mountain bike trails available in the area. A few miles down the road you can find an old fire tower which is interesting and can be accessed if you are daring. This area is dog friendly, dogs can access the trails as well. There are also some very neat driving trails, the bypass is a popular destination for motorcyclists which can offer some noise during the day. The park is also approximately a mile from the Oklahoma state line. This is a nice area for the avid cyclist, hiker, and motorcyslist.
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
Sandbar Area Campsites — Cossatot River State Park - Natural Area
Soothing
The campground is tricky to locate, I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the directions especially if you are arriving after dark. There are several miles of driving on a gravel forest road between the main highway and the campgrounds.
The campsites are relatively private, we pretty much had the campground to ourselves until after the first night. A very large family arrived and decided that the best campsite available was immediately next to us. Had it been full this wouldn't have been irritating, but there were more than a dozen other sites to choose.
Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire pit, there are toilets available but no showers and phone signal is sparse. River access is within a very quick walk, this section of the river is very calm. Overall the campground is isolated. Its about a fifteen minute drive to the park headquarters, popular trails, and other activities. The park is dog friendly, the surrounding trails are accessible for dogs.
Crystal C.LegendCarson Creek Campground — Beavers Bend State Park
Great Water Access Points & Nearby Community Fun
Many flock to Broken Bow for their cabins and beautiful outdoor spaces. What better way to take advantage of those spaces than with a trip to Carson Creek!!
Carson Creek is a bit removed from the State Park access points and with that comes a unique charm which is fun for the family without quite the large crowds which sometimes can bottleneck into the State Parks.
There are three camping areas at Carson Creek, referred to as Quail, Turkey and Hawk. Both Quail and Turkey allow you to set up in an RV for $16 while Hawk is designed for primitive camping and is only $8. The sites cannot be reserved so much like other portions of the lake I do recommend arriving early on weekends during warmer months.
The camp offers great amenities for those camping here including standards such as fire rings and picnic tables and access to restrooms. Additionally they do have community style events at the campground which are nice for those visiting.
My favorite point of this campground was the access to the water. From the shore you can easily fish, swim or put a small boat in the water to explore.
The town of Hoochatown is just a short drive from this campsite and has everything you will need for supplies as well as some very fun and unique attractions to even further your experience. I spent an entire afternoon at the Hoochatown Petting Zoo enjoying the wildlife which includes a variety of species you won't find just everywhere.
A great way to spend a day, a weekend of a week away with a bit less crowds.
Guide to Muse
Cedar Lake Equestrian Camp and Billy Creek Recreation Area welcome pets across their diverse camping facilities in Oklahoma's Ouachita Mountains. Both campgrounds maintain pet-friendly policies without breed restrictions, though pets must remain leashed while on campground property. Cedar Lake offers developed sites with electric hookups suitable for tents, RVs, and cabins, all of which accommodate pets. Billy Creek provides more primitive pet-friendly camping with no electricity or water hookups at individual sites, making it ideal for tent campers seeking a more rustic experience with their dogs. Most campsites feature fire rings, picnic tables, and access to vault toilets. The campgrounds remain peaceful even on busy weekends, with sites well-spaced to provide privacy between camping neighbors.
Several hiking trails throughout the area accommodate leashed dogs, including the Horsetheif Springs Trail near Cedar Lake which offers options from short loops to extended 14-mile hikes. The Billy Creek campsites positioned along the creek provide easy water access for dogs needing to cool off during warmer months. Most trails in the surrounding Ouachita National Forest permit dogs, though hikers should watch for wildlife, including potential snake encounters. The Talimena Scenic Drive area offers additional dispersed camping options for those traveling with pets who prefer more isolated settings. Campers should bring all necessary pet supplies as the nearest veterinary services and pet stores require significant travel from these remote locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Muse, OK?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Muse, OK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Muse, OK is Winding Stair Campground (Ok) — Ouachita National Forest with a 4.6-star rating from 13 reviews.
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dog-friendly camping near
Muse, OK?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Muse, OK?
TheDyrt.com has all 97 dog-friendly camping locations near Muse, OK, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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