Camping near Oologah Lake

I stayed in the Echo Hollow section EH4. It finally got quiet at around 9 pm. With the recent rains that just came through, the flies were really bad. I didn't cook anything just so I didn't attract more flies. There were very few people here maybe because it is the beginning of May and not peak season. It was well kept. Water and electric worked and there was a fire ring that I did not use. There was also a picnic table at each site and trees around the area. Shower house was not close to me so I did not shower until I left in the morning. The toilet house had 2 stalls with no doors or curtains in front of the toilets.

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 the old city lake outside of Pawhuska. It is not Bluestem Lake (Bluestem is a couple miles north). The Old city lake is smaller and quieter and has no improvements beyond a few picnic tables and a toilet only the desperate would consider using. To reach the camping area you drive across the damn to the west boat dock area. There is a dirt road/trail that heads up to a few camping spots. Most of the camping areas have been abandoned to time but some of them are still maintained. The lake is a no wake lake and is great for kayaking. They used to stock it with trout. Near the east boat ramp is a pretty cool table top rock feature. Below the damn you can find a trail and some bluffs that are fun to explore. On top of the bluffs is an old abandoned camping area.

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.

I was surprised the RV spots weren’t in a gated area as was my experience with other Loves RV spots. It was a little noisy being right off the interstate. Ran my generator at night no issue. Slept well and unbothered. Use of the communal dump is included. Shower inside Loves discounted from $18 to $10 but you’ll need to book inside with the cashier to use the discount as opposed to checking in for the shower on your phone.

Small and only 5 spots, we were the only spot taken all night. Somewhat pricey for what they offer but it’s easy to access.