Best Glamping near Sardis Lake

This was our first trip in our new 21’ camper. Robbers Cave was quiet, and the sites were huge. Be sure to check if your site is flat, ours had a huge step down to the picnic table and fire ring. Plenty of tree cover, restrooms and showers if needed. They have upgraded most bathrooms/showers and have one left to upgrade in the RV parking.

There is putt putt, a mini museum, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boats and playgrounds. If you want to rent a Yurt - they have two!

They are also in the process of upgrading and building a huge boat house.

WalMart is 40 minutes away but there is a small town less than 10 minutes with most amenities if you need something or just want a meal out.

Highly recommend and we will be back.

The state park is situated on both sides of a main road and is broken down to several smaller campgrounds throughout the park. Campsites vary from primitive to water and electric, so there is something for everyone. The state park also offers cabins, yurts, and wagon sleepers if you're looking for something different. Each campsite has a fire ring, table (concrete or wooden), trash hook, grill, and a pad to set your tent on. The sites on the southwest side of the road are alongside a small river, while those on the east side of the road are on a hill.

The state park has a lot of amenities which have significantly improved over the past three years. This is not the campground for you if you're wanting to be isolated as it can be busy. Pretty cool spot to bring the family as you can explore caverns, hike, use ATV trails, fish, MTB, and swim. Some camping spots are farther from toilets and showers than others.

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. 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.

Camped at the improved campsite. Not as clean as most Oklahoma state parks.

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.

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.

Camping at Robber’s Cave State Park you will quickly discover that no matter what your overall preference for camping style, they pretty much have you covered. On a recent trip I visited the park and discovered that from primitive to improved sites, equestrian areas, atv areas they have a bit of everything. The camp even has options for those who aren’t feeling quite as adventurous and want to live in a bit more of the creature comforts we all have at home with cabins, a lodge and yurts. 

The area itself is filled with historic mystery as it was formerly known to be the hide out of some of the West’s most infamous and notorious bank robbers. From Jesse James and the Younger Gang to Belle Starr the area once served as an excellent place to hide their treasures and watch out to make sure no one was coming. 

The mountains around this area are beautiful and have towering trees and rolling waterways. You will find 3 lakes here that can keep you occupied wether you like to fish, boat, kayak, peddle or swim. Additionally amenities such a nature center, swimming pool, grocery store and mini golf make this site perfect for families who are wanting to find a little fun and adventure without having to go very far. 

Hiking around this park is abundant and there are miles upon miles of trails to explore with some being very easy and user friendly and others posing a bit more of a challenge. 

The campgrounds themselves are pretty standard throughout with picnic tables, lantern hooks, grills and fire rings. Many also have prep tables located just beside the grill making dinner very easy.

 I found that not all campsites were created equally however in way of restrooms. The primitive sites on loops were not evenly placed near restrooms, and a restroom could be a bit of a tall order if you are camping on some of the loops. You would expect that from the hike in campsites, but might want to plan carefully for a stay at the primitive sites based on your need for these facilities. 

Not all facilities offer showers either. Showers are located centrally for all to use and you can easily walk to these or park beside if you are staying a bit further away.

 I did notice that there is camping on both sides of the highway with each having its unique advantages and disadvantages. The primitive sites mostly are located on the side with more recreation, while the more improved sites, cabins and lodge are located on the opposite side. This side also offers hiking and has some improved spaces of interest but the vast majority of the popular spaces you will want to check out will be located just across the small highway. 

On the improved camping loops you will find most of the RV campers. These sites are placed closer together and have improved pull ins as well, unlike the hard pack of the primitive camping/semi improved camping areas. Additionally, these areas have both water and electrical connections and can really squeeze a lot of size into each spot. 

On this side of the park, a grocery store is within walking distance of the improved camping area and easy to access for park information as well as supplies you might need. 

Unlike many parks which are a considerable distance from town, the community of Wilburton is only a short drive from this location and has several restaurants, stores and fuel stops. This makes it very convenient if you are spending more than a couple of days out at the park and want to venture out for anything you might need. 

Tips: 

• Research your site before selecting one online through the booking system or in person. This will save you a lot of headache if you are needing a restroom that is closer. 
• Bring sunscreen!! Despite having wonderful shaded areas, the water is a HUGE draw here and you will want to be able to have fun in it without issues. Don’t forget waterproof sunscreen. Try the trails or rent a boat. The Robber’s Cave trail is the most exciting hike in the park in way of history and challenge, you will enjoy finding the cave that once housed some of the most notorious in the West through a series of inclines and scrambles. Through this is not for everyone, it is able to be navigated by most.

We love this park. If you're from Oklahoma you must visit. The park has so much to offer with several hiking trails, equistrian trails and stables, mini golf, and much much more. It gets pretty crowded during the day on the day use side. But you can stay on the other side of the park during the day and go over to the cave side in the morning or evening even the crowds die down. The bathrooms aren't anything to brag about but they did the job and did have hot water. We will come back again in the fall when the leaves start changing because it is absolutely beautiful.

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.

I really want to love this park. I just can't. The park offers some of the best southeast Oklahoma landscapes available but the park is dated to say the best. The updated part of the park is across the road from the lake and is more expensive to camp at and is really designed for RV's. We tent camp so have always stayed by the lake i one of the primitive sites. It took us several trips to figure out you had to pay at the visitors center by the updated part of the park. When visiting the primitive sites, by careful before you set up camp. We always have to scout the area for glass, old cans, and food scraps so the dogs don't eat anything they shouldn't or cut their paws. You also have a large influx of day use visitors during the pleasant Spring and Fall days. The plus sides are the caves, trails, and lake activities. Large boats aren't allowed on the lakes but paddle boats can be rented. We hike the loop trail around the lake and by the caves which usually takes most of the day. The bathrooms on the primitive side are in desperate need of updates so if you aren't a fan of 1940's bathrooms, beware.

Remains one of my favorite Oklahoma State Parks, and we always enjoy the scenery and off-road jeep trails in Thundering Pines area. Many hiking trails of varied difficulty, all scenic, and fishing - including trout - in the waterways. Seeing the actual “Robber’s Cave” should be done, but I think you only need to do it once in your life…the graffiti ruins some of the ambiance.

The jeep trails now require a $10/day fee and are only open 8am to sunset; used to be free and open all the time, and maintained by local volunteers…hopefully they’re still maintained with the trail funds. Trails have lots of variety, from beginner to difficult, all well-shaded and several seasonal creeks for small water crossings. Rocks won’t cut up your tires like Disney, which is a BIG plus. Trail maps available in the park office, or on GAIA.

We brought our teardrop trailer, and when booking, I was told I had to book an full RV site. Wanting a theoretically quieter campground, opted for Deep Ford campground, site 5, as the majority of the sites in here are tent sites.

The campground itself was clean, with about half on the east bank of the Fourche Maline creek. If you stay near the entrance, around sites 4, 5, and 16-17, you can hear the rushing water over the ford (and see it from your spot at 16-17). Single stall restrooms and hot push-button showers are located at the entrance to the campground, as was our site, so while we had easy access, we also got lots of traffic.

4 and 5 are VERY close together, with the picnic tables and fire pits sharing the same small patch of grass. We had a neighbor with a bumper-pull RV in 4 our last night, and ended up eating at the same table because we were sharing the rest of the space, so might as well! Our little trailer and jeep had plenty of room on the pavement, but I can’t imagine cramming two full-size RVs in each spot.

Personally, we’d try a tent spot next time - teardrop is fully self-contained and doesn’t need hookups (we did plug in, since we were paying for it), and there were several other folks parking their small trailers on tent sites. Would stay at Deep Ford again, but it is definitely popular. Younger Campground also looked nice and quiet, but does not have their own set of restroom/showers.

We did take a turn around the Pine Trails(?) - I think, couldn’t get Pine Needles out of my head - RV campground at the south end of the park, on the east side of the highway. Lots of trees and shade, but all of the spots except the ADA spots were gravel. There were several trailheads into the ATV area.

Not sure about campsites but the cabins are amazing. Lots of trails but the trail markers are hard to spot...they need remarked

robbers cave itself is a fun hike

Great campsite. Had neighbors around us but it was very quiet. This site held 5 tent campers and 1 hammock camper and there was still plenty of room. Great fire pit and cement picnic table for cooking. Stayed here for a Jeeping event. The trails are just a mile or so away so it made them very accessible. Ample parking as well.

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.

Nice amenities. Clean bathroom. Well maintained trails. I look forward to coming back to rock climb. Great for a weekend away or a family day trip. In warmer weather we definitely would have went kayaking. The most exciting thing for us was to explore with minimal research of the area. It felt like a treasure hunt!

To my understanding you do need to park to pay.

We booked a Deep Ford campsite online but were disappointed when we arrived. The sites were really close together with almost no privacy. There were a lot of people parked in the campground lot for fishing during the day, so it felt pretty cramped. Luckily, you can change your reservation online. We drove around to all of the different tent sections and found a much better option at Eagles Nest. It was wooded and the sites were more spread out. It had a stone fire ring, a table, a grill, and a lantern pole. There are no bathrooms nearby, but there are several throughout the park that are just a quick drive away if you really need them.

If you're looking for less crowded spots, it seemed like Eagles Nest and Lake Wayne Wallace were the best options.

First time here, we opted to stay at a site with water/electric - Old Circle 21. Small site but we managed to get our 11 person instant tent up. Lots of hiking trails - went up to Robbers Cave (more like a hideout spot than an actual cave) enjoyed the hike. We only explored a small bit of the campgrounds. Definitely want to go back and explore some more

We truly enjoyed staying here! From the great hiking, to the fun buildings there’s so many opportunities to explore. Great temps too.

Wasn’t able to spend much time here, but camped in the atv area and had an ok time. The sites were close together so there was very little privacy but it was quiet for the most part. No restrooms that I saw but there was water and electric. The drive to the park is less than fun. We were only 3 hours away but drive felt way longer due to slow country roads and construction. I doubt we’ll be back just because of the drive, but if it’s nearby it’s pretty nice!

Went camping with my 7 year old son. Camp site was right in the river. New restrooms/showers were under construction but they had a portable comfort station in our campground.

I had Eagle’s Nest to myself… in June. No perks out there, but if you are looking for quiet and distanced sites, this is the site for you in the park. Robber’s Cave itself if a cool little walk on the rocks, though the cave itself has been ravaged by tourists or locals with a need to make their mark. Sheesh. Still, worth a stop if traveling through the area.

This was a great camping spot we hiked all of the trails got lost for a little while they are not marked the best but we wasn’t on a time schedule so it was great! Really good views and a very relaxing place.

We absolutely loved this park. We got a last minute reservation and got only site we could. We do not recommend DF004. It is a small site right on top of neighbors. The good thing is there are bike/hike trails attached to loop. The bouldering was so much fun and my kids played for hours. We would love to go back to some of their better sites.

We stayed at Bobcat tent camping and loved it the spots were spaced enough apart where you are not on top of other campers the spots were very clean also the front office is great at helping out if you want to move spots last minute I will say we had no service at all so be prepared for that :)

Nice Park, we stayed in Old Loop and didn’t realize they have very new amenities at the site prior to ours if your looking for the bathhouse. The camp area is separate from the lake area, it is across the main road. Nice park!

This is a cool spot to visit. The park has many hiking trails and a lake to explore. The Camper sites were not crowded. There was plenty of space between spots. The showers close to our camp spot we’re a bit crusty. Their are other showers closer to the lake that are much newer and cleaner. Overall visiting this park was a good experience.

My family visited Robber’s Cave over Labor Day weekend. We camped in the equestrian campground and it was more than we imagined it would be. The restroom and showers were the nicest we’ve seen and were well taken care of. We enjoyed hiking all over the state park and horseback riding at the Robber’s Cave Stables.