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Tenkiller State Park is known as Oklahoma's “heaven in the hills.” The sparkling blue waters of Lake Tenkiller offer water enthusiasts an abundance of recreational opportunities between 130 miles of shoreline and 13,000 surface acres. The park’s plentiful amenities make it a favorite destination for all ages.
Tenkiller State Park in Vian is a haven for all water sports including water skiing, fishing, boating, tubing and scuba diving. Outdoor facilities include a volleyball court, basketball court, two playground areas, four group picnic pavilions and 172 picnic tables. An outdoor swimming pool is available seasonally at the park and includes a water slide and splash pad. Additional amenities include a community building, three hiking trails and the Driftwood Nature Center.
Lake Tenkiller is considered one of the best places in the state for scuba diving, as its waters are clear from eight to 28 feet. Tenkiller Scuba Park is a diver's dream, with a sunken airplane fuselage, school bus, helicopter and two boats to explore underwater. In some areas of the lake, divers can see the remains of homesteads and artifacts left behind from before the lake was formed. The Fisherman's Point Area provides access to a swim beach, dive park, and boat ramp. The lake's underwater terrain ranges from mildly sloping hills to rock cliffs, and the water goes up to 160 feet deep in places. With an Oklahoma fishing license, divers can try their luck at spear fishing for non-game fish. Two diving pro shops, Gene's Aqua Pro and Nautical Adventures, are located on the lake and offer training, certification and equipment rental.
Tenkiller State Park offers RV and tent sites scattered between 10 campgrounds. Online reservations must be made for the RV and tent campsites. Primitive campgrounds include Bluff View, Eagle Point, and Hickory Flats with Day use area's at Fisherman's Point, Goose Neck Bend North and South . RV campgrounds with 30-amp electric and water hookups include Blue Jay Knob and Flying Squirrel. The Shady Grove and Fox Squirrel campgrounds both offer full hookups, with 50-amp electric service. A total of seven comfort stations with restrooms and showers are available in the park, and there are two on-site waste dump stations.
In addition to the tent and RV campgrounds, Tenkiller State Park guests may choose from 38 cabins, ranging from one to three-bedroom styles. All the cabins, except for the three-bedroom models, are duplexes. Cabins are equipped for the maximum number of guests with linens, full kitchens, heat, air conditioning and satellite television. In addition, some cabins are pet friendly. There are a total of 22 one-bedroom cabins, 14 two-bedroom cabins and two three-bedroom cabin.
Tenkiller State Park features two multi-use trails and one nature trail. The Tenkiller Multi-Use Trail is a handicap accessible paved trail 1.5 miles in length. Also located on-site, the Pine Cove Marina offers fuel, snacks and boat rentals, as well as the floating Clearwater Café.
Tenkiller State Park also has The Driftwood Nature Center and a full time Naturalist on staff. There are daily activities Memorial Day through Labor Day. Through the winter months weekend events and activities are planned. To see what is happening at The Driftwood Nature Center call 918-489-5641 or email: leann.bunn@travelok.com
Tenkiller State Park is known as Oklahoma's “heaven in the hills.” The sparkling blue waters of Lake Tenkiller offer water enthusiasts an abundance of recreational opportunities between 130 miles of shoreline and 13,000 surface acres. The park’s plentiful amenities make it a favorite destination for all ages.
Tenkiller State Park in Vian is a haven for all water sports including water skiing, fishing, boating, tubing and scuba diving. Outdoor facilities include a volleyball court, basketball court, two playground areas, four group picnic pavilions and 172 picnic tables. An outdoor swimming pool is available seasonally at the park and includes a water slide and splash pad. Additional amenities include a community building, three hiking trails and the Driftwood Nature Center.
Lake Tenkiller is considered one of the best places in the state for scuba diving, as its waters are clear from eight to 28 feet. Tenkiller Scuba Park is a diver's dream, with a sunken airplane fuselage, school bus, helicopter and two boats to explore underwater. In some areas of the lake, divers can see the remains of homesteads and artifacts left behind from before the lake was formed. The Fisherman's Point Area provides access to a swim beach, dive park, and boat ramp. The lake's underwater terrain ranges from mildly sloping hills to rock cliffs, and the water goes up to 160 feet deep in places. With an Oklahoma fishing license, divers can try their luck at spear fishing for non-game fish. Two diving pro shops, Gene's Aqua Pro and Nautical Adventures, are located on the lake and offer training, certification and equipment rental.
Tenkiller State Park offers RV and tent sites scattered between 10 campgrounds. Online reservations must be made for the RV and tent campsites. Primitive campgrounds include Bluff View, Eagle Point, and Hickory Flats with Day use area's at Fisherman's Point, Goose Neck Bend North and South . RV campgrounds with 30-amp electric and water hookups include Blue Jay Knob and Flying Squirrel. The Shady Grove and Fox Squirrel campgrounds both offer full hookups, with 50-amp electric service. A total of seven comfort stations with restrooms and showers are available in the park, and there are two on-site waste dump stations.
In addition to the tent and RV campgrounds, Tenkiller State Park guests may choose from 38 cabins, ranging from one to three-bedroom styles. All the cabins, except for the three-bedroom models, are duplexes. Cabins are equipped for the maximum number of guests with linens, full kitchens, heat, air conditioning and satellite television. In addition, some cabins are pet friendly. There are a total of 22 one-bedroom cabins, 14 two-bedroom cabins and two three-bedroom cabin.
Tenkiller State Park features two multi-use trails and one nature trail. The Tenkiller Multi-Use Trail is a handicap accessible paved trail 1.5 miles in length. Also located on-site, the Pine Cove Marina offers fuel, snacks and boat rentals, as well as the floating Clearwater Café.
Tenkiller State Park also has The Driftwood Nature Center and a full time Naturalist on staff. There are daily activities Memorial Day through Labor Day. Through the winter months weekend events and activities are planned. To see what is happening at The Driftwood Nature Center call 918-489-5641 or email: leann.bunn@travelok.com
Camp at an animal lovers paradise! Gates Nature Preserve allows you to pitch your tent beside a petting zoo. Meet exotic reptiles and farm animals while spending a night in the forest of Eastern Oklahoma. When you're not playing with animals, Gates Nature Preserve is an outlet to the outdoors! This campsite sits beside the Tenkiller Ferry Lake which is great for water sports and only 5 miles from Tenkiller State Park. It is also less than 7 miles from Greenleaf state park which gives you access to the Arkansas River, Webber Falls Reservoir and Greenleaf Lake. This campsite is equipped with picnic tables, a fire pit, and a bathhouse with potable water and showers. Bring your own tent, food, and firewood.
$25 / night
Membership needed - The Corps manages six gated class A campgrounds, two primitive camping areas, and three day use areas with picnic sites. An additional eight park areas are offered by the Corps with limited maintenance and services. Camping in undesignated areas is prohibited. Park attendants oversee fee collection during the peak season, April 1 – September 30. Campgrounds remain open October 1 – March 31; however, campers must pay by self deposit.
A variety of recreation opportunities are offered by nine commercial concessions, as well as, two parks managed by the State of Oklahoma.
This recreation area is part of Tenkiller Ferry Lake
This recreation area is part of Tenkiller Ferry Lake
Guide
I have only tent camped here, so can’t describe the RV sites. Tent campground was nice and close to a bathhouse. There is no pool or swimming in the falls. The trail to the waterfall is cute and the waterfall is pretty!
Guide
I have tent camped, stayed in a cabin and used the “camper cabins” at this park. The tent sites are great and conveniently located next to a bathhouse. The camper cabins were awesome and also right next to an immaculate bathhouse. The cabins are older, but rustic and perfect. There is a pool. There are hiking trails of all difficulty levels and many points of interest. This is easily my favorite campground! Absolutely gorgeous!
Ranger
We had a great time tent camping here on Labor Day Weekend. Beautiful park with grassy tent sites. Nice hiking trail. Bathrooms could stand to be updated. There is a marina where you can rent canoes and kayaks and buy supplies. There is a mini golf course too. The absolute best part of this park is the splash pad. It was the best splash pad we’ve been too. They had a cool slide and we had a blast.
Guide
We stayed at RV site #3 on Quarry Island. The concrete pad was perfectly level and took no time to set up. There were 5 RV sites with full hook ups on isle, even though #4 and # 5 are so close to each other that slide outs could bump into each other, and 2 very nice RV sites with only water and electric on the isle. There was also a lot of tent camping, flush and vault toilets, dump station, pavilion, 5 cabins, picnic tables with grills, boat ramp and swimming anywhere you wanted except for 150’ of the boat ramp. The ranger station was on the isle, so traffic was high at check in. There were 2 hiking trails that looked very nice, but never hiked because we were kayaking. My parents stayed in cabin #4 on the isle and my brother tent camped at Wister Ridge. The view from both of their places was breathtaking and his tent site was well shaded with maple, oak and pine. Fishing was very good and wasn’t a whole lot of boat traffic. There is also primitive camping which looked very nice, except for a couple of sites where the campers didn’t clean up too well behind themselves.
Pros: Beautiful area and amazing views. Everyone was very helpful and friendly. Plenty of options for accommodations and outdoor activities. The Heavner Ruinstone and Spiral Mounds are close. Tons of wildlife areas and we even spotted a bald eagle. The campgrounds and cabins were very clean.
Cons: RV sites can be very crowded and not well spaced, especially at Victor Landing. The Wards would be the least crowded for RVs. The booking website is not very good and not very accurate. The cabins bed was not very comfortable, the shower was small and flooded the bathroom while using and the kitchen light and living room ceiling fan was on one switch, so there was no way to have the fan going without the light on. Not all RV sites have picnic tables.
LegendAmazing State Park with something for everyone
I have been to Devil's Den State Park twice now and this is my favorite state park in Arkansas. Devil's Den State park has something for every camper, no matter how you prefer to camp. Tent camping, hike in camping, RVs, cabins, they have it all. Want to bring your horse, you can do that as well. Devil's Den has some great hiking and mountain biking trails, from short to long. If you only do one trail be sure that is the Devil's Den Trail, you won't be disappointed on this 1.5 mile trail. If you want a longer trail there is the 15 mile Butterfield Hiking Trail. Devil's Den campground includes 135 campsites ranging from basic tent sites to full hookups for the RV crowed and horse sites. Campground are all paved with paved parking pads. Individual sites have tent pads, picnic tables, fire rings and a first for me, hooks for hanging your lantern. Flush toilets and showers are included. If you like to swim they even have a pool. Park has a store to provide your food needs. Sites all appeared to be well spaced. If you want complete privacy the word is get one of the walk in sites, you will have a bit of a walk but the reward is complete solitude. Lee Creek runs through the park and a 8-acre lake which allows fishing and boating with canoes and pedal boats. You need to reserve your site before hand or at the visitor center. One thing I do like is if you arrive to late to register at the visitor center, then you can just grab an empty site for the night, you just have to register the next day by 10am.
Ranger Review of Banner& Oaks Bull Tan Hat
Got the Bull Tan hat and have been wearing it for about a month now. Hat fits great, looks great. This is a very well made hat with quality materials and made in the U.S.A. It has held up amazing well in all weather conditions, sun, heat, rain and even snow and continues to hold its shape. I have a lot of hats and this one is one of my favorites.
Guide
Primitive Tent Camping with family. It was okay for a one night tent camping experience. I wouldn't recommend staying longer than that in the primitive camping area.
Traveler
Spent 3 nights, very good primitive camp ground,close to shopping, lot of tent camping
Guide
Great camping with family. We enjoyed a nice tent camping trip, really nice camping area and enjoyable getaway. Highly recommend.
LegendTook a detour on our road trip to visit this park. There are tent sites, RV sites, and yurts available. Tent sites don't have electric and approximately half dont have water. Sites are equipped with fire ring, grill, and concrete tables. The park has some fantastic trails, just get someone taller than you walk ahead to clear the spider webs. There are playgrounds, a volleyball net, horseshoe setups, and paved walking paths.
Traveler
Great place to tent camp on Eufaula Lake. Good, simple hiking, beautiful trees and rocks. Only downside is the number of boats from the nearby marina.
GuideWe tent camped at this beautiful little park waterfalls are short distance away and there are other trails that are pleasant to hike and fairly easy.
LegendSequoyah State Park located just 8 miles from Wagoner Oklahoma has something for everyone. Sitting along the shore of Ft Gibson Lake with more than 19,000 surface acres and 225 miles of shoreline make this a water enthusiast paradise. From power boating, canoe and kayaking, fishing or just hanging at the beach area you will not be dissapointed. The park offers saddle rides, hiking and golf with a huge lodge facility complete with pool and splash area, dining, 104 guest rooms and 45 cottages. Camping is available in 5 campground areas varying from primitive tent camping to full hook up RV and bathhouses. The Choctaw campground sites all have water, sewer, and 50/30 amp electric with concrete pad, table, fire ring. Seminole and Cherokee having a mix of services. Paradise Cove and Chickasaw are for tent camping. There are plenty of picnic areas and playgrounds dispersed throughout and you definitely don't want to miss the Three Forks Nature Center. WARNING: Oklahoma State Parks charge a daily parking fee per vehicle of$10 in addition to the camping fee and they enforce it...just saying from experience...read the information carefully! Park Office GPS- 35.9279936,-95.2507104 Reservations: https://www.travelok.com/ Park Office: 17131 Park 10 Hulbert, OK 74441
ScoutThis is my ideal spot for established tent camping. It has a little bit of everything you could ever want plus close enough to town in case something comes up. ✨️
Guide
I stayed here two times and will come back if in the area. It’s cheap for tent camping and it’s clean and not a bunch of loud people. Quite get away for sure
Traveler
Dogwood part has full hookups and close walk to lake. Lake view is awesome water and electric no sewer. Tent sites are sweet wooded lots. All October is $5 tent
Ranger
Tent camped at Lakeview site #254. The sites aren’t well marked but they’re right near the water. There’s a good playground and the bathrooms were decent. There’s a marina restaurant nearby and plenty of hiking.
Traveler
We camped in a tent at site 55 of Brooken Cove. It's an RV site but I'm not sure how you would fit an RV into the space without blocking the entryway, which is shared between this site and the adjacent site, 54. It has electricity and a water spigot that is shared with the adjacent site. It's right by the lake and has a few trees, along with a fire ring and table. There were few people when we went and it was nice and quiet for the most part, save for an obnoxious late night boater.
RangerThis State Park is best known for the filming of the movie Where the Red Fern Grows and it's understandable why. The falls and the trails/nature walks are beautiful. Very easy hiking/walking with a nice reward on views of the falls and river/stream.
Now the camping. There is an RV area and a Tent only area. When we arrived (Oct) the RV area was pretty filled up and we prefer less neighbors, plus we were tent camping. So off to the Tent camping area. The sites were nice and level but no real break up/divide between sites. Luckily there was only 2 other Tent campers when we showed up so we chose the opposite side of the area. There were fire rings, grills and cement picnic tables.
There are full facilities and the camp host does a great job keeping them maintained and also checking in on all the campers/RV'rs.
Guide
There are two section to this area. The northern one is labeled “below the dam tent sites”, the southern one is labeled “below dam”. The southern one is a just a cluster of pull in camping sites next to the fishing area. There’s a short walk to the bathrooms. You can get to the water by walking down the rocks. The northern side is a bit greener but 3-8 are very small sites jammed close together. There isn’t much room, if any, for a tent. Sites 1 & 2 are further back and much more spacious and pretty. There’s a water spigot here but no bathhouse. You would need to drive to the south lot.
RangerHiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and swimming among rolling wooded hills and rocky cliffs, plus cave tours, nature center, special events year-round (tractor show!), canoe & bike rentals, horseback tours, and lots more extras. They have rustic tent sites, full RV, and small cabins to rent. We stayed in the tent sites, which had great shade and decent privacy. Restrooms need to be updated (as of 2014), but we didn’t mind. While this is a very built-up campground with many activities and is relatively crowded, it does not feel like a theme park since all the activities are tied to nature. Great place and perfect to bring less experienced campers.
ScoutTent camping had no facilities and is by a busy road. All camp sites were nothing but lose dirt. It didn’t help that a biker gang was staying in the cabins right next to our camp ground. Guess it was just bad timing.
Traveler
Rented a tent site day before through the state website with no trouble, quiet as there weren’t many campers there that night where we were. Beautiful view of the lake in the morning.
TravelerI like the layout of the campground. Tent sites were separate of RV sites instead of being all mixed in. Good hiking trails of varying difficulty. Clean grounds and clean bathrooms.
Ranger
Enjoyed our one night stay in the tent section right off the river. Restrooms, trash, and water were right across the parking lot. Each tent site has a picnic table and fire pit. Host came by to check us in.
TravelerThe hiking and the fact that the tent sites are creekside make this Arkansas State Park one of the best! We love it! Clean bathrooms, this park can hardly be beat in Arkansas!
Legend
Ft Gibson Lake near Wagoner Oklahoma offers six class A campgrounds for RV and tent camping, six marinas, multiple boat ramps on 19,990 surface acres of lake with 225 miles of shoreline. Our visit was to Rocky Point COE with a gated/staffed entry station, multiple camp hosts, day use areas, boat ramps, interior paved roads, RV concrete pads, large table, fire ring, grill, lantern holder, 50/30/15 amp electric and water on class A sites plus tent camping sites complete with shelters, tables, fire rings, grills, dispersed water spigots. The campground had a dump station, bath house and several trash receptacles. Most sites were on the water or had a water view and adequately spaced to enjoy the amazing sunrises and sunsets. We enjoyed site 2A which was a level pull through and big rig friendly. The rocky shoreline is a birders paradise...we had an eagle, three Great Blue Herons and plentiful hawks to name a few. The town of Wagoner has all the essentials to include grocery, fuel, dining and yes, Walmart. Verizon cell coverage was 1- 2 bars. The America The Beautiful Senior Pass is good for 50% camping discount. Recommend a look at Google Maps to plan your route into the campground from Oklahoma Hwy 69 as Garmin and Google are a little wacky. Just follow the signs!! 8568 STATE HWY. 251A, Wagoner, OK 74434 GPS- 36.027978,-95.314844
RangerFairly small state park but they have a lot to do. They have 17 tent sites and about 45 RV sites. There are also nice looking yurts you can tent. Our tent site had a picnic table, lantern hook, charcoal grill and a fire ring. Bathrooms were clean and had flush toilets and a shower.
There are 4.5 miles of great hiking trails at the park. You can find some great hidden spots along the river and enjoy the quiet.
Of course, the best part of the park is the 77 foot tall waterfall. The hike to the bottom is fairly steep but there is a sidewalk that takes you to an overlook at the top.
The park has probably the longest disc golf course I’ve ever seen.
Overall, I highly recommend Natural Falls State Park.
Tent camping near Vian, Oklahoma offers a variety of scenic locations and outdoor activities for nature enthusiasts. With well-reviewed campgrounds nearby, campers can enjoy the beauty of the region while making lasting memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Vian, OK?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Vian, OK is Eagles Point — Tenkiller State Park with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Vian, OK, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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