Best Tent Camping near Wister, OK

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.

We took our first trip there Oct 4 & 5 2020 and really enjoyed it. The drive to the park is wonderful with great spots to take in the views as you drive to the top. We even spotted a bald eagle at one stop.  

The Lodge is very modern and the welcoming staff were very polite and helpful. We asked if a 15amp site for tent camping was available but they had to move us after determining that they didn't give us a site with a pad. There aren't many tent sites at all, especially with electric/water and only 5 primitive and 1 walk-in. 

Due to COVID many activities weren't available but we did enjoy one trail. The restaurant wasn't that great but it served the purpose for one of our meals. I would still go back and recommend to friends or family.

Very pretty campground, clean and relatively quiet this time of year. A very few campers here the week of Christmas 2020. Firewood available at the camp host site. Very nice lake views. Birdwatching is pretty good. Check out Spiro Mounds and Heavener Runestone, less than an hour's drive from Wister Lake.

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.

We really enjoy Lake Wister. It is never overcrowded. Nestled in a ring of pine and oak covered mountains: the Sans Bois, Jackforks, Kiamichis and Ouachitas, lodging facilities at Lake Wister State Park include 15 cabins, RV sites with full hook-ups or some with water and electric only, and tent sites. They have a nice splash pad and miniature golf. Nice hiking trails. Lots of animals like raccoons, squirrels, skunks and deers. It is a very remote State Park. It is a nice lake with the most beautiful sunsets and bald eagles fly overhead. It is one of my favorite lakes. It has a big spillway damn with great fishing for catfish and crappie. I go to Lake Wister to catch fish for my fish fries, and to fill my freezer. The park has nice campgrounds with big whispering pines. They have a boat ramp, boat dock and fishing dock. The bathrooms do need to be updated. I love the little rustic cabins that overlook the lake. They were built around the 1940's I believe. They do have a full kitchen and provide coffee, linens and towels. They have heat, air, and fireplace with a fire pit and picnic table outside. Very reasonably priced.. The rangers and employees are very nice and helpful. The campsites run $16-$29 dollars. They give discounts to disabled, military and seniors.

Website: https://www.travelok.com/state-parks/lake-wister-state-park

Address: 25567 US Hwy 270 Wister, OK 74966

Park Office: Phone# 918-655-7212

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.

Hiking, 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.

Tent 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.

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.

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 :)

I love Robbers Cave. It’s one of my most favorite places to camp. There are over 40 miles of hiking trails and the views are incredible! I prefer to camp away from people and toilets don’t matter, I tent camp around Lake Wayne Wallace or Eagles Nest. Watch the trails bc you could end up on the horse trails and be very sad lol.

The views of this campground are amazing, however, the campground left much to be desired. The bath house and spots are fine for RV's but when we tent camp it gets crowded at this site and lacks privacy. The campground for the most part is one single road with many camp spots on each side. The Ozark Highland Trail does pass close by and the Lover's Leap trail is pleasant with some amazing views.

We tent camped here in April. We got here in the dark and it was hard to find a a spot but when we woke up the next morning we had a great view of the lake. The bathroom near the office was newer and had showers that you need quarters to use. Also had an old school playground but the kids had fun. We took a hike around part of the lake but the trail was pretty much unmarked.

This State Park is really designed just for the hotel, which is incredible. However, the campground really should be avoided. There is a small area to camp with one restroom in the center. It is incredibly crowded to stay in a tent and really should just be considered for a drop in if you have an RV. You should also look at reservations during peak seasons as the limited availability will make this park fill up fast. If you tent camp, I would suggest Cedar lake about 30 minutes away in Oklahoma with many more options to set camp. The pluses of this park are the views from the hotel and "Lovers Leap" but the overall hiking is something less than desirable as the trails are limited unless you choose to go the long route of an out and back of the Ouachita trail.

I've stayed here a couple of times the night before starting my hike on the Ouachita Trail.  The OT is a 200+ mile trail and this is park is the Western Terminus.    The park has tent and RV sites.   The tent sites are level and clean.  

The bathrooms and showers are very clean. It is a great place to grab a shower after a few days hiking.  The showers have plenty of hot water and the water comes out a good rate to make it easy to knock off that trail dirt.

For a small daily fee you can park your car here for the duration of the hike.   I have left my car here several times with no issues.

This was our second stop at the KOA in Fort Smith AR. They have many improvements since out last stay. The campground is convenient to I-40. It’s far enough away to not have traffic noise. The sites are level, there is a pool, Propane, fishing pond, and camp store. Also hiking trails. Also some tent sites. There is a whole new section for Class A and large 5th wheel campers now. The are located behind a highway department facility, and last visit the smell of the treated power line poles was overwhelming. No problem this time. This is one of the few campgrounds I’ve been to that have a storm shelter!

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 are a number of picnic tables with covers which make preparing and eating meals easy. There are bathrooms with toilets, sinks, showers and hot water. The grounds are well kept. The Park Host was super friendly and a great source of knowledge about the area. It is a great place to start hiking the Ouachita Trail. The Ouachita Trail is a 220 mile trail that travels from Oklahoma to Arkansas. Near the campground the forest is predominantly made up of pine trees, but as you hike along the trail you'll pass through a variety of hardwoods like oak. In the spring the dogwood trees were blooming with flowers. A short distance from the park is the town of Talihena where you can stock up with supplies or grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants. We picked up Subway sandwiches on our way into the park and dined in at the El Rancho Mexican Grill on our way out of the park. The El Rancho restaurant had friendly service and great food.

We decided on a whim to get away from home for a few days. This was a very relaxing stay. We stayed in the ATV campground as we brought our side by side. We did more hiking than off road riding. We discovered that the off road area hasn’t been open for very long. We went out the first day, but not again after that since we felt like we needed to be with other riders for safety. The hiking is so nice here we have a 5 year old and he hiked with us on four different trails during our stay. We found registration an easy process, and it was easy to find our campsite once we arrived. Each spot has a picnic table, lantern hook, grill, and fire ring. There are other accommodations such as tent camping, hike to camp, and regular RV spots with concrete pads. We enjoyed our stay and we will come back.