Best Tent Camping in Oklahoma
There’s a reason Oklahomans are more likely to camp than the average American: Home to the country’s most diverse terrain mile-for-mile, Oklahoma comprises more than just the Great Plains. Camping in Oklahoma’s 10 distinct ecoregions–claiming four mountain ranges, sprawling forests, balmy swamps, 28 state parks, and more dam-created lakes than any other state—gives you access to more varied recreation opportunities within a short drive than you’ll find almost anywhere else.
You can’t go camping in Oklahoma without visiting Lake Texoma, the 12th-largest lake in the US. Spanning the southern Texas-Oklahoma border (hence the name), the biggest of the Sooner State’s 200-plus lakes provides more than 90,000 surface acres of water primed for sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, and especially fishing: Lake Texoma claims more than 70 species of fish, including Striped Bass impressive enough to make it the Striper Capital of the World. Make sure to pick up a fishing license!
Out of the water, Lake Texoma campers can observe migratory birds and wild hogs in two wildlife preserves, lead horses through 25 miles of equestrian trails, hike 14 miles along lakeside bluffs, and retire to one of more than 700 campsites. Plenty of showers, toilets, potable water points, and RV hookups mean campers have the option to sleep rugged or glamp easy.
When you’ve had your fill of sand and surf, travel to the opposite end of the state for Alabaster Caverns State Park. When an inland sea evaporated millions of years ago, it left behind a real gem: gypsum deposits that developed into some of the world’s largest crystal caves open to tours and wild caving. The biggest highlights of Alabaster Caverns State Park are a three-quarter-mile, 50-foot-tall main cavern, natural bridges, five species of bats, RV camping right near the caves, and best of all, the opportunity to camp in a cavern with a waterfall. For $40, you can rent the Water Cavern, which includes raised sleeping platforms and the option to sleep outside if need be.
Give everyone in your party easy access to the recreation of their choice by camping in Oklahoma only an hour or two from state capitol. Oklahoma City is smack-dab in the center of Oklahoma, making it easy to get a dose of nature without straying too far from nightlife in the state’s biggest metro area. Hike to 2,500 feet and rock climb routes in the storied Wichita Mountains, then explore all 12,500 acres of Lake Murray State Park—the state’s oldest and biggest state park.
Use The Dyrt, and finding all the best sites for adventuring and camping in Oklahoma will be a breeze.
