Two states, 550 miles of shoreline, three wildlife refuge…and plenty of options for campers.
Believe the hype—this "Playground of the Southwest" is not only the “Striper Capital of the World” but one of the largest and most popular lakes in the US, drawing some 6 million visitors each year. Sprawling across the state lines of Texas and Oklahoma, and just a 1.5-hour drive from Dallas, Lake Texoma serves up hundreds of miles of lakeside fun. Bring your boat, kayak, or waterskis to get on the water, tee off at a waterfront golf course, or picnic by the lake. Most campgrounds stay open year-round, some with reduced rates from October through March.
The wooded southern shores of Lake Texoma are laced together with scenic hiking and biking trails, and peppered with golf courses, marinas, and beaches. Toward the eastern end of the lake, Eisenhower State Park also has a sandy swimming beach, OHV trails, and RV and tent sites.
Lake Texoma State Park is among the main highlights of the Oklahoman shore, where you can swim, camp, hike, and try varied water sports. Plenty of lakefront RV campsites with electric hookups sit at Caney Creek Recreation Area, while the lakeside resorts of Buncombe Creek and Alberta Creek both have full-service marinas and RV parks with full hookups. Or why not cruise out to explore the six Lake Texoma Islands, famous for their holiday weekend party scene?
Lake Texoma’s western side is its wild side, with state-managed wildlife and hunting areas running along the lake and the banks of the Red River. RV parks and resorts cluster around Juniper Point, and day-use areas can be found along both the Oklahoman and Texan sides. Just to the north, Lake Murray State Park is Oklahoma’s oldest state park and renowned for its woodland hikes, ATV trails, and historic CCC cabins.
Tranquil campgrounds are scattered along the east shore of Lake Texoma, and there are spacious RV campsites, some with full hookups, at East Burns Run and West Burns Run. You can bring your horse to Patter Flats campground, the starting point for the Patter Flats Equestrian Trail, which loops around the lake. Further north, the lake tapers out into lush waterways, and the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge is a bird-watching hotspot at the mouth of the Washita River.