Beaver's Bend

For those of you who don't actually know me, I grew up in Southeast Oklahoma under the care of my father, who is retired from the USDA Forest Service. It's safe to say I have seen my fair share of Oklahoma foliage, mountains, and parks. So to ME, Beaver's Bend is not anything new or special. However, it is the only state park that more than pays for itself, so there must be a reason why. If you like lakes, cabins, and large hills of green trees as far as the eye can see, you'll enjoy yourself here.

Hike 1

My most recent visit back home was brought on by a mini family reunion hosted by my Texas cousins. It was a very short 2 day visit, so we mostly stayed near the cabin. We arrived on a Sunday, and got settled. While we waited for dinner to be cooked, my sister and I decided to go for a "walk around the block." We unintentionally walked about 3-4 miles thinking that our square was a lot smaller than what it actually was. Needless to say we did not prepare ourselves water wise, and we ended up carrying my dog 85% of the journey. While there wasn't much to see visually in my opinion, the ground is virtually covered with these beautiful milky rose quartz vein rocks. We stopped every 5 feet to add to our ever growing mineral collection. We amassed probably 20-30 pounds which we took home for really who knows why. Maybe I'll make some jewelry or add them to my succulent garden. Our sidetrackness resulted in our cousin Amanda walkie-ing us every half hour to check on our status and ask if a search party needed to be ensued. We eventually made it back where she was waiting with cold bottles of water.

Hike 2

On the second day, I left my dog at the cabin to fend for herself with the tiny terror toddler, while I went for an official hike through Beaver's Bend State Park with my parents and a few others. The park is virtually across the highway from the cabins we were staying in. If you want to get a quick overview of the park and lake, you can turn down HWY 259A, which loops around the entire park with lookout parking spaces every so often. From here you can see the dam, a few random islands (fireworks are shot here during the 4th), as well as this swimming area where you can rent kayaks or paddle boats. The HWY259A loop begins/ends (depending on which side you start at) where the museum is located. Here you can find wood sculptures, old artifacts related to foresting, as well as a map of the hiking trails. We grabbed a map and somewhat just followed the stickers of a hiker on every other tree in the nearby forest. Like the previous day, this hike was a lot longer and more grueling than I think the hike leaders (my fitness instructor cousin) intended. We eventually made it back to our cabin for our last family meal, which honestly could have fed an army. There were at least enough leftovers to feed a family of 4 through the fall/winter.

TIPS

Southeast Oklahoma is VERY HUMID. I spend quite a lot of time in New Orleans swamp country, but Southern Oklahoma is just a different kind of wet heat. Drink PLENTY of water. I would drink 8 cups of water and still be thirsty while here. If you plan on doing outdoor activities, make sure you hydrate. Alcohol and Oklahoma humidity do not mix well! It is very easy to get sick out there from even one beer if you decide to do a strenuous activity like hiking. I would definitely recommend staying inside and sticking to beer (no whiskey shooters) if that is your thing.
Surprisingly, the bug situation was not bad at all! No mosquito bites!! The only bugs were these i can't remember what they're called, but they look similar to moths minus the large wings. They just land on the table, or you, and play dead. They don't buzz around like annoying house flies which is the only reason I didn't mind them.
If you choose not to bring your own games and food to the cabin, there are plenty of restaurants nearby, as well as close activities like mini golf. There are also a couple bars, and some of the restaurants like Abendigo's have live music regularly. If you're not too high maintenance, you could also opt to actually camp or RV.
Definitely drive through the park. The road winding around the hills is very sloped and curvey which is really cool.

Overall, Beaver's Bend State Park is a nice option if you want a relaxing vacation with beautiful scenery without going too far or putting too much of a dent on your wallet.