Oklahoma's Lakeside Getaway Is An Underrated Camping Destination With Sandy Beaches And Fishing

When it comes to lakeside getaways, the Great Lakes often steal the show, but other parts of the country are home to gorgeous, lesser-known lakeside destinations worth traveling to. One such location is Texanna, Oklahoma, a small community bordered by the Canadian River on one side and Eufaula Lake on the other. With over 100,000 acres of water, Eufaula is the largest lake in Oklahoma and offers hundreds of miles of sandy shorelines for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Despite its many opportunities to relax, camp, and fish, Lake Eufaula only receives around 2.5 million visitors per annum, making the lake-bordering community of Texanna, Oklahoma, an under-the-radar destination, especially when compared with the Great Lakes — Ohio's Lake Erie Shores and Islands region alone is known to draw 11 million visitors per year, for comparison. Next time you're planning a lake adventure, don't follow the masses, and head to Texanna instead.

Fans of sleeping under the stars will enjoy Belle Starr Corps of Engineers RV Park, which is about a 15-minute drive from the center of the community via Texanna Road. The park, which maintains a 4.5-star rating on Google, has over 100 campsites and welcomes visitors who wish to pitch a tent or park their RV, and campers are welcome to stay for up to 14 consecutive days within a 30-day period. While camping at Bell Starr Corps of Engineers RV Park, campers enjoy access to water, electricity, showers, fire pits, a playground, and fish-cleaning stations, among other amenities. The campgrounds run along the sandy banks of Eufaula Lake, providing ample opportunities to swim, boat, and fish. Other local campgrounds include Terra Starr RV Park in Texanna and the nearby Deep Fork Campground located within Lake Eufaula State Park.

When it comes to hanging at the beach near Texanna, Eufaula Lake has plenty of options for digging your toes in the sand. If you're not already camping at Belle Starr Corps of Engineers RV Park, it does allow day-site rentals and has picnic tables for snacking between swims. Other beach hot spots in the area include North Beach and The Cove, both of which are around a 20-minute drive from Texanna via U.S.-69. Hummingbird Beach is another well-liked option, which is found inside Lake Eufaula State Park. Also located around 20 minutes from Texanna by car, this beach has a 4.4-star rating on Google, with multiple reviewers calling it a nice place for a swim.

If you're not RV-ing your way through Oklahoma and want to set up camp near Texanna, the closest major airport is the Tulsa International Airport. You'll need to rent a car to complete your journey, though; the airport is a solid 90-minute drive from the community. If you're making your way on a road trip, however, you might want to plan a stop in Talihina, another quiet Oklahoma town with wildflower-flecked trails and cozy camping.

While the underrated fishing town of Gore was named the "trout capital of Oklahoma," Texanna's lakeside location makes it an equally great destination for a fishing trip, particularly if you enjoy fishing for crappie; it's known to be among the most common fish on Lake Eufaula. Other possible catches include various types of bass and catfish. Note that, most likely, you will need a fishing license to partake in this activity; exemptions are typically reserved for minors and residents fishing on private property. A non-resident one-day fishing license costs $26, and an annual non-resident fishing license will run you $81 (prices accurate as of this writing), both of which can be purchased through Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation.

For fishing and a variety of other activities, consider casting a line at Lake Eufaula State Park. Here, you and your co-travelers can enjoy swimming, boating (made simple by the park's boat ramps), disc golf, mountain biking, hiking, archery, and horseback riding. Your fishing trip is also made easy by the on-site marina and tackle shop.

Once you conquer Texanna and the Lake Eufaula area, continue to discover Oklahoma by visiting Natural Falls State Park, an underrated haven of mossy rocks, lush greenery, and a cascading waterfall.