Beaver Bend State Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Beaver Bend State Park is a popular outdoor recreational area located in southeastern Oklahoma.
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Summary
The park is known for its scenic beauty, diverse wildlife, and outdoor activities, such as hiking, fishing, boating, and camping. Some of the reasons to visit Beaver Bend State Park include its serene landscapes, crystal-clear lakes, and scenic hiking trails that offer breathtaking views of the Ouachita Mountains.
One of the park's main attractions is the Broken Bow Lake, which is a popular spot for water sports and fishing. Visitors can also explore the park's many hiking trails, including the Beaver Lodge Nature Trail, which leads to the park's namesake beaver lodge. Other points of interest in the park include the Cypress Swamp, the Hochatown Petting Zoo, and the Forest Heritage Center Museum.
Interesting facts about Beaver Bend State Park include its designation as an official Oklahoma Scenic River, and its role as a filming location for the movie "Where the Red Fern Grows." The park is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including deer, black bears, beavers, and eagles.
The best time of year to visit Beaver Bend State Park is during the spring and fall months when the weather is mild, and the foliage is at its peak. The park is also open year-round, with winter activities such as skiing and snowshoeing available during the colder months. Overall, Beaver Bend State Park offers a unique and memorable outdoor experience for visitors of all ages and interests.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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