Ouachita National Forest • Big Cedar • Talimena Drive
Where Can I Camp With My Own RV in the National Forest North of Hochatown?
Short answer: for hookups, go to Cedar Lake, about an hour and a half north. It's the only Forest Service campground up there with water, power and sewer. Winding Stair and Billy Creek are closer and cheaper, but they have no hookups and no drinking water.
RV camping in the forest
The short answer
Head north on US-259 from Hochatown. About an hour up the road, around Big Cedar, you're in the Ouachita National Forest. The Forest Service runs three campgrounds on the Oklahoma side, and only one of them, Cedar Lake, has hookups.
Winding Stair Campground sits right on the Talimena Scenic Drive and has paved spots for campers, but no water and no power. Billy Creek is free and quiet, also with no water and no power. If you need power, water and sewer, go to Cedar Lake, south of Heavener, and reserve ahead on Recreation.gov.
You can also camp off the campgrounds in the forest itself, for free, as long as you follow a few rules. There's nothing out there: no water, no trash pickup, no toilets. Come with full tanks.
- Hookups: Only at Cedar Lake (Shady Lane loop = water, power and sewer)
- Reserve: Cedar Lake on Recreation.gov or 877-444-6777; the others are first come
- Ranger office: Oklahoma Ranger District, 111 SH-259A, Broken Bow, (580) 494-6402
- Campfires: Check the burn ban and the forest fire danger first
🔌 Full hookups
Cedar Lake: the one with hookups
Cedar Lake is about 12 miles south of Heavener, about an hour and a half from Hochatown. It has 90 campsites in four loops around an 86-acre lake. The Shady Lane loop has electric, water and sewer. Sandy Beach has electric only, and the North Shore family sites have no hookups. There's drinking water on site.
Forest Service prices: $15 a night for a plain site, $20 with electric, $25 with electric and sewer. Part of the campground can be reserved on Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. The Forest Service says it's open seasonally, so check before you go late in the year.
In September the Forest Service listed a few things closed: the North Shore bathhouses and some electric sites in the horse camp. The Shady Lane and Sandy Beach bathhouses were open.
🏔 On the Talimena Drive
Winding Stair Campground: the view, no hookups
Winding Stair is on the Talimena Scenic Drive, two miles west of US-259. It's the closest Forest Service campground to Hochatown, a little over an hour away. It has 23 sites with paved spots, fire rings, grills and vault toilets, right next to the Emerald Vista overlook.
There's no drinking water and no hookups, so bring water and come with empty holding tanks. Prices are $8 a night for a single site and $14 for a double. Check in at 2 PM, check out by noon. Quiet hours are 10 PM to 6 AM, and generators have to be off then.
🌲 Free and quiet
Billy Creek: free, open all year
Billy Creek is 6 miles west of Big Cedar on Highway 63, then 3 miles north on a road with signs. The Forest Service lists it as open year-round with no fee. There are 12 simple sites with picnic tables and vault toilets. It's also the start of the Billy Creek Trail.
There's no drinking water and no power, and no reservations: it's first come, first served. Call the ranger office about the road in before you bring a big rig.
🛻 Off the campground
Camping anywhere in the forest (dispersed camping)
You can camp for free on most of the national forest outside the campgrounds. The Forest Service calls this dispersed camping. You get no water, no toilets and no trash pickup, and you can't reserve a spot.
The Forest Service rules: stay at one spot for up to 30 days, then move at least 5 road miles. Camp at least 100 feet from water, and keep your camp within 150 feet of a road. You can't camp like this near the campgrounds or other built-up recreation areas. Pack out all your trash.
Gun deer season brings a lot of hunters into the forest from late November into early December. Wear orange when you walk around, and expect busy pull-offs.
🚐 Private RV park
A private RV park close to the forest
Kiamichi Valley RV Park is in Muse, on Highway 63 west of Big Cedar, close to the forest. Call ahead to ask about prices, space and whether you can fill water or dump tanks.
Would you rather stay close to Hochatown? Beavers Bend State Park and the RV parks on Highway 259 have full hookups. See our RV rentals and RV parks guide.
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💡 Before you go
Tips for camping in the forest
Fill up before you go
Winding Stair, Billy Creek and the open forest have no drinking water. Bring plenty and arrive with empty holding tanks.
Check the fire danger
The forest has its own fire rules apart from the county burn ban. In fall the Forest Service often lists the fire danger as high. Ask before you build a fire.
Mind the bears
Black bears live in this forest. Keep food and trash closed up in your camper or truck, not out on the table.
Call the ranger office
The Oklahoma Ranger District office is in Broken Bow at (580) 494-6402, Monday to Friday 8 to 4. Ask about road and campground conditions.
Plan for weak signal
Cell signal can be spotty on the Talimena Drive and back roads. Download your map before you leave Hochatown.
❓ Good to know
Common questions
Is there RV camping with hookups in the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma?
Yes, at Cedar Lake south of Heavener. The Shady Lane loop has electric, water and sewer for $25 a night. Reserve on Recreation.gov.
What is the closest national forest campground to Hochatown?
Winding Stair Campground on the Talimena Scenic Drive, two miles west of US-259, a little over an hour north. It has no hookups and no drinking water.
Can I camp for free in the Ouachita National Forest?
Yes. Billy Creek Campground has no fee, and dispersed camping outside the campgrounds is free. Stay at one spot up to 30 days, then move at least 5 road miles.
Do I need a reservation?
Only Cedar Lake takes reservations, on Recreation.gov or at 877-444-6777. Winding Stair and Billy Creek are first come, first served.
Who do I call about camping in the forest near Broken Bow?
The Forest Service's Oklahoma Ranger District office in Broken Bow, (580) 494-6402. If the line is down, the forest's main office is (501) 802-0287.
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