This south-central state is full of scenic areas to explore during the autumn, and picturesque Beavers Bend State Park and Talimena National Scenic Byway make great places to start.
By Ann Bush, F516383
October 2023
After moving back to Texas in 2008, one of my first camping experiences was in Beavers Bend State Park in Oklahoma. It had been a ritual with a local camping club for many years to go during Halloween weekend and catch the fall color extravaganza. I returned last year with a much smaller group from the club, and we all agreed: this is still one of our favorite parks.
Located just north of Broken Bow in the Kiamichi Mountains of southeast Oklahoma, off U.S. Highway 259, Beavers Bend State Park is set in the foothills of the Ouachita National Forest. This forest encompasses 1.8 million acres, most of it in neighboring Arkansas. Surrounded by the McCurtain County Wilderness Area and Broken Bow Lake, Beavers Bend is pristine and undeveloped, creating a diverse forest on rolling hills.
TALIMENA SCENIC DRIVE
A popular route to the park is the famous 54-mile-long Talimena Scenic Drive. Included in National Geographic’s Guide To Scenic Highways and Byways, this national scenic byway travels between Mena, Arkansas, and Talihina, Oklahoma. It flows to Beavers Bend through scenic vistas of forests, rocky fields, and mountains often compared to the Appalachians. The drive from end to end can be concluded in a little more than an hour without stopping, but I dare you to try not to stop at the many interesting places along the way.
The Oklahoma portion of the route begins at the Choctaw Nation-State Line Historical Marker near Talihina, with several casinos nearby. The Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area along the scenic drive (Highway 1 in Oklahoma) has campgrounds and several walking trails. Continue to the Horse Thief Springs Historical Site to learn about Wild West outlaws and their hideouts.
North of Broken Bow Lake is the McCurtain County Wilderness Area, which contains approximately 14,000 acres of the largest remaining virgin shortleaf pine/hardwood forest in the United States.
Kayak, canoe, and inner-tube rentals are available in the park.
BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK
Towering pines and a large variety of hardwood trees turn out-of-the-ordinary tinges of reds and golds during the fall at Beavers Bend State Park, shading a rugged terrain of boulders and shrubs. Add the deep-indigo Broken Bow Lake and the roaring Mountain Fork River in this 3,482-acre park to create a natural paradise.
Activities offered in the park include watersports, hiking, and the 18-hole Cedar Creek Golf Course. Youngsters especially may enjoy a visit to the train depot and a ride on the 1/3-scale replica of the C.P. Huntington Southern Pacific train. Horse stables offer opportunities for horseback riding and hayrides. There is even a place to rent electric scooters.
Beavers Bend has something for everyone, and it is hard to know where to start. But by far, the most popular reason people flock there is for watersports.
FISHING AND MORE
The Mountain Fork River begins in the Ouachita Mountains; the clear, cold river flows into Broken Bow Lake, which formed in the 1960s after a dam was built. The bald cypress trees along the shore turn burnt orange by the middle of October.
Between the river and the lake, fishing activities range from fly-fishing for rainbow and brown trout to lake fishing for catfish or smallmouth bass year-round. Several boat ramps can be found along 22-mile-long Broken Bow Lake. Beavers Bend State Park is a favorite place to also bring an RV for a quiet week of fishing before the Dallas and Oklahoma City weekenders arrive. No matter where we went, we found people sitting in lawn chairs on the shore intently watching a fishing pole. A 65-pound catfish was once caught in the lake, so no one dared take a snooze.
The Lower Mountain Fork River is touted as the best white-water waterway in Oklahoma. Class I and II rapids make it a favorite kayak adventure for paddlers much braver than me. After spring rains and snowmelt, various places along the river have waterfalls that drop four feet, increasing the adventure level.
Near the Beavers Bend Fly Shop is where the river becomes calm for slower-paced people and where kayaks and canoes can be rented. Many visitors were enjoying the river this way, gliding leisurely among spectacular views of fall colors cascading from treetops into the lake, providing an upside-down view of nature’s beauty. I left my kayak at home this trip, thinking it may be too cold. However, the afternoons this time of year were sunny and pleasant.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are activities I never expected to encounter in Oklahoma, but they are popular here because Broken Bow Lake runs deep and is crystal clear. There may not be Caribbean reefs to enjoy, but many divers find interesting rocky crevices and valleys to explore. A few of the species that might pass by are sunfish, crappie, channel catfish, and even freshwater jellyfish.
After setting up camp, consider checking out some of the hiking trails within Beavers Bend State Park.
HIKING AND BIKING
Keeping our feet on the ground, our group loves the hiking trails; some can be very challenging, with trekking poles necessary. A few trails are designed to challenge mountain bikers. A good place to learn about the trails and wildlife is at the Nature Center, located in the center of the park. Across the street is the Forest Heritage Center, which has an amazing display of wood art and exhibits that tell the history of trees in the area. Each place provides knowledge of the forest, enhancing the journey on park trails.
Hiking and biking trails range from one to 12 miles in length and accommodate a variety of skill levels. The David Boren Hiking Trail is the longest in the park and even allows primitive camping in a few places. Some trails are quite tricky, winding between boulders, crossing wet spots caused by rushing water, and presenting steep grades. A few trails climb to an elevation of almost 1,000 feet. Others are nice, level paths that are well maintained and marked and lead to charming bridges over small creeks. Some trails are shared with bicycles, and a trail map display at the trailhead indicates the trail’s status and level of difficulty.
Much of the park’s wildlife is found along the trails. In the fall, when leaves begin to slip away from trees, listen for rustling sounds of deer wandering nearby. I watched for the bald eagles that make the park their home but instead spotted lots of woodpeckers. I learned at the Nature Center that black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves live at Beavers Bend. Just another reason to sleep safely in an RV!
WINING AND DINING
The Beavers Bend Restaurant in the state park was closed during our visit, so we went into the small town of Broken Bow one evening and found Fish Tales Winery & Bistro, located just across from the south entrance to the park. They cultivate muscadine grapes in their vineyard 45 miles from the bistro, and I learned that these grapes are native to the United States and have grown in this country since the 1500s.
After a few tastings and roaming around the wonderful gift store, we settled on our favorite wine and ordered something from the menu, with offerings ranging from salads, charcuterie boards, and baked dips to paninis and pastas. We each ordered something different, with delicious results. Stuffed, but still having room for dessert, we tried and highly recommend the red wine chocolate trifles.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The annual Beavers Bend Folk Festival & Craft Show — usually held in early November — is the perfect time and place to find artisan crafts and arts pertaining to the forest and Broken Bow Lake. Exhibitors and 70-plus vendors showcase crafts and skills such as wood turning, basket weaving, yarn spinning, quilting, paper making, and blacksmithing. Oklahoma winemakers and instrument fabricators are the stars of the show. There are places to just sit and listen to folk and Celtic music on the outdoor stage, surrounded by food vendors, so bring lawn chairs. The festival is free, and parking is available off site with shuttle bus transportation if not staying in the park.
The five wood-turning clubs in the area occasionally hold competitions. Winning items from the past can be found at the Forest Heritage Center along with information about future events.
In April, the Kiamichi Owa-Chito Festival of the Forest takes place; the popular three-day festival is devoted to the heritage of Kiamichi County. Musicians rule this event, with selections ranging from folk music to jazz. Activities include a fishing tournament, fly-casting, wood-turning demonstrations, canoe races, archery, horseshoe competitions, and a 5K run, providing a great weekend for everyone.
IF YOU GO
Beavers Bend State Park offers almost 400 campsites spread over eight camping areas. Many of the campsites straddle the Mountain Fork River. Waste dump stations are available at a few campgrounds, and all campsites can be reserved online. However, many of the campsites are too short for long RVs, so make reservations early. Contact Oklahoma State Parks at (580) 494-6300 or reserve online at www.travelok.com.
FALL FOLIAGE FACTS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
The variety of trees along the Talimena National Scenic Byway results in a kaleidoscope of fall colors and makes the route popular with area residents and out-of-state visitors alike. Fall foliage typically is at its peak during the last week of October or first week in November.
The road twists and winds within a mixed forest of shortleaf pine, blackjack oak, post oak, and black hickory trees, each with their own distinct color scheme of rich yellows, reds, and oranges. Along the 40 miles that stretch through Oklahoma, drivers will find 17 scenic turnouts to savor this road-trip treat. For a much slower pace, the hiking trails offer close encounters with understory trees such as redbuds, dogwoods, pawpaws, silverbells, hydrangeas, and umbrella magnolias, providing interesting texture to the forest, and beautiful blooms during the spring. In Beavers Bend State Park, red maple, sweetgum, and ash trees mingle with evergreens, surrounding campsites and offering the perfect view out every window.