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Lake Murray State Park in Oklahoma
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Visiting Lake Murray State Park with your RV
Lake Murray State Park is the oldest state park in Oklahoma. It is located near Lake Murray and is a popular recreation area for fishing and outdoor enthusiasts. It is about equidistant or 100 miles from Oklahoma City and Dallas. With nine RV campgrounds, it is a great place to enjoy the outdoors.
Things to see
Besides outdoor activities, there are plenty of things to see as well in the Lake Murray State Park.
Lake Murray
Lake Murray is the main attraction of the state park. It is located in central Oklahoma and despite the huge size of it, the entire lake is part of the state park. Lake Murray is also the place where most visitors experience watersports, such as fishing, wakeboarding and swimming.
Tucker Tower
Tucker Tower is probably the most recognizable building in the state park. It was designed to serve as a place where Oklahoma governors could have a retreat however it was never used this way. Nowadays it is being used a nature center. Access is gained through this nature center and a short walk brings you to the tower. While the main floor is a museum, there is also a top floor that offers great views over the lake.
Tucker Tower Nature Center
The Lake Murray Nature Center is located near Tucker Tower, on the southside of the lake, perched on a cliff. The nature center is a must visit when in Lake Murray Nature center as it covers all topics on the lake, from its history to the local wildlife.
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Things to do in Lake Murray State Park
Hiking
The Lake Murray State park has an extensive network of trails. They have a total of about ten miles of hiking options, all located in the west of the lake. Basically, there are two main trails: the Anadarche trail and the Buckhorn trail. However both trails have offshoot sections, including Lake Shore trail and Beaver trail, which will bring you closer to the lake. Entrance to the network is from the Pecan Grove picnic area or the Lake Murray Lodge and Cain area. The trails are well-marked and vary from rocky to sandy.
Biking
Biking is another popular activity in the Lake Murray State Park. The network of trails that is used for hiking can be used for biking as well.
Golf
The state park has a 18-hole golf course located near the main entrance in the west. The golf course is open every day, though opening hours depend on the season.
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Relaxing at the beach
Lake Murray has several beaches which are great to relax or to go swimming. Since the water of the lake is very clean, swimming is a popular activity. Sunset beach, located on the east side of the lake, is considered one of the best beaches in the state park. Despite this reputation, it is often less crowded than beaches on the west side. This is mainly because it can only be visited as a day trip and there are no campgrounds around.
Near the Marina, you will find Marina beach, a beach with shallow areas to swim in. On the other hand Martins beach is a great option if you want a beach close to a campground. A last option is the Resort Lodge beach, which is a small beach section near the Resort Lodge. Lake Murray Watersports is also to be found here.
Fishing
Fishing on Lake Murray is one of the very best activities you can do in the state park. The water is very clear which makes sight fishing easy. Some of the fishes to be found in the lake include small mouth bass and large mouth bass. The first is best found in the south, while the latter populates the northern section of the lake. You do need a permit to go fishing however.
Water sports
Lake Murray Water Sports is the place to be if you want to enjoy the water. They rent out canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, small sailboats and they have other fun water activities as well. These include the water trampoline and water slide.
RV Campgrounds
Renting a RV to travel to Lake Murray State Park gives you all the comfort to explore the attractions of the park. The state park has no less than 8 RV campgrounds.
Tipps Point
This one is considered one of the best camping locations on the lake. Since it is a small peninsula, there are several options to have lake views from your camping spot. Tipps Point is found on the west side of the lake and shares the same entrance with Elephant Rock and Cedar Cove campground. To access this area, an entry fee is required. While Tipps point is an option for both RV´s and tents, Elephant Rock and Cedar Cove are mainly aiming at RV´s.
Buzzards Roost Campground
This campground is located on the southwest end of Lake Murray and offers great views on both the lake and Tucker Tower. It is great camping spot for both tents and RV´s.
Duke´s Forest campground
This campground is located on the west shore of the lake and has a pavilion, baseball field. The campground is not open year-round so check before you go.
Marietta Landing campground
This is one of the smallest campgrounds around the lake, but it still has all the amenities you need. It is a place for both RV´s and tents. You can find it on the southern shore of the lake near the dam and spillway.
Martins Landing campground
This campground on the east side of the lake is considered one of the best. The reason is that it is located near a great beach, which makes it great for swimming.
Rock Tower Campground
This campground in the southeast is an exception as it the tent spots are not located at the lake. Instead they situated near the rock tower after which it is named. However, the RV camping spots are to be found on the lakeside. It is only open during peak season, but with a playground and boat ramp is a great place to stay.
