Oklahoma / Choctaw Nation / LeFlore County / Ouachita National Forest / Winding Stair Mountain National Recreation Area

Cedar Lake

Open — The campground is currently open and operating first-come-first-served. Northshore bathhouses are closed due to plumbing issues; campers in that area should use bathhouses at Shady Lane and Sandy Beach.

About

Cedar Lake Campground sits in the pine and hardwood-forested mountains of the Ouachita National Forest in southeast Oklahoma, approximately 12 miles south of Heavener. The recreation area centers around an 86-acre lake at 900 feet elevation, offering a peaceful setting surrounded by pine and oak covered hills. The campground is divided into four distinct areas: Equestrian Camp (one of the largest in the Southern Region with corrals and hookups), Sandy Beach (electric hookups), Shady Lane (electric, water, and sewer hookups), and Northshore (primitive sites). Day use facilities at Sandy Beach and Northshore include swimming areas, boat ramps, fishing piers, playgrounds, and a volleyball court. The lake is regularly stocked with largemouth bass, catfish, and bluegill, with motor restrictions to 7.5 horsepower. Cedar Lake serves as a primary trailhead for the Winding Stair Mountain Equestrian Trails, offering over 70 miles of marked riding trails. A 3-mile hiking trail loops around the lake perimeter. The Talimena National Scenic Byway is located within 10 miles, and the western terminus of the 192-mile Ouachita National Recreation Trail is 21 miles away at Talihina State Park. Fall foliage typically peaks from late October through early November.

Directions

From Poteau, OK, take U.S. Highway 59 south approximately 22 miles to Holson Valley Road (10 miles south of Heavener). Turn right (west) onto Holson Valley Road and travel approximately 2.5 miles. Turn right (north) onto Cedar Lake Road and travel 1 mile to the camp boundary. From Talihina, OK, take U.S. Highway 271 east toward Poteau for 11 miles. Turn right (east) onto Holson Valley Road and travel 19 miles to Cedar Lake Road. Turn left onto Cedar Lake Road.

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